Carnegie Hall 2017-18 Review – Der Rosenkavalier: Kirill Petrenko Leads Bayerisches Staatsorchester in History-Making Performance

Excitement filled the air as the members of the Bayerisches Staatsorchester arrived on stage and Maestro Kirill Petrenko took to the stand. We were all still floating high after their outstanding debut performance the night before at New York City’s coveted Carnegie Hall, audience members began clapping even before they played the first note of Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier.” Their delicate {…}

Mar 2, 2018

Metropolitan Opera 2017-18 Review – Elektra: Yannick Nézet-Séguin Steals The Show In Strauss’ Most Violent Work

Richard Strauss’ “Elektra” returned to the Metropolitan Opera on Thursday, March 1, 2018, in a hotly anticipated revival of Patrice Chéreau’s production. Last time out, the production was a smash hit, its stripped-down sets allowing for the audience to focus on the violent drama put before us. It continues to work in that vein, though its overall stillness might not {…}

Feb 26, 2018

Metropolitan Opera 2017-18 Preview: Hildegard Behrens, Nina Stemme, Birgit Nilsson & The Met’s 22 ‘Elektra’ Interpreters

When Strauss’ “Elektra” returns to the stage on Thursday, March 1 at the Metropolitan Opera, it will take part 109th performance with the company. The role is often considered one of the most challenging in the repertoire, if not the most difficult. The soprano is tasked with a lengthy evening with barely any rest and no intermission to aid her {…}

Jan 26, 2018

Opera Profile: Strauss’ ‘Der Rosenkavalier’

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 {…}

Jan 23, 2018

Teatro Regio di Torino To Semi-Stage ‘Salome’

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 {…}

Jan 15, 2018

Royal Opera House 2017-18 Review – Salome: David McVicar’s Thrilling Production & Michael Volle’s Violent Presence Make For Impactful Evening of Opera

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 {…}

Dec 15, 2017

Vienna State Opera 2017-18 Live Stream: Anna Gabler & Christopher Maltman Lead ‘Arabella’

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 {…}

Dec 9, 2017

Opera Profile: Strauss’ “Salome”

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 {…}

Oct 24, 2017

3 Composers That Defined Cheryl Studer’s Career

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 {…}

Oct 10, 2017

Opera Profile: Strauss’ ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’

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 {…}

Sep 18, 2017

CD / DVD Releases – Week of Sept. 18: Rolando Villazón, Thomas Hampson, Strauss, Jake Heggie & A Baroque Specialist Take Centerstage

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 {…}

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