In a seamless realization with an ideal cast Lyric Opera of Chicago celebrates the magical antics and foibles of both human and fairy in its premiere production of Benjamin Britten’ Midsummer Night’ Dream.
With its tricky ‘rientalist’connotations, Singspiel-originating spoken dialogue, not to mention the problem of finding five outstanding singers who can cope with the considerable demands of the solo roles (and the commercial challenge presented by the need to pay a chorus who sing barely a few bars of music), Mozart’ Die Entführung aus den Serail does not receive as many stagings as it deserves.
Neil Armfield’ insightful staging of Le nozze di Figaro is making a welcome return in the lead-up to his direction of the Ring Cycle for the Wagner bi-centenary 2013 (the first complete cycle staged in Melbourne in a century).
It may be as well to put matters in context by saying that Don Carlo is a
favorite opera of mine (and of all Verdi lovers), and that I found the Met’ new staging highly satisfactory, vocally very good if less than top flight, orchestrally thrilling—and that I hope to catch it again this
season. (Interesting rumors have been heard about the alternate tenor.)
Not revived too frequently this 1991 production by Elijah Moshinsky updates the story to the 1960s and the films of Federico Fellini inspire the sets and costumes.
The Royal Opera House itself is the star of this new production of Richard Wagner Tannhäuser. An intriguing twist on an opera that pits orgiastic excess against purity, pleasure against morality.
It may have been five years since Susan Bullock last performed at the Wigmore Hall, as her prominence on the world operatic stage has taken her away from the recital hall, but she wasted no time getting into her stride in this charming and musically varied concert.
The Barbican’ Great Performers season often acts as a receiving house for continental opera productions, thus giving us in London a chance to hear interesting performances without actually having to travel.
Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) was arguably the most successful opera composer of the 18th century. Together with his favourite librettist, Pietro Metastasio, Hasse defined the genre of opera seria for an entire generation.
No one could accuse the Paris Opera of pinching pennies (or Euro cents) in their lavishly expansive (and expensive) staging of Hindemith’ Mathis der Maler.
La Fanciulla del West is Puccini’ love letter to an America that had acclaimed him joyously on his triumphant visit of 1907 to attend the Met premieres of Manon Lescaut and Madama Butterfly.
New recordings of classical music don’t appear from the “big labels” very often these days, but those companies have enormous libraries from which to extract selections for compilation discs.
Happy Birthday to Russian composer Dmitry Kabalevsky, who was born today in 1904. Kabalevsky was a great composer of piano and orchestral works, and also wrote a number of operas. Kabalevsky was a member of the communist party, and a leading figure of the Union of Soviet Composers. Although he ...
Don't let the weather scare you away- Come down to Abravanel Hall for The Blue Planet Live! tonight!
The roads downtown aren’t bad this morning, but if you're looking for an easy way to get to the concert, try TRAX and/or Frontrunner.
If coming from Sandy, patrons will want to take the ...
Happy Birthday to Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini who was born today in 1858. (Puccini might also win an award for the longest name: Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini.)
Puccini was born into a great musical family, and he started his career as an organist and chorus master. Puccini ...
We'd like to wish a huge happy birthday to German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven! We don't know his exact date of birth, but it's generally celebrated on the 16th of December. As you probably know, Beethoven is one of the most popular, famous, and influential composers. He started his career ...
If you are like me, this week is a flurry of Christmas shopping, holiday treats, family travel plans, and figuring where that last string of colored lights is. Although the Utah Symphony isn't on stage in Abravanel Hall this week, they don't get to start their Christmas vacation early. Instead, ...
Larry Stickler2010 12 10falseCenterfalsePrincess Elisabeth of France and Prince Don Carlo of Spain fall in love. However, because of a treaty between the two countries, Elizabeth must marry King Phillip of Spain, Don Carlo’s father. This is the conflict presented
Mona Seghatoleslami2010 12 10falseCenterfalsefalseCenterfalseI'm not sure when it began to look a lot like Christmas, but it's certainly now in full swing. My friends are all putting up their Christmas trees (I'll get there eventually), and I've heard some great
Carole Carter2010 12 09falseEmily CapeceRightfalseThe female vocal ensemble has been on the Charleston scene a dozen years now, and I’ve attended several of their concerts, mostly after Emily Capece assumed the position of artistic director and conductor. This past weekend’s
Happy Birthday to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, who was born today in 1865!
Sibelius initially studied law, but found music much more interesting, and he went on to study in Helsinki, Berlin, and Vienna.
Sibelius and his music are closely tied to the national identity of Finland. He was even one of ...
Mona Seghatoleslami2010 12 07falseCenterfalsehttp christmas.redjacketmus.com ?utm_campaign=a very merry christmas&utm_source=a very merry christmas e card&utm_medium=email This comes just in time for the holidays, and as the Canadian Brass arrive in West Virginia to perform at Shepherd University. Related links Interview
It takes time to paint all these soldiers, but Vicki set one up on the costume shop to show off. Here's the finished stone soldier costume.
Hmm... Looks like the costume shop has been doing some repairs to Santa's suit as well.
: The Opera Tattler Subscribe to this blog's feed West Coast Opera Companies Los Angeles Opera Portland Opera San Diego Opera San Francisco Opera Seattle Opera Takács Quartet at Cal Performances Main December 06, 2010 SF Symphony's 2011-2012 Season Highlights September 7 2011 : Gala w Lang Lang Itzhak Perlman September 8 2011 : Birthday Bash Free Concert September 9 2011 : Community Concert October 23-24 2011 : Gustavo Dudamel conducts LA Phil December 6-7 2011 : James Levine conducts BSO January 2012 : Herbert Blomstedt conducts SFS February 2012 : Edo de Waart conducts SFS February 14-15 2012 : Riccardo Muti conducts CSO March 8-17 2012 : American Mavericks 2012 April 15-16 2012 : Franz Welser-Möst conducts Cleveland Orchestra May 13-14 2012 : Alan Gilbert conducts NY Phil June 2 2012 :
It was great to have Hugh Wolff and Pieter Wispelwey in town with the symphony this weekend! Here are some of the reviews:
Conductor Hugh Wolff presided over one of the Utah Symphony’s most high-spirited programs of the season on Friday. From Beethoven’s ever-popular "Leonore" Overture No. 3 to ...