“Parsifal. Parsifal.” Real? Dreamed? Which? In the opening of the Bayerische Staatsoper Opernfest 2018, we couldn’t tell. The new production by Pierre Audi and Georg Baselitz, which featured Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape, Christian Gerhahar, Nina Stemme, Wolfgang Koch, and conductor Kirill Petrenko, took us to a world far-beyond the drizzly night outside the doors, and watched a human and sacred {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper will live stream its new production of Wagner’s “Parsifal” on Sunday, July 8, 2018. The production, directed by Pierre Audi, will be led by Music director Kirill Petrenko and star Jonas Kaufmann, Christian Gerhaher, René Pape, Wolfgang Koch, and Nina Stemme. The stream kicks off at 5 p.m. local time. That’s around 12 p.m. EDT and 9 {…}
Siegfried Jerusalem could not have been better named. The Oberhausen native, born on April 17, 1940, would grow up to be one of the great 20th century interpreters of his namesake in Wagner’s famed “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” The tenor actually studied piano, violin, and bassoon in his formative years and started his career as a bassoon player. Eventually, at {…}
Richard Wagner was a 19th century micro-manager in music long before the pejorative appellation appeared in MBA curricula. As his own librettist, casting director, set designer, costume conceptualist, lighting Loge and Dirigent, there was rarely any aspect of his music dramas which Wagner was prepared to relinquish to lesser talents. No composition was more tightly controlled than his ultimate opus “Parsifal,” which {…}
Opera Vision will start streaming “Parsifal” from the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen on April 1, 2018. Wagner’s final masterpiece will showcase Christoph Pohl as Amfortas, Stefan Kocan as Gurnemanz, Erin Caves as Parsifal, Kay Stiefermann as Klingsor, and Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as both Kundry and the Voice from Above. Cornelius Meister leads the Symhonish Orkest Opera Vlaanderen. The stream kicks off {…}
This Saturday, March 3, 2018, the Washington National Opera will be staging a four-act version of “Don Carlo” with a superstar cast. While many might turn to the likes of Leah Crocetto, Jamie Barton, or Eric Owens, for the star power, tenor Russell Thomas is poised to have a big night in his Washington National Opera debut. Thomas recently spoke {…}
Simon Estes, born on March 2, 1938, did not have an easy career path. While the bass-baritone succeeded in Europe in his early years, the United States didn’t take too well to him. He was only accepted for minor roles at most prominent theaters and it wasn’t until 1981, 16 years after his professional debut, that the Metropolitan Opera offered {…}
The world is divided into men and women. And only the unification of these two sides, through mutual understanding and respect can bridge the gap and bring about a new world full of equality. Sounds familiar right? It was what François Girard saw prior to 2013, and his vision remains ever true to this day. Perhaps even more prevalent. It {…}
On Monday, soprano Evelyn Herlitzius kicks off her first year on the North American opera scene. For years, the German soprano has dominated Europe as a leading interpreter of the German repertoire. She has dominated Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, Baden-Baden, Salzburg, and Paris, among others, in such operas as “Elektra,” “Tristan und Isolde,” “Wozzeck,” “Lohengrin,” and Wagner’s “Der Ring des {…}
René Pape, opera’s most iconic bass had an eventful 2017 and is kicking off the New Year in tremendous style. For those who want a recap – the bass sang in 14 productions throughout the year, mostly in Wagner operas and then ended 2017 by releasing a rubber duck in his image, the famed “Papeduck.” And now he’s back for {…}
Wagner’s “Parsifal” opens on Feb. 5, 2018, at the Metropolitan Opera in a revival of the successful production by François Girard with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in the pit. René Pape and Peter Mattei reprise the roles that they dominated the last time this production came to the Met, but the other two singers to take on major roles are perhaps less {…}