Pittsburgh Opera has announced Michael Braxton as the new Director of Development. The company announced that the veteran fund-raiser will take over the position on August 13, 2018 for the start of the new season. In a press statement, Braxton noted, “I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity. Pittsburgh Opera is one of Pittsburgh’s cultural gems and recognized nationally {…}
The Pittsburgh Opera has announced its 2018-19 Resident Artists. This year, the program received more than 500 applicants and chose seven singers. The year’s residents will be mezzo-soprano Antonia Botti-Lodovico, tenor Terrence Chin-Loy, soprano Ashley Fabian, soprano Caitlin Gotimer, stage director Matthew Haney, baritone Ben Taylor, and bass-baritone Tyler Zimmerman. The program, which has been hailed as one of the country’s leading training programs for young singers, {…}
It’s a big weekend in the opera world, with undeniably the biggest show coming from the biggest star around. Here is a look at five can’t-miss performances from around the North American continent (In alphabetical order by company). NJ Verismo Opera – Turandot Puccini’s final opera gets one performance in NJ with Zhanna Alkhazova in the title role, Philip Alongi {…}
Pittsburgh Opera’s “Student Matinee” performance of Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love” is set to bring 2,000+ schoolchildren to Benedum on Thursday, April 26. The performance, which will be shown from 10:30 – 1:00 p.m., will include Pittsburgh Opera’s full orchestra, top-quality singers, chorus, and production elements. The field trip will continue Pittsburgh Opera’s educational program to expand opera audiences. As noted in a press release, “Students {…}
Opera America has announced the recipients of the second cycle of Innovation Grants. The grants, which are “generously funded by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation,” were launched in 2016 in support companies that have shown tremendous innovation in diverse areas of the art form. The grants total $1.5 million. This year, 20 companies were awarded the prestigious grants. They {…}
The Pittsburgh Opera will honor Tom Wolf, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary dedication to the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Pittsburgh. The award will be given at the 34th annual Maecenas Gala on Saturday, May 12, which will feature the whimsical theme “Cirque de l ’Opera.” In {…}
It’s amazing what a ripping good yarn enhanced by instantly recognizable themes can do for an audience. American composer Jake Heggie’s opera, “Moby Dick,” now being performed by the Pittsburgh Opera, is in many ways a return to that fundamental principle for operatic success: create characters audiences care about, and endow them with memorable motifs to better manipulate the viewers’ {…}
This week’s picks are all about debuts. We’re talking about house debuts for artists, house debuts for operas, and in one case a role and house debut all in one. It’s going to be a fun weekend with the biggest challenge likely coming down to where you want to be on Saturday night. Orfeo ed Euridice – Florida Grand Opera {…}
The Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters in the Strip District will hosts “A Song of Thrones,” a Pittsburgh Opera fashion event. The event will take place on March 19 and will be based on the fantasy epic “Game of Thrones.” The event will capture the drama of the immensely popular television show while spotlighting costuming and music from the Pittsburgh Opera, as well {…}
The Pittsburgh Opera concludes its 2017-18 season with Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore.” Donizetti’s 36th opera, and one of his most popular, is set to star Russian soprano Ekaterina Siurina and American tenor Dimitri Pittas in the lead roles. Zachary Nelsons will sing Belcore while Paolo Pecchioli will portray Dulcamara. The new production by Daniel Slater, which was presented at the Houston Grand {…}
This weekend is jampacked with rare operas to see. No joke. With one exception, the list consists of works you probably will struggle to find productions for at any given point a year from now. So strap in and find a way to watch these five shows. (List is in alphabetical order by company). Euridice – Cantanti Project The New {…}