The scene is set: a masked ball, set into the morning audience of King Gustavo III of Sweden – scarlet taffeta capes and gowns, coal-black hats and boots, creme and black masks. Donald Runnicles’, Music Director of the Deutscher Oper Berlin, lifts his baton with the brisk and lively overture to Verdi’s “Un Ballo In Maschera” and the curtain rises. {…}
Florence Quivar, born on March 3, 1944, is one of the great American mezzos of her time. She first came to love opera upon hearing the Met Opera on tour and then eventually launched on a mission to become a great opera singer in her own right. Her journey took her through the Julliard School, Philadelphia Academy of Music, and {…}
Throughout his career Verdi had to deal with the censors and their efforts to hinder his operas. Nowhere was this more prominent than in “Un Ballo in Maschera,” which premiered on Feb. 17, 1859. The work was originally entitled “Gustavo III,” but Verdi had to change the setting from Sweden to Boston and change the character of King Gustav III {…}
“Un Ballo in Maschera” is one of Verdi’s finest operas of his middle period. The libretto, while still rife with questionable melodramatic touches, features a compelling central character in the form of Riccardo / Gustavo. But more interestingly is the way that Verdi’s musical language has evolved throughout this particular work. “Ballo” is rife with glorious music that would easily {…}
It’s Valentine’s Day, the day to cherish a significant other. Last year we took a cynical look at the holiday, but not this year. Opera is rife with love, almost every single plot in every single work has some communion of two persons in that blissful word. In fact, love in opera has incited just as many battles and tension {…}
La Fenice opened its 2017-18 season with an interesting and courageous production of Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera,” a production which under the direction of Gianmaria Aliverta aimed at producing a deeper reading of the work, one which sought to uncover the underlying structural political conflicts that led to the assassination of a political leader. Verdi and his librettist, Antonio {…}
The Vienna State Opera’s will showcase its “Un Ballo in Maschera” production this coming Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, as part of the company’s season-long live streaming service. The production will be led by conductor Jesús López Cobos, and star the likes of Piero Pretti as Gustaf III, Adrianne Pieczonka as Amelia, and Marco Caria as Ankarstrom. The production is directed {…}
It’s Halloween! Which means that most people are taking the opportunity to disguise themselves as someone else, live out a temporary existence as a character that they either dreamed of being or enjoy playing. Opera is full of this kind of interplay, with characters disguising themselves or putting on literal costumes to get their way. One thing we often learn {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu will showcase “Un Ballo in Maschera” in cinemas on Oct. 24. The production by Vincent Boussard, a co-production with the Theatre du Capitole and Staatstheater Nürnberg, is set to star Piotr Beczala in the lead role of Riccardo and Keri Alkema as Amelia. It will also star Dolora Zajick as Ulrica and Marco Caria as Renato with Renato Palumbo {…}
Luciano Pavarotti is one of the greatest tenors of all-time, his artistry leaving a massive legacy behind him. The tenor, born on Oct 12, 1935 in Modena, will always be remembered for his charming disposition which was matched by the color of his voice. His ability to transcend the opera stage and reach millions around the world with a variety {…}
Anna Netrebko has recently confirmed a plethora of major productions she will be taking on over the next few years. In an interview with the magazine Classica, the Russian diva announced that she will take on the role of Lisa in “The Queen of Spades” in Salzburg in either 2018 or 2019 with Mariss Jansons at the podium. She also {…}
