Music of Remembrance has announced its 2022-23 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal and operatic performances. First up is “Josephine,” a Monodrama by Tom Cipullo starring Laquita Mitchell. It will be directed by Erich Parce and conducted by Geoffrey Larson. The showcase will also be paired with “Wertheim Park,” a work by {…}
(Disclosure: Out of respect for the sensitivity of our audience we will only link to images of blackface instead of showing them here) Following a performance of “Aida” at the Arena di Verona on July 8, several opera singers are calling out Anna Netrebko for the use of blackface. Jamie Barton took to Twitter and said, “It’s been a long {…}
Every element in Seattle Opera’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” which I saw on opening night, focused the production into a sunny comedy brimming with goodwill. You’d have to look hard to find any political overlays, class resentment, sexual aggression, or personal bitterness on stage amidst the humorous antics. Any elements of the story that might harbor threats of dark antagonism {…}
(Credit: Jiyang Chen) Search for Common Ground has appointed baritone Ryan McKinny to its President’s Lead Council. In his new position, McKinny will be among those that offer “counsel, introductions, and feedback on the organization’s strategic priorities and life-saving peacebuilding work.” His tenure lasts two years. “Search for Common Ground gives me hope for the future of humanity,” McKinny said {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2022–23 season featuring operatic productions. Here is a look. Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season with Angel Blue and Cecilia Violetta López sharing the title role. They are joined by Bryan Hymel, Ricardo Garcia, Andrei Kymach, and Anthony Clark Evans. Matthew Aucoin conducts the production by Arin Arbus. Performance Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 8, 2022 Dame Ethel Smyth’s {…}
The LA Opera has announced its 2022-23 Season featuring six operatic productions including an LA premiere. The season opens with Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” with Amanda Woodbury and Liv Redpath sharing the title role. They will be joined by Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Alexander Birch Elliott, and Eric Owens with Lina González-Granados conducting Simon Stone’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 9, 2022 Rhiannon {…}
(Credit: Chris Lee) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” The production by Richard Eyre will be shown six times starting Jan. 8 through 28, 2022. Maestro Daniele Rustioni will lead the production with a cast that includes Golda Schultz in her Met role debut as Countess Almaviva and Adam Plachetka as Count Almaviva. When {…}
(Credit: Hans van der Woerd) The Metropolitan Opera House has announced that its Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will not be conducting a run of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in January 2022. Per a press release, Nézet-Séguin will be taking a brief, almost four-week sabbatical from all conducting duties commencing Dec. 19, 2021. “This short break will allow time for {…}
The Seattle Opera has announced its 2021-222 season. The season opens with “La Bohème” starring Kang Wang, Yosep Kang, Talise Trevigne, Michael Chioldi, John Moore, Ginger Costa-Jackson, Brandie Sutton, Ashraf Swailam, Federico de Michelis, Eugene Villanueva, Theo Hoffman, and Barry Johnson. Joseph Colaneri conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. 16-30, 2021 Key’mon Murrah, Christopher Ainslie, Sharleen Joynt, Deanna Breiwick, and Shelly Traverse {…}
(Credit: Jiyang Chen) The Atlanta Opera has world premiered “Orfano Mondo” on its Spotlight Media streaming platform. The work, which stars and was created by baritone Ryan McKinny in collaboration with filmmaker Felipe Barral, is broken up into a episodic series of eight episodes. The first four episodes are currently available. Each episode lasts between 10-15 minutes. The video uses {…}
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; {…}