BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition Announces 2021 Contestants

The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition has announced the names of this year’s contestants. The following singers will be competing for the prestigious award: soprano Christina Gansch, tenor Chuan Wang, bass Nicolai Elsberg, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Wake-Edwards, mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze, soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, baritone Michael Rakotoarivony, baritone Ankhbayar Enkhbold, baritone Gihoon Kim, bass-baritone Jusung Park, soprano Elbenita Kajtazi {…}

Apr 1, 2021

Ana María Martinez, Russell Thomas, J’Nai Bridges, Rihab Chaieb Headline Cincinnati Opera’s 2021 Festival

Cincinnati Opera has announced a reimagined 2021 summer festival which will include three productions, all presented without intermission in new 90-minute versions. The festival will take place at Summit Park due to its ability to host large-scale stage productions that allow for safety protocols to be put in place for both performers and audience members. “Music Hall will always be {…}

Jan 26, 2021

Angela Brown, Reginald Smith, Jr., Talise Trevigne Headline Cincinnati Opera’s 2021 Winter Festival

Cincinnati Opera has announced its first-ever all-digital Winter Festival, which will feature free opera streams throughout February and March. “While we’ve eagerly anticipated the opportunity to return to live performance, we knew we couldn’t wait until summer to share opera again with our community,” said Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, in a press release. “We reached out {…}

Dec 18, 2020

Former Vice-President at Columbia Artists Opens Minerva Artists

Former vice-president at Columbia Artists, Michael Benchetrit, has struck out on his own, founding Minerva Artists with 15 high-profile artists entrusting their careers to the seasoned agent. Benchetrit was at Columbia for 25 years before the agency shuttered in August. Minerva’s current roster includes sopranos Michelle Bradley, Nicole Cabell, Anna-Sophie Neher, Marjorie Owens, Brenda Rae, and in memoriam, Erin Wall; {…}

Oct 5, 2020

Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Stéphanie d’Oustrac Headline Top 10* Operas to Stream This Week

This week’s recommendations list comes with a caveat – there are actually more that 10 performances to stream among our recommendations. The reason? Some of the companies are presenting package deals that were simply too good to ignore. If you are a lover of the standard repertory, we have a lot of unique options for you among this week’s recommendations. {…}

Sep 1, 2020

Atlanta Opera Announces Two New Opera Productions for 2020-21

The Atlanta Opera has announced a new business model for the 2020-21 season with the “Big Tent” series. The new series will comprise of six new chamber opera productions in open-air venues prioritizing the health and safety of audiences, artists, and backstage personnel while maintaining the exceptional level of music and storytelling. The series will launch in the fall with {…}

Jul 13, 2020

Carl Tanner, Amy Shoremount-Obra & Alexandra LoBianco Highlight Opera Grand Rapids’ 2020-21 Season

Opera Grand Rapids has announced its 2020-21 season featuring three productions and several acclaimed stars. The season opens with Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” starring Katherine Whyte, Christine Amon, Johnathan White, Michael Colman, Steven Condy, and Corie Auger. James Meena conducts the production by Eve Summer. Performance Dates: Oct. 23 & 25, 2020 Amy Shoremount-Obra sings the title role of Puccini’s “Turandot” in a {…}

May 4, 2020

Fabio Armiliato, Alexandra LoBianco & Carl Tanner Lead Opera Carolina’s 2020-21 Season

Opera Carolina has announced its 2020-21 season featuring three operas, two from the standard repertoire and one new work. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” starring Cellia Costea in the title role, Fabio Armiliato as Cavaradossi and Leo An as Scarpia. James Meena conducts a production by Michael Capasso. Performance Dates: Oct. 31-Nov. 5, 2020 Douglas Tappin’s “I Dream” is {…}

Jan 18, 2020

Watch Live Stream of Lawrence Brownlee & Houston Grand Opera’s ‘Giving Voice’ Concert

On Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, the Houston Grand Opera will present “Giving Voice,” a concert presented by tenor Lawrence Brownlee. The performance will be live streamed via YouTube and is set to feature J’Nai Bridges, Nicole Heaston, Reginald Smith Jr., and Russell Thomas. Kevin Miller will be at the piano. The concert was developed by Brownlee in association with the {…}

Oct 8, 2019

Soprano Suzanne Vinnik Leads Major Opera Singers To ‘Sing For Hope’ At Port Authority

It was a typical Monday at Port Authority. People hustling and bustling about trying to make their respective connections. Long lines outside bus terminals. General white noise echoing around the building. But around 5 p.m. something in the atmosphere changed. If you were walking around the terminal at that time, you might have started to hear “O soave fanciulla” from {…}

Sep 24, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2019-20 Review: Porgy and Bess

While the environment outside the Met Opera on opening night was rather subdued in comparison to previous years, there could be no denying the environment inside of the sold-out house. Everywhere you turned, the opera on hand was a major topic of conversation with great excitement over what it might bring. The Gershwin classic, “Porgy and Bess,” hasn’t been at {…}