At the beginning of the 19th century, a small Venetian theatre called San Moisè was dedicated to the genre of the “farsa”—short, semi-serious one-act operas performed by a small company of six or seven singers, without a chorus, and accompanied by a modest orchestra. The barely twenty-year-old Gioachino Rossini found this environment ideal for honing his compositional skills and establishing {…}
“Manon Lescaut,” the third opera composed by Giacomo Puccini, marked his first true success, particularly with audiences, though critics raised some mild objections. It is widely regarded as the Maestro’s first mature work, showcasing a distinctive personal style that would continue to evolve in his later compositions. A Troublesome Libretto Based on the 1731 French novel by Abbé Prévost, the {…}
“Andrea Chénier” is the greatest masterpiece of Umberto Giordano, one of the most prominent exponents of Verismo. The plot is based on historical events: poet and scholar André Chénier, who had sympathized with revolutionary ideas, was guillotined in 1794 during the Reign of Terror following the French Revolution of 1789. The libretto features a love story between Chénier and Maddalena {…}
Opernahus Zurich has announced it will reopen to the public on May 1 for a limited audience of 50 people. Performance Date: May 1, 2021 The theater will reopen with “Walking Mad” featuring Ballett Zürich, Junior Ballett, Ada Pesch, and Naoki Kitaya. Performance Dates: May 6 & 9, 2021 The Philharmonia Winds will present a concert featuring music by Dvořák {…}
(Credit: Dominic M. Mercier) Opera Philadelphia will kick off its O19 Festival with the world premiere of Venables and Huffman’s opera “Denis & Katya.” The opera, co-commissioned and co-produced with Music Theatre Wales and Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier, was inspired by the “true story of two 15-year-old runaways who became social media sensations when they live streamed an armed stand-off {…}
