(Credit: Miguel Lorenzo/Mikel Ponce) Renowned opera star Plácido Domingo returned Valencia’s Palau de les Arts to great success with audiences jumping to their feet at the close of the night and raining down confetti on him. It hasn’t been an easy few months for the famed artist, but despite the controversy surrounding him, he looked as calm as ever onstage, {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced a cast change for Verdi’s “Nabucco.” The company announced via social media that Iulia Maria Dan will sing Anna on Nov. 8, 10 and 16, replacing Birgit Fandrey while Sejong Chang will sing Oberpriester des Baal on Nov. 8 & 10, replacing Alexandros Stavrakakis. Dan was originally scheduled to sing “La Traviata” during that period but {…}
(Credit: Bernd Uhlig) The Deutsche Oper Berlin’s current “Nabucco” is a production by Keith Warner, first presented in 2013. It’s not an unconventional production, at least by Berlin standards. Where Berlin opera is often characterized by the most provocative nontraditional productions—Frank Castorf’s recent “Forza” premiere, for instance, provoked a near-riot among its Deutsche Oper audiences—Warner’s “Nabucco,” by contrast, feels tame. {…}
Verdi’s “Nabucco” is set to be performed Off-Broadway in a production featuring baritone David Serero. The opera will be performed at the Center for Jewish History, New York with soloists with Leslie Swanson as Abigaille, Javier Ortiz as Zaccaria, Michael Celentano as Ismaele, and Robin Bradley as Fenena with Shawn Chang conducting. Serero is a recognized baritone who has performed in {…}
BroadwayHD, announced that it will continue to expand content and is adding two breathtaking opera performances to the existing lineup of more than 270 titles. The company announced that “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx and directed by award-winning director Ivo van Hove, and “Nabucco’ will be added to the collection. In a press statement, BroadwayHD co-founders, Stewart F. Lane and {…}
As part of their ongoing mission of celebrating one of opera’s most beloved composers, the Festival Verdi has given a preview of its 2019 program. While more details will be announced in January, the four operas for the upcoming festival will be “I Due Foscari,” “Luisa Miller,” “Aida,” and “Nabucco.” The Festival Verdi is organized by the Teatro Regio di Parma, and general director Anna {…}
Giuseppe Verdi is Italy’s composer. Few composers have ever attained the legendary status of the man from Busetto, who created a plethora of operas throughout his career that remain fixtures of the standard repertoire today. Born on Oct. 9 (or was it 10?), 1813, Verdi would become the textbook example of how to achieve everlasting greatness when you put in {…}
With over 150 opera productions to his credit, British director Keith Warner is hardly a neophyte in the lyric theatre. The mystery is how this respected regisseur could have made such a muddle out of “Nabucco” for the Deutsche Oper Berlin. After all, it is not so difficult to stage Verdi’s first great operatic triumph. Jean-Paul Scarpitta managed to come {…}
Ghena Dimitrova, born on May 6, 1941, was a powerhouse soprano in every possible way. Known for a massive instrument, she would go on to sing some of the heaviest repertoire possible throughout her career. Her massive voice was recognized from her youth when she sang in the school choir in her native Bulgaria. She was offered a spot at {…}
The Arena di Verona has announced its casting for the 2018 festival, showcasing some of the biggest stars in the opera world. Here is a breakdown of what stars will grace the stage of the famous arena. Carmen Three mezzos take on the iconic role of “Carmen” including Anna Goryachova and Carmen Topciu. They are joined by four Don José’s including Brian Jagde, {…}
When you sing a major part of your career with one theater, you get to experience a ton of major moments in said organization’s history. Rosalind Elias, born on March 13, 1929, was such an artist, experiencing a major part of her artist life at the Metropolitan Opera. In sum, she showed up on the Met’s stage 687 times between {…}
