On November 18, 2017, Hungarian State Opera will be performing Rossini’s “L’italiana in Algeri,” making it the first production of the opera ever staged in the city of Budapest. The production comes as part of Hungarian State Opera’s ongoing mission to bring new or rarely-seen operas to audiences in Hungary. The opera itself boasts a marriage of the humor of farce {…}
Audiences looking for comedy will get just that in the form of Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri,” which will be showcased via live stream directly from the Vienna State Opera on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2017. The performance comes courtesy of the company’s season-long streaming of its performances. The legendary Jean-Pierre Ponnelle production gets refreshed by a cast that includes Luca Pisaroni, {…}
The story of “Cinderella” is one told in many iterations and for good reasons. It’s a feel-good story that is certainly uplifting during trying times. The well-traveled Jean-Pierre Ponnelle version of Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” made a stop this past Sunday at Deutsche Oper Am Rhein in Dusseldorf and it’s not often you witness as many ovations in the opera house {…}
Francisco Araiza, born on Oct. 4, 1950, is one of the greatest Mexican tenors of all time. He pioneered a path for many singers from Latin America, including such stars as Ramón Vargas and Javier Camarena. He had a tremendously diverse repertoire, stretching from Mozart and Rossini, all the way to Wagner, from whom he took on lead roles in {…}
A week after superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann released his latest album, the other major stars of the opera world will unveil their latest recordings. It’s a big week with too many incredible choices. Here we go. Mozart Juan Diego Flórez’s first album fully dedicated to Mozart is conducted by Riccardo Minasi and features music from “Idomeneo,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Don Giovanni,” {…}
Elīna Garanča is one of the most famous singers of the modern opera world. Born on Sept. 16, 1976, the Latvian mezzo has gone from bel canto specialist to a dominant singing actress in the dramatic repertoire. Known for her vocal prowess and technical perfection (have you ever heard her struggle with any vocal line?), she is also an imaginative {…}
Marina Rebeka has announced her upcoming Rossini album. The new CD “Amor Fatale” features arias from “Otello,” “Maometto II,” “Semiramide,” “Guillaume Tell” and “La Donna del Lago.” Marco Armiliato conducts the Munchner Rundfunkorchester in this new album which will be released by BR Klassik. The album is set for release on Sept. 29 in Europe with no U.S. release set. {…}
Ramón Vargas is one of the great artists of the past few decades. Born on Sept. 11, 1960, the tenor has managed an international career in a wide range of repertoire from the great Bel Canto roles through some more dramatic territory in recent years. Hailing from México City, the tenor started singing at age nine and would go on {…}
Written in only 11 days, “L’occasione fa il ladro” was the fourth of five operas Rossini had been contracted to write for Venice’s Teatro San Moisè. Although only a relatively small theater, with a limited budget and basic scenery and boasting only a small cast of singers and without a chorus, it was the perfect size for the one act {…}
Gregory Kunde is one of the most versatile tenors out there. He is also a versatile musician. The tenor is slated to take up the baton for “Il Barbiere di Sivigila” next year at La Fenice in Venice. The performances are slated for September and October 2018. This won’t be Kunde’s first conducting gig. He did lead a few performances {…}
Rossini’s “Le Comte Ory” has had somewhat of a revival in recent years thanks to the influx of great Rossini tenors such as Juan Diego Flórez, Javier Camarena, and Lawrence Brownlee, among others. The comedy, which premiered on August 20, 1828, was the composer’s final comedy and penultimate work, followed by the dramatic “Guillaume Tell.” As such, it features trademarks {…}
