Though he composed several entries in the newly invented form of opera, Alessandro Stradella was better known for church music including oratorio, dramatizations of Biblical incidents. He set texts sympathetically (and sensuously), and possessed a melodic gift that would have conquered the world in a later age. Read more »
“Too many notes,” tut-tuts Habsburg Emperor Joseph II upon sitting through Seraglio in the Shaffer biopic, Amadeus. Brace yourselves for some sacrilege, folks: it’s a sentiment I sometimes share when it comes, gasp, to Mozart. Read more »
Go beyond the magic and into the imagination of the iconic author Hans Christian Andersen, and discover how his complicated personal life inspired countless beloved tales such as The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling and more. Ensemble for the Romantic Century presents this world premiere production featuring live music by Benjamin Britten and Henry Purcell, classical puppetry, and the timeless classics that have transcended generations. Read more »
Cio-Cio and Carmen: what do you do with two tragic heroines who typify not just the sexist clichés, but also the soupy exotic fixations, of the Old-World West? Well, if you’re Heartbeat Opera, you take those two hapless maidens, doll them up in headphones and Hello Kitty merch, and push them to the front of a corrective double bill. Read more »
An astute double-feature exposes all the complexities of female suffering embedded within two canonical works.
Cher Public