Recent Stories
El Niño
Marin Alsop conducts Julia Bullock, J’Nai Bridges, Davóne Tines, and countertenors Siman Chung, Key’mon W. Murrah, and Eric Jurenas in a broadcast from New York
Dinosaur surviving the crunch
I have a confession and you may need to sit down for it: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita was one of the gateway drugs to my eventual opera fandom.
Put to pasture
On this day in 1775 Mozart‘s Il re pastore premiered in Salzburg
Yo soy Daniela
Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack appeared at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater this past Thursday with pianist Keun-A Lee in a thoughtful and distinctly personal recital program presented by Vocal Arts DC.
Godi, Fiorenza, poi che se’ sì grande
Happy 89th birthday mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto
Turandot
Olga Maslova, SeokJong Baek, Carlo Bosi, Simon Lim, and Valeria Sepe are conducted by Zubin Mehta in a live broadcast from Florence
Sovvertitor di cuori
Born on this day in 1911 baritone Leonard Warren
La Rondine
Speranza Scappucci conducts Angel Blue, Jonathan Tetelman, Emily Pogorelc, and Dekhzod Davronov in a broadcast from New York
Ein Laut so klagevoll
On this day in 1967 soprano Elisabeth Grummer made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Elsa
Turandot
Oksana Lyniv conducts Christine Goerke, Gabriella Reyes, and Roberto Alagna in a broadcast from New York
Blinded by the light
Which beloved American opera company is urging patrons to keep the faith by hiring a controversial artist as its next General Director?
Groundbreakers
Happy 90th birthday tenor George Shirley
Grigorian chant
In advance of her Metropolitan Opera debut, Chris’s Cache showcases Asmik Grigorian’s versatility with broadcasts of Halévy, Giordano, and Korngold
Meine ganze Jugend dafür gehabt
Happy 84th birthday soprano/mezzo-soprano Anja Silja
Pulling some strings
When my press invite came for the Book of Mountains and Seas, the collaboration between Chinese born contemporary composer Huang Ruo, the vocal ensemble Ars Nova Copenhagen, and master puppeteer and production designer Basil Twist, I was in.
Every little thing she does is magic
Opera premieres on this day:
La Damnation de Faust
A performance recorded last month from the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées conducted by Cristian M?celaru featuring Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, and Jean Teitgen
Havin’ a ball
Over the weekend, Opera Parallèle, San Francisco’s contemporary opera company, stayed true to their mission of “merging tradition and innovation to re-invent opera for a modern world” as they presented a world premiere double-bill cheekily titled Birds & Balls at SFJazz Center’s Miner Auditorium.
Shade intended
On this day in 1738 Handel‘s Serse premiered in London
Bonney blue eyes
Happy 68th birthday soprano Barbara Bonney