The Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has announced its 2018 season, which will feature several surprises and some of the world’s greatest opera stars. The season is slated to run between May 19 and June 24 and will feature Susan Graham making a return to the company as well as the debut of legendary bass-baritone James Morris in Marc Blitzstein’s “Regina.” {…}
The internationally renowned soprano Patricia Racette, will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the San Francisco Conservatory on Monday, May 19 at its 2017 commencement. In January, Racette visited SFCM where she held an event with voice students and spoke to them about different aspects of vocal performance that ranged from technique and health to repertoire and interpretation. Racette is one {…}
Patricia Racette is slated to make her directorial stage debut in 2018. The soprano will direct a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. The production will feature sets by Laura Jellinek, costumes by Kaye Voyce, and lighting by Christopher Ackerlind. In a press statement, Patricia Racette said, “My collaborations with James Robinson over {…}
It was March 31, 2017, one day before the infamous day where people play tricks on one another. Soprano Jennifer Rowley was getting some shuteye, her days consumed by the task of taking on Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa” at the Toledo opera. On that very night, she would be singing the first of two performances for the demanding work. The phone {…}
The Long Beach Opera, the sister Company of the Chicago Opera Theater, has also released its season, coinciding with the 2017-18 unveiling of COT. The theme for the California-based company will open the season with Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Consul,” which will also open at COT. In the case of both companies, superstar Soprano Patricia Racette will headline the cast. {…}
The Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 2017-18 Season with three rare works being performed. Patricia Racette headlines opening night as she performs Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Consul.” The new production will be directed by Andreas Mitisek. The opera, which is rarely staged, has been hailed by the New York Times as “an opera of eloquence, momentousness, and intensity of {…}
Patricia Racette has withdrawn from the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming revival of Alfano’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” The Met announced that Racette had an abdominal hernia that would also cause her to cancel her scheduled Singer’s Studio Masterclass and conversation at the Bruno Walter Auditorium. As a result, Jennifer Rowley will replace Racette in the role of Roxanne. Rowley made her Met {…}
Prepare yourself for two high profile premieres this weekend on opposite sides of the country. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Opera lifts the curtain on “Salome” starring Patricia Racette in the role that she dominated at the Metropolitan Opera. Regarding her performance OperaWire wrote, “she dominated the stage in one of her greatest achievements on the Met stage.” Another major {…}
Every season brings new surprises, some of which may be of the disappointing variety. In disappointment, we mean singers that we love and treasure but are unable to see get the proper representation. Here is a look at the singers that were shockingly left off the roster this year. Diana Damrau: It may not have been the perfect 2016-17 season {…}
The 2017 Grammy awards have been handed out with many surprises in the Classical categories. Pentatone Music went home with two Grammys for Corigliano’s “The Ghosts Of Versailles.” The categories included Best Opera Recording and Best Engineered Album. Among the winners in the categories for engineering were Mark Donahue, Fred Vogler & David L Williams. The performers who won for Best Opera Recording {…}
Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” returns to La Monnaie on Jan. 31. The run will feature 11 performances that end on Feb. 14. Tickets start at 10 euros a piece with all but two performances starting at 8 PM local time. The opera will feature two separate casts. Alexia Voulgaridou and Amanda Echalaz will alternate the title role while Ning Liang and {…}