“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a film section or a film in its entirety and highlight the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features Werner {…}
(Credits: Gregor Hohenberg SONY Classical) The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège has announced that it has canceled concerts by Juan Diego Flórez and Jonas Kaufmann due to the COVID-19 measures imposed by the government of Belgium. Flórez was set to perform on Jan. 8, 2021, alongside Christopher Franklin, who was supposed to lead Orchestra of the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège. Meanwhile, {…}
Credits: Styriarte official website / Symphoniker Hamburg official website / Lena Kern / Nordic Artists Management France Musique will broadcast Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on Jan. 6, 2021. The performance has been traditionally held as a celebration of the new year. The performance will spotlight soprano Chen Reiss, tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, bass Matthew Rose, and mezzo-soprano Tone Kummervold. Lahav {…}
(Credit: Csudai Sándor-Origo) Famed Hungarian baritone Sándor Sólyom-Nagy has died at the age of 79. Sólyom-Nagy graduated from the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest in 1966. He became a member of the ensemble of the Hungarian State Opera, and quickly became one of the leading baritones. Sólyom-Nagy also performed on the stages of the Wiener Staatsoper and the Bayerische {…}
Credits: Groves Artists official website / John Batten / Julian Hargreaves The government of the United Kingdom has officially announced the list of New Year Honours 2021. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has awarded the honors to a number of persons for outstanding achievements across the country. Among those awarded is opera director Graham Vick, who was knighted for his {…}
(Credit: Fernando Sancho) Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casado will conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo for the performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on Dec. 23, 25 & 26, 2020. The famed “Choral” symphony will showcase soprano Eri Takahashi, mezzo-soprano Etsuko Kanoh, tenor Naoki Miyasato, and baritone Shin Taniguchi. The presentation will also feature New National Theatre Chorus. Heras-Casado recently {…}
(Credit: Palau de la Música Catalana official website) Famed Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen has received an Honorary Knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for services to music and to relations between the United Kingdom and Finland. “This is a true personal honor, but more than that, it is meaningful to have artists honored at a national – at a {…}
(Credit: Jesús Cornejo/Cortesía) The Orquesta Del Teatro De Bellas Artes in Mexico City has announced that conductor and counter-tenor Iván López-Reynoso has been appointed its new Artistic Director. López-Reynoso also holds the position of the Chief Guest Conductor of the Oviedo Filarmonía. “Being the next Artistic Director of Orquesta Del Teatro De Bellas Artes is the greatest honor I have {…}
(Credit: Tomasz Konieczny’s official website / Stefan Panfili/Liszt Festival) The Weinviertler Festspiele has announced that it will stage the first open-air production of Wagner’s iconic “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in the history of the festival for its 2021 edition. The performances are set to take place at the Limberg-Maissau rock arena, which is located in the oldest part of the {…}
In the past eight months, many opera houses have used streaming to reach audiences around the world. This is a format that is new to many companies; however, some of the most prominent opera houses, such as the Metropolitan Opera, have been using this format for years. And while the aim with this format is to maintain companies relevant in {…}
(Credit: KAY HERSCHELMANN) This past September, famed tenor Stephen Gould presented a masterclass with the Wagner Society of New York. This Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, audiences will get a chance to stream the showcase. During the masterclass, Gould worked with three different heldentenors including Errin Duane Brooks, Jeremy Brauner, and Mauricio Trejo, all accompanied by pianist Craig Ketter. Throughout the {…}