In a time when Tito Gobbi and Ettore Bastiani reigned supreme, Aldo Protti wasn’t quite given all that much appreciation. The baritone, born on July 19, 1920, has since retained his place in the history books. And while he is not universally hailed as the greatest, or even of the greatest of all-time, Protti retains the stature of being one {…}
The Wexford Opera has announced its ShortWorks Daytime Opera slate for 2017. The festival offers a unique way to experience opera from the Clayton Whites Hotel. The daytime productions showcase shortened versions of works, running in at around one hour in length. This year’s festival will feature one repertory staple, an Italian rarity and a world premiere. First up is {…}
Celso Albelo possesses a glorious instrument that allows him to sing a wide range of bel canto operas with great ease. But in speaking with the tenor, it became very clear that he doesn’t take a single thing for granted. He might be able to whip up a few phrases without thinking about it or throw off the highest of {…}
“Rigoletto” can’t be topped for its humanity. A father and a daughter, a jester, a virginal naif, longing for and trying to sustain a good a life in selfish and lecherous world, power-hungry and greedy, 16th century Mantua. Such is the subject of Verdi’s middle period masterpiece. The libretto by Francisco Maria Piave is based on the play “Le Roi {…}
Happy Father’s Day! Fathers are those we turn to in moments of need, who set great examples by which we can live by and, the best, seek out ways to enrich our lives every day. Opera has quite the list of famous fathers, and unlike the mothers, who are often portrayed negatively, fathers come in all shapes and sizes. So {…}
Another light weekend in North America’s Opera World with only a few companies putting on shows. Opera Theater of Saint Louis continues its run of Gordon’s “The Grapes of Wrath” on Friday. The next day the company puts on Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito.” The company closes out the weekend with “Madama Butterfly.” Portland Opera puts on its lone performance {…}
This week San Francisco Opera’s summer season begins, offering three favorites from the repertoire with intriguing casts. But it is Quinn Kelsey who has the honor of opening the season and bringing one of his most acclaimed roles to the house. As “Rigoletto” the Hawaiian baritone has brought his portrayal to Paris, Hawaii, London, Zurich, Santa Fe, and, most recently, {…}
While the bel canto repertoire is among the most popular in the operatic canon, most people are quick to dismiss the genre’s overall quality, noting that the works themselves are simply a vehicle to show off a singer’s virtuosity. But Irina Lungu could not disagree more. The Russian soprano, who has dedicated the first five months of 2017 to immersing {…}
Last week Operawire took a look at some of the 10 must see summer operas in the United States. It featured a range of repertoire and some very intriguing new stars. This week we look at the European Festivals and see where the big stars will be and what they will be performing. The following is a list of OperaWire’s 10 {…}
When you hear the name Leonard Warren, you always hear another name – Verdi. The baritone, born on April 21, 1911, was dedicated to the great Italian and practically sang every great baritone role that Verdi wrote. You name it. For many, he was the ultimate Rigoletto (he performed the opera 89 times at the Metropolitan Opera), while others will {…}
As is the case with the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House popularly shares its work with audiences in cinemas around the world. This season, the company is presenting six operas throughout the season. The cinema showcase kicks off on Sept. 20 with a performance of “Die Zauberflöte” with Julia Jones in the pit and a cast that includes Roderick Williams, {…}