Mexican baritone Gerardo de la Torre is one of opera’s exciting young up-and-comers. He recently tied for first prize at the prestigious Verismo Opera’s Annual International Vocal Competition. I am thrilled to have had the chance to discuss his career and love of opera with him. You’re fresh off a Read more…
Here is a list of the 10 most popular opera composers by performance numbers. The data used to compile this list is from Operabase, perhaps the world’s greatest source of opera data. All data is for the most recently completed full season – the 2017/2018 season. In the top 10 Read more…
Opera Sense recommended audio and video recordings of La bohème: Lyric Opera of Chicago’s La bohème returns to the stage following the tremendous success of its initial run earlier this season. The beautiful yet largely traditional staging of this perennial favorite by Puccini is sure to enchant both seasoned operagoers Read more…
Janai Brugger will soon make her debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago in the role of Liù in Puccini’s Turandot. Janai will be playing the role for the five performances in January 2018 (Maria Agresta portrayed Liù for the December performances). The Chicago-native has been described as “gifted with a Read more…
Italian tenor Andrea Carè heard his first opera when he was 19. Despite his late start, Carè’s beautiful voice and superb musicality helped him catch the eye of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and Andrea Carè is now performing on the great stages of the world. I am thrilled that Andrea Read more…
Saimir Pirgu is one of those talents that seemed destined for greatness from the very beginning. Pavarotti discovered him when Pirgu was only 19. He went on to study many of the great tenor roles with the operatic titan. At 22, Pirgu won over Claudio Abbado with half an aria. Read more…
Heartbeat Opera is breathing new life into the 400+ year old art form. This weekend, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to take in the company’s Spring Festival. Believe me – you don’t want to miss it! Fortunately for us, Co-Artistic Director Ethan Heard was willing to take a little Read more…
Edward Parks is a baritone in high demand. His “warm, velvety baritone” (Opera News) voice has been heard on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Atlanta Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and most recently, Minnesota Opera. I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the production Read more…
Last month I had the unique privilege of sitting down with Minnesota Opera’s new Assistant Conductor, Jonathan Brandani. Jonathan is a young, affable, and wonderfully delightful Italian conductor who has had a relationship with Minnesota Opera since the 2014/2015 season, when he worked with the company on Puccini’s La fanciulla Read more…
Few things in the opera world can compare to the excitement surrounding a world premiere, so the atmosphere at Arizona Opera is currently absolutely electrifying! Audience members will soon have the opportunity to witness history in the making: the first American Western opera. Riders of the Purple Sage, a new Read more…