Iréne Theorin, born on June 18, 1963, is one of Sweden’s most renowned artists, known for her interpretations of the dramatic repertoire. She studied at the Academy of Music and Drama of the University of Gothenburg, which led to a contract with The Göteborg Opera. Then she studied in Copenhagen, where she made her professional debut. From there, her career {…}
Eva Marton, born on June 18, 1943, is arguably the most famous Hungarian soprano of the last few decades. She studied at the Franz Liszt Academy and made her professional debut at Hungary’s Margaret Island Summer Festival. Then at the Hungarian State Opera, she appeared for the first time in “The Golden Cockerel” in 1968. From there she made her {…}
This Tuesday, June 26, 2018, the Vienna State Opera streams a live performance of Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” The showcase is part of the company’s season-long service straight from its website. Per the official website, the Wagner work will feature Jongmin Park, Christopher Ventris, Annette Dasch, Jukka Rasilainen, Elena Zhidkova, and Adrian Eröd. Sebastian Weigle leads the massive score in a production {…}
Helen Traubel was one of the great Wagnerian sopranos during the early 20th century. The problem was – her career was often overlooked because another great Wagnerian soprano was at her peak. That soprano, of course, was Kirsten Flagstad. Traubel, who was born on June 16, 1899, still managed a solid career emerging on the opera stage for the first {…}
“Tristan und Isolde,” which had its world premiere on June 10, 1865, might be the greatest opera of all time. Or it might simply be the most revolutionary. Its entire musical philosophy was so unique that it revolutionized classical music forever. Wagner wrote the work after falling in love with the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer. He also was involved in {…}
Its preludes are themselves landmarks of beauty – but Wagner’s 1850 opera “Lohengrin” is a prelude to his future epics. Rooted in Arthurian legend, taking the son of King Parsifal as its hero, and featuring prayers to the pagan gods Wotan and Freia, it is another battle between the divine and the mortal. In mythical medieval Brabant, Count Friedrich von {…}
The Miami Music Festival has announced its 2018 Program which will continue its acclaimed Wagner Institute with some exciting performances. The season opens with a double bill of “Dido and Aeneas” and “The Medium” on June 21 and 22. That will be followed by Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which will be performed on June 28 and 30. In between, {…}
It’s the summer, which means that a ton of people are going to be spending quality time at the movies. And Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” is about to open at the San Francisco Opera, among other places, as well. And then there is the whole business about Wagner being the greatest influence on musical composition in movies. So we {…}
This interview was conducted in collaboration with Francisco Salazar. Everyone knows what Jamie Barton can do. And if you don’t… The mezzo-soprano has firmly established herself over the past few years as one of the finest singing actresses on the planet, stealing scenes and garnering show-stopping applause with her incredible instrument and dramatic interpretation. She’s pulled off some historic feats {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting 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 will take a look {…}
Next to William Shakespeare, Richard Wagner is one of the most written about figures in human history. His enigmatic qualities coupled with his unquestionable genius make him someone who fascinates as much as he bewilders and antagonizes. Volumes have been written about the composer from virtually every conceivable angle, whether it be his family, his adventures, his psychology, his philosophy, {…}