Credit: Karjaka Studios “As more people transition, the [opera] industry is going to realize that transgender singers are just like any other singers. I was transphobic in my own beliefs and thought; ‘The voice will be less. It won’t be operatic in quality.’ There are some risks, of course, but I have the same lyric baritone range as a lyric {…}
Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi are set to present “Don Giovanni” at the Apollo Theater in Ermoupolis in Greece. The opera will star Manos Christofakakis in the title role alongside Rick Agster, Valerio Morelli, Stephanie Lorentz, Olivia Le Roux, Adam Golstein, Diego Valdez, Lisa Algozzini, Sophie Kochanowski, Lucas Bouk, Bryan McClary, Clare Ghigo, and Mara Koutsaimani. The opera will also {…}
Teatro Grattacielo will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Zandonai’s “Giulietta e Romeo” at Battery Park City. The opera, which will be presented as part of the inaugural Festival of New York, had its world premiere on Feb. 14, 1922 at the Constazi Theater in Rome. Audiences in New York will get to check it out on June 4 and 5, {…}
On November 14, 2021, New York’s Teatro Grattacielo presented a semi-staged production of Pietro Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz.” Unlike his hit, “Cavalleria rusticana,” Mascagni’s second opera orbits the far reaches of the standard repertoire. I give the company credit for reviving the somewhat charming opera, but there were misfires in the musical execution and elsewhere that marred the production, leaving me {…}
(Credit; Gustavo Mirabile) Opera Hispánica and Teatro Grattacielo opened their respective 2021-22 seasons on Saturday evening with a unique double bill comprising works by Astor Piazzolla and Manuel de Falla jointly called “Cuando el Fuego Abrasa.” The production, the first collaboration between the two companies, was directed by Malena Dayen and conducted by Jorge Parodi, who led members of the {…}
On October 16, 2021, Teatro Grattacielo presented a concert of highlights from Alberto Franchetti’s opera “Cristoforo Colombo.” Originally commissioned by the city of Genoa, Columbus’ birthplace, it premiered in 1892 to mark the 400th anniversary of his voyage to America. Well-received by Italian audiences, this opera is one that is seldom performed in American theaters. Saturday’s concert marked the first {…}
Teatro Grattacielo has announced a special concert performance of Franchetti’s opera “Cristoforo Colombo” on Oct. 16, 2021 at the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York City. The concert, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m., will feature Joe Lodato in the title role with Sarah Rose Johnson in the two roles of Isabella de Aragona and Iguamota. Other cast members include {…}
The Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy has announced the 14 finalists for its 2021 International Vocal Competition. Finalists for the Professional Division include mezzo-sopranos Sevana Salmasi, Linsey Coppens, Emily Triegle, Megan Moore, and Cornelia Lotito; soprano Emily Blair; tenors Jonah Hoskins and Jose Simerilla Romero; and baritones Blake Denson and YoungJun Park. In the Student Division, the finalists included soprano Magdalena {…}
Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy has announced a performance of Mozart’s “Idomeneo alla Breve” this September in Greece. The showcase, which is set to take place on Sept. 7, will be presented in collaboration with the Rhodes International Festival and Cultural Center of Crete. There will also be a Gala Concert on Sept. 9 dedicated to legendary soprano {…}
AUTUMN ARRIVES Lolita Valderrama Savage Oil-on-canvas, 40×40 inches *From a private collection. Courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Aureo Sales, New York USA. Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy have announced a unique collaboration with artist Lolita Valderrama Savage on “Tableaux of Amico Fritz.” Savage’s first international group exhibit took place at the Palazzo Strozzi in 1975 and she has {…}
Teatro Grattacielo has announced its 2021 season featuring three productions. The company will present Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz” at La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre. The work was last performed in New York City in 1987and will star Won Whi Choi, Alexandra Razskazoff, and Marcus Deloach. Israel Gursky heads the Queens Symphony Orchestra with Malena Dayen and Stefanos Koroneos directing. Performance Date: {…}