On Jan. 26 two operas had their premieres and are now part of the standard repertoire. The first opera was Mozart’s “Così Fan Tutte” in 1790 and the second was Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” in 1911. Both operas are from different periods and completely different in style, but they have one in common. Many Mozartian singers who take on one opera, wind {…}
Audiences will get the first taste of what Jonas Kaufmann’s “Tristan und Isolde” will sound like when he takes on the second act at Carnegie Hall next year. The esteemed concert venue’s 2017-18 season was announced on Wednesday, fans learning that opera’s greatest stars will be everywhere on the schedule. Kaufmann’s “Tristan” is the big one of course, a concert {…}
Ben Heppner was one of the most beloved dramatic tenors of his time and one that was admired for his technique. While he retired from the opera world and dedicated himself to radio, the tenor left so many memorable moments on stage. This season he celebrated his 25th anniversary at the Metropolitan Opera with a special gala alongside Deborah Voigt {…}
This weekend many of the international opera houses are back in session and so are many of the stars. Juan Diego Florez will be in Vienna while Yonghoon Lee will be premiering Don Carlo in Munich. Renee Fleming, Anna Smirnova and Ludovic Tezier will also be performing Austria The Vienna State Opera kicks off its weekend with a star studded {…}
Violetta, the heroine of Verdi’s “La Traviata,” is one of the iconic roles of the operatic repertoire, the measuring stick by which almost all sopranos are judged. Singing the role for many is an indication for them that they have “arrived” in the opera world. It is so imbued with depth and intensity that years and years of performance reveal {…}
A few years ago, Jimmy Lopez’s “Bel Canto” finally got its world premiere in Chicago. Despite solid reviews and general popularity, few got a chance to see it unless they traveled to Illinois to check out the new big hit. On Friday, Jan. 13, all of America will be watching as the opera gets broadcast on PBS’s Great Performances series {…}
After a week of no real releases, the Opera world is back in flux and this week will see a number of anticipated titles including DVDs and an album by Renee Fleming. Rene Fleming returns The People’s Diva is releasing her first solo album in three years. After taking a break from the studio Fleming is back with a unique {…}
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 {…}
This year is coming to a close and after having looked back at some of the milestones certain stars made this year, it is time to look at 2017. There is so much to look forward to as many of the greatest stars will take on new roles while other will reprise signature roles in new productions with star-studded casts. {…}
At the end of the 2016-17 season, the Metropolitan Opera will premiere a new production of Strauss’ venerated “Der Rosenkavalier” directed by Robert Carson. From the looks of it, this production is slated to be a huge success for some but could put off more traditional audiences. The production, which is shared with the Royal Opera House in London, is {…}
The weekend is upon us and that means many operas will be presented around the world. Many theaters will offer holiday presentations while some of the greatest singers return to the stage such as Renee Fleming, Simon Keenlyside, Rolando Villazon, Anna Netrebko, Rene Pape and Nina Stemme. Austria Simon Keenlyside returns to the Vienna State Opera for Verdi’s “Macbeth” with the {…}