Of all of Richard Strauss’ operas, none is more famous than “Der Rosenkavalier.” The work, written by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, premiered on Jan. 26, 1911. While a comedy on the surface, the opera muses on the passing of time and the challenges of growing old, as explored through the character of the Marschallin. The opera was a massive success at {…}
Due to an accident at the Teatro Regio di Torino, the next opera in the company’s season will be presented in a semi-staged version. The decision was taken after part of the staging of Turandot fell during the Jan. 18 performance. The incident happened at the start of the scene change after the closure of the tabs at the end of the {…}
London is a chilly place. Yet on this particularly evening I leave my coat in the hotel and zip to Covent Garden. No room nor time for extra layers, since attending a performance in the Royal Opera House is a cluttered affair. The long lines for cloakrooms stifle with imperial colognes, and the tight, even if velvet, chairs make Ryanair {…}
On Dec. 21, 2017, the Vienna State Opera continues its live streaming series with a performance of Richard Strauss’ “Arabella.” The production will be led by maestro Peter Lange with a cast that stars Anna Gabler in the title role and Christopher Maltman as Mandryka. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time and is slated to run until {…}
Richard Strauss’ “Salome,” adapted from the play by Oscar Wilde, first premiered on December 9th, 1905. The opera shocked not only the audiences, but many of the original performers as well, due to its themes which blend the violent and erotic within a Christian biblical setting. “Salome” was originally banned in London until 1907, and would not see a production {…}
Cheryl Studer, one of the most unique sopranos in recent history. Born on Oct. 24, 1955, she put together an enviable career that ranged from singing a tremendous amount of opera roles as dramatic and lyric soprano and then mezzo, to winning a plethora of major awards, to eventually becoming a teacher. She recorded countless albums and her legacy is {…}
Richard Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten,” is an opera composed to a libretto written by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Premiering on Oct. 10, 1919, the opera faced several problems, critics were unreceptive to the plot, which they felt was over-complicated, and the First World War, which had ended a year earlier, added great difficulty to producing a work which required many {…}
After a week of releases dominated by Maria Callas, European opera lovers are getting a ton of options for quality recordings from the world’s greatest artists. In the US, one major CD release will steal headlines. Duets Rolando Villazón and Ildar Abdrazakov’s new duets, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin will arrive on shelves in the US this week and features duets {…}
On Sept. 21, 2017, the Vienna State Opera will present Richard Strauss’ early masterwork “Salome” as part of its live streaming service. The performance kicks off at 8 p.m. local time and runs through 9:45 p.m. with no intermissions. The work will feature Gun-Brit Barkmin in the title role while Zeljko Lucic will play her obsession Jochanaan. As Herodias, audiences {…}
San Francisco Opera’s “Elektra” is a powerhouse! From the minute the curtain rises on the “Museum Elektra,” filled with the artifacts of the Greek age and styled with an array of modern visitors, complete with cell phones and baseball caps, one strange dark-haired woman skulking around from this case to that, defying the Guards who monitor the whole scene until {…}
From start to finish, Strauss’s “Elektra” pulls us into the dark night of the soul and its tormented landscape. There Electra does with us what she does to herself – rages, grieves, strains, plots and plans, and violates any chance she has for peace of mind or human freedom. If she thinks that such a prospect will grant her ease, {…}