On Sept. 18, Opera Philadelphia world premiered “The Wake World” as part of its 2017 festival. Composer David Hertzberg created an immersive experience that was showcased at the Barnes Foundation and that experimented with form and melody. As one of Opera Philadelphia’s 2017-2018 Composers-in-Residence, in a program offered in collaboration with Music-Theatre Group, Hertzberg will continue to be an active {…}
It is another busy weekend in the opera world with more and more companies opening their doors for the fall season. Opera Philadelphia is the first new addition to the weekend with its first performance of “The Magic Flute” on Friday and Sunday. On Saturday, the company showcases the world premiere of Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s “Elizabeth Cree,” which {…}
Rihab Chaieb is a rising star in the opera world having won the 2016 Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition and becoming a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program. The Tunisian mezzo-soprano has quickly earned praise singing a number of houses including the Canadian Opera Company where she was a member of the Ensemble Studio and participant in {…}
It’s never an easy task to open a season at an opera house. But it’s even more challenging to open a season with a role debut and a world premiere. That is the feat that Daniela Mack is tasked with this week as she takes on the role of “Elizabeth Cree” in Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s latest collaboration. Mack, {…}
In a contemporary landscape overrun with new operas featuring white, cisgendered men in the title roles, it’s refreshing to consider Opera Philadelphia’s newest commission, “Elizabeth Cree.” This chamber opera, composed by Kevin Puts with a libretto by Mark Campbell, adapts Peter Ackroyd’s macabre murder mystery, “The Trial of Elizabeth Cree.” The story, set in late 19th century London, follows Elizabeth Cree, {…}
A few days ago we heard about Vienna State Opera amping up the subtitles game in an attempt to make opera more accessible to a wider range of people. It looks like Opera Philadelphia is in on the same game. The company announced that audiences will be able to use their smartphones during the performance to obtain a translation of {…}
On Sept. 14, 2017, Opera Philadelphia will open “War Stories,” a double bill featuring Monetverdi’s “Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” and Lembit Beecher’s “I Have No Stories to Tell You.” The pairing features two stories about war and their effects on their heroes. It is also a chance to see a classic baroque work juxtaposed with a modern work. Beecher {…}
It’s that time of the year when companies begin to rehearse for opening night and as a result, rather than put the focus on individual singers, this week we will see what companies are sharing about their preparations. Opera Philadelphia Opera Philadephia’s festival opens in two weeks and rehearsals have clearly begun. This week the company posted a picture of {…}
Opera Philadelphia will continue to look for ways to expand the opera world as it will join in premiering two new operas this fall as part of its first-ever O17 season-opening festival. The 12-day festival will feature those two premieres at historic venues. First up is the world premiere of “The Wake World,” which is described as a hallucinatory new one-act opera {…}
Missy Mazzoli’s opera “Breaking the Waves” has been a hit over the last year and now it has been recognized by the Music Critics Association of North America with the Best New Opera Award. This is actually the first time the organization awards this very accolade. Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek will both be honored on July 19 at the {…}
Opera season remains in full swing across North America as summer fast approaches. With so many companies in business this weekend, we have opted for a slight shift in structure. Instead of a series of paragraphs, we will go list form for this week’s edition and any with this massive amount of productions. Behold the opera events of the weekend {…}