Bel canto, from a distance Bel canto, from a distance

I’ll just note that Cameron and I listened separately; we didn’t compare notes; and on our own, came up with the same list of top three singers… none of whom were among the actual winners.

By October 28, 2020 at 11:38 AM
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Favorite things Favorite things

Donizetti’s La Favorite remains a relative rarity in the repertoire, especially in the original French version.

By February 19, 2020 at 12:12 PM
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The opposite of sex The opposite of sex

Since 1934, Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts has been preparing emerging artists for operatic careers.

By November 14, 2019 at 3:21 PM
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Suddenly spinto Suddenly spinto

When soprano Yihan Duan started to sing her aria, you could feel an almost electric charge that something special was happening.

By October 11, 2019 at 11:05 AM
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That’s how they’ve done it That’s how they’ve done it

Così fan tutte, Mozart’s final Italian comedy with Lorenzo Da Ponte, is this season’s heaviest lift for Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA).

By March 08, 2019 at 1:45 PM
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What’s done cannot be Undine What’s done cannot be Undine

Academy of Vocal Arts’ Rusalka—surprisingly, only their second venture in many years into the Slavic repertoire—left a divided impression.

By January 30, 2019 at 11:42 AM
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Tales of the unexpected Tales of the unexpected

In the Academy of Vocal Arts’s (AVA) clever pairing of two Puccini works, there was every reason to expect the fix was in.

By November 09, 2018 at 10:56 AM
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