There are only a select few of Mozart’s operas that get the same buzz as the Da Ponte trio of works. Among them is his 1782 opera, “Die Entführung aus dem Serail.” The work, which premiered on July 16, 1782, is one of two singspiel operas by the legendary composer that still gets continually performed in opera houses around the {…}
Sony Classical has announced has Juan Diego Flórez’s new CD. The new album, entitled “Mozart,” will see the tenor exploring arias from the composer’s famed works. The album will also mark his first album for Sony Classical and his first album since 2015 when Decca released “Italia.” The new album will feature Orchestra la Scintilla and will be conducted by {…}
The Prague Summer Nights festival, presented by Classical Movements, continues this week in Salzburg where young artists will have the chance to perform at the legendary Mozarteum. Among the young artists is Anna Kozlakiewicz, a lyric soprano who studied voice at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and Art History at the UKSW Warszawa. She is currently studying at Indiana University, {…}
Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” is considered a masterpiece on all levels, musically and dramatically. But it is also an opera that is incredibly complicated to stage. A production needs great singing actors who meet the demands that Mozart and da Ponte required. Luckily, the Prague Summer Nights lined up a cast that was very well directed by Maria Zouves {…}
The Portland Opera will present Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” in a brand new interpretation by director Roy Rallo. The performance is slated to open on July 14, 2017, with subsequent performances slated for the 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 29th. “Mozart’s ‘Così fan tutte’ is a deeply insightful look at relationships. His understanding of the human heart, and his ability {…}
The flamboyant new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” a drama giocoso in two acts, was the brilliant ending of the 2016/2017 season of the Opéra de Lausanne. This was a remarkable event for the town, located in the French-speaking part of Switzerland on the picturesque shore of Lake Léman also known as Lake Geneva. Despite being one of the world’s {…}
San Francisco Opera’s “Don Giovanni” brings us bass-baritones with gusto, sopranos with flair, a tenor who pleads his case with feeling, and an opera that never ceases to amaze. Opening SFO’s 2017 summer season, Jacopo Spirei, in his SFO debut, offers us the ever satisfying chestnut in as provocative and seductive a production as the Don himself. Who can {…}
How do you balance a career in opera with a high-profile presence in musicals and cabaret? While crossover is frequent among many artists, it is rare to see a singer split his or her time between opera and musicals. However, that has not been a problem for Polish-Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot, as his work in opera has been met with critical {…}
Buzzing in conversation, an increasingly larger group of people sat around the circular West Side Community Gardens, their proximity one another as close as it was to the numerous flower beds growing around them. A wind octet and string bass were perched on the Northern side of the central circle with conductor Geoffrey McDonald waiting patiently as more and more {…}
Two vastly different CDs come out this week. One comes from a violinist exploring operatic repertoire through diverse arrangements while the other one comes from a legendary singer who is considered the greatest in the history of opera. There is also one Mozart selection that will likely appeal to DVD collectors. Alexandre Da Costa Goes To The Opera The acclaimed {…}
The Mostly Mozart Festival is one of the highlights of the summer in New York City, filled with many selections from the great genius. Of course, there is always a nice selection for opera lovers and this year is no different. There will be two concerts that feature choral music. The first of these is “The Singing Heart” on July {…}