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Patricia Racette has withdrawn from the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming revival of Alfano’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” The Met announced that Racette had an abdominal hernia that would also cause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 {…}
On Jan. 20 Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States with million of Americans protesting the controversial figure. The inauguration ceremony has stirred controversy as many musical figures have refused to perform while others have been forced to withdraw. There are also a number of concerts that will be performed at the same {…}
Christmas weekend presents a quandary for major opera companies as attendance hits a snag for a few days as people stay home and spend time with families. Despite that, there is one company that is braving the circumstances and keeping those opera lovers satisfied with performances through the holiday. The Metropolitan Opera will showcase its production of The Magic Flute {…}
The opera world is known to be untouchable and sometimes elitist. Opera stars are known for just performing opera and not going out of this vein of music. However, this is simply a misconception of pop culture thought. Opera stars are very well versed in many styles of music and many of the most popular have explored new musical landscapes {…}
Kirsten Chambers will make her Met debut in the title role of this evening’s performance of Strauss’s “Salome,” replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill. Th Met press office announced the news this morning. Chambers is a rising star in the opera world and recently covered the role of Isolde in Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” at the Metropolitan Opera. Last season the soprano {…}
Over the course of two uninterrupted hours, Strauss’ “Salome” must develop from a clueless ingénue to a passionate seductress that eventually ends up a murderous, lustful lunatic. It is the dream role for any actress, but also one that demands a grade-A star to dispatch all of its nuance and intense passions. Patricia Racette was not supposed to be the {…}