One of the great delights of today’s viewer technology is sitting in your living room, a cup of chocolate in your hand, and, before you, a vibrant, young orchestra, a brilliant and famous conductor, and a dozen notable first-class singers embarked in a world of eroticism with genius music – in other words, “Salome.” Thanks to Medici TV’s ample coverage {…}
The Verbier Festival will be live streaming a performance of Richard Strauss’ “Salome” on July 21, 2017. The opera will be a concert version of the famed work featuring Charles Dutoit as the conductor of the Verbier Festival Orchestra. Soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin will lead a cast that also includes Jane Henschel, Egils Silins and Gerhard Siegel, who recently performed the {…}
Richard Strauss, born on June 11, 1864, is one of opera’s greatest composers. And many of his operas, including “Elektra,” “Salome,” “Der Rosenkavalier,” “Die Frau ohne Schatten,” and “Ariadne auf Naxos,” are major repertoire staples. Others still get occasional performances, including “Arabella,” “Capriccio,” and “The Egyptian Helen.” But there are still others that for whatever reason simply never made the cut {…}
A new opera starts its life on Saturday while a rarity gets its premiere in a major city and a modern masterwork arrives in our nation’s capital. Yes, opera is finally starting to bloom around the States, with many smaller companies getting in on the act. Arizona Opera is showcasing the world premiere of Bohmler’s “Riders of the Purple Sage.” {…}
Prepare yourself for two high profile premieres this weekend on opposite sides of the country. On Saturday, the Los Angeles Opera lifts the curtain on “Salome” starring Patricia Racette in the role that she dominated at the Metropolitan Opera. Regarding her performance OperaWire wrote, “she dominated the stage in one of her greatest achievements on the Met stage.” Another major {…}
Hildegard Beherens is regarded as one of the greatest dramatic sopranos of the 20th century as she delivered intensity in everything she portrayed. Sometimes criticized for her over acting, whatever Behrens did on stage was still effective and memorable. In celebration of the great soprano’s birthday, OperaWire takes a look at the mad scenes that Behrens portrayed. Salome One can {…}
Christmas weekend presents a quandary for major opera companies as attendance hits a snag for a few days as people stay home and spend time with families. Despite that, there is one company that is braving the circumstances and keeping those opera lovers satisfied with performances through the holiday. The Metropolitan Opera will showcase its production of The Magic Flute {…}
Kirsten Chambers will make her Met debut in the title role of this evening’s performance of Strauss’s “Salome,” replacing Patricia Racette, who is ill. Th Met press office announced the news this morning. Chambers is a rising star in the opera world and recently covered the role of Isolde in Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” at the Metropolitan Opera. Last season the soprano {…}
Over the course of two uninterrupted hours, Strauss’ “Salome” must develop from a clueless ingénue to a passionate seductress that eventually ends up a murderous, lustful lunatic. It is the dream role for any actress, but also one that demands a grade-A star to dispatch all of its nuance and intense passions. Patricia Racette was not supposed to be the {…}
The weekend is upon us and opera fans around the United States are likely looking at how to approach the forthcoming days ahead. Because of the holiday season, there are not many options out there as most companies have taken the month off to recoup and prep for January, when most make a return with a big showcase. That said, {…}
The second performance of the Metropolitan Opera’s “Salome,” starring Patricia Racette, takes place on Friday, Dec. 9. The first performance featured the Met role debut for Racette, a portrayal that earned her universal acclaim. Eric C. Simpson of the New York Classical Review wrote that “ the veteran soprano had a career night Monday, showing she still has an enormous {…}