It’s that time of the year when opera seasons return and when some of the biggest stars grace the world’s most prominent stages. In the case of United States, there will be a number of world premieres as well as rising stars and established stars who have some fascinating performances planned for this year. With hundreds of different shows, OperaWire has curated {…}
Giuseppe Di Stefano is one of the great Italian tenors in history. For many, he possessed the most beautiful timbre of any lyric tenor and some fans lament the tenor’s insistence on singing operas that were often darker and heavier than his lyric could seemingly handle. And yet, one of the reasons why Pippo, born on July 24, 1921, was {…}
Tosca, Aida, Elisabetta and Liù are the roles associated with a lyric spinto soprano. They are the pinnacle of the Italian repertory and the works that every major diva wants to sing. Leah Crocetto gets to sing these great operas on a regular basis, as her profile has ballooned over the last few years. Today, she has become one of {…}
She won’t be singing “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera anymore next season, but Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais is still primed to take on the tragic heroine in the Northeast this summer. On Saturday, August 26, she will join husband and Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andris Nelsons in the second Act of Puccini’s famed masterpiece. She will perform alongside Bryn Terfel, who was to {…}
James Levine will conduct the New Year’s Eve gala of Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera replacing Andris Nelsons. The Metropolitan Opera announced the news with Nelsons citing no reason for the cancellation. Nelsons is the third major cancellation of the star-studded production. Earlier this year Jonas Kaufmann stunned the world when he opted out of the production, telling reporters he wanted {…}
The 63rd Festival Puccini kicks off later this week and will showcase five great operas from the legendary composer. The opening of the festival is currently slated for July 14 with a production of Puccini’s final work, “Turandot,” which will star Martina Serafin and Irina Rindzuner in the lead role, Stefano La Colla and Amadi Lagha sharing the character of {…}
James Levine is one of the most influential people in the history of 20th-century opera. The Metropolitan Opera’s maestro has led the company for four decades, essentially making himself the face of the opera house during that time period. The conductor, born on June 23, 1943, is now entering the twilight of his career but remains strong in his endeavors. {…}
We can look at Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger,” which premiered on June 21, 1868, and marvel at its glorious music. Or its fascinating Schopenhauerian philosophy. Instead, let’s just look at the opera’s face value and marvel at the fact that this is an opera about singers. There are many operas laden with characters that sing within the context of the opera, {…}
Eva Marton and Iréne Theorin. Two sopranos with gargantuan voices from different eras born on the same day. For Marton, it was June 18, 1943 while Theorin was born exactly 20 years later. Two sopranos with huge voices like these two women are bound to share some repertoire and the truth is that they have. Here is a look at {…}
Jennifer Rowley will sing Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera. The soprano, who had a breakout this past season with the company, will sing one performance of the role on Jan. 12. Rowley will cover performances of “Tosca” for Sonya Yoncheva, who will open the new production by Sir David McVicar. Rowley recently sang the role at the New Orleans Opera and {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s “Tosca” has been completely altered since its cast was announced earlier this year. When the Met made its announcement earlier this Spring, Jonas Kaufmann and Kristine Opolais were the lead roles. Now the cast will be headlined by Vittorio Grigolo and Sonya Yoncheva. Yoncheva, who was already scheduled to sing “Le Nozze di Figaro,” will be replaced {…}