Rolando Villazón turns 45 on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. The Mexican tenor has managed a strong career over the past decade, conquering numerous struggles and paving new ways that have allowed him to remain at the forefront of opera’s diversification and development. He has reshaped his repertoire to suit his vocal and dramatic abilities, but today we recognize him for {…}
Vittorio Grigolo is one of the most acclaimed tenors of his generation and has already been hailed as the successor to Luciano Pavarotti, his greatest qualities including his rampant energy and charisma on stage. On Feb. 19 Grigolo celebrates his 40th birthday and as a result OperaWire takes a look at some his most acclaimed roles The Duke in “Rigoletto” Vittorio Grigolo {…}
Isabel Leonard turns 35 on Saturday Feb. 18. The singer’s stature has grown over the past few years as the artist, so beloved around the United States, has seen her profile grow ever greater around the world. She is coming off major turns as Adalgisa in “Norma” and Charlotte in “Werther,” which she is currently performing at the Metropolitan Opera. {…}
Francesco Tamagno, born on December 28 in 1850, had a tremendously successful career throughout Europe and America. But his single biggest moment, the one for which he is remembered, is for premiering Verdi’s “Otello” in 1887. The tenor was also one of the first ever to record his voice and those immortal renditions are a major link to the great {…}