Maria Martinez News

Classic and contemporary, opera and orchestral, the music doesn't stop when the temperatures climb in New York, whether you're in New York City, or ready to travel to one of the festivals that dot the landscape of the Northeast. Musical life doesn't stop when the Met closes its doors: Here's a look “from here to eternity”…in the first part of our series on summertime's opera/vocal venues, covering New York City and Westchester.

San Francisco Opera's 2017 Summer Season includes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni at the War Memorial Opera House playing now through Friday, June 30 for eight performances.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced today the winners of the 299h annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers that took place on the evening of January 27 at the Wortham Theater Center's Cullen Theater. For the first time, the Concert of Arias was streamed live on Facebook, and viewers were able to cast their votes for an Online Viewers' Choice Award. The winner was announced during the second portion of the program, along with the other winners.

To launch the season, the dazzling Ana María Martínez returns to Los Angeles as opera's most delectable femme fatale in a striking production, new to Los Angeles, of Carmen, filled with sensuality, danger, and intense theatricality. Another bonus: this will be the first time the world-renowned James Conlon conducts Carmen in LA. The season continues with one of LA Opera's favorite stars, soprano Nino Machaidze, taking the stage in The Pearl Fishers, a beautifully detailed production of one of Bizet's early treasures.

Maria Martinez, a professional psychic with a storied career of forty-five years, has completed her new book '7th Sense': a gripping collection of firsthand accounts from interviews with Martinez's clients and Martinez's notes, journals, and news articles.

This December, legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli will be returning to the U.S. for seven special concert dates in select cities, starting at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Today Dec. 3, with additional dates in, Dallas, Houston, New York City, New Jersey and Bocelli's first appearance in Boston in more than six years.

HGO's production of Gounod's FAUST puts the 'grand' in grand opera. The current production has all the bells and whistles - a timeless story, a top-notch cast, the costumes, sets and lighting of an all-out extravaganza. In short, it has everything the word 'opera' conjures up. And it's at the Wortham, all for you.

Grammy Award-winning soprano (and Houston favorite) Ana Maria Martinez joins us to discuss about her role, Marguerite in HGO's FAUST; muse on the potential of opera to heal societal wounds; and give us some really practical advice.

This fall, GETTING AHEAD, a one-hour documentary from Tavis Smiley and WNET, airing Today, October 7 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), reports on the real consequences of the 'Fight for Fifteen'

This fall, GETTING AHEAD, a one-hour documentary from Tavis Smiley and WNET, airing Friday, October 7 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), reports on the real consequences of the 'Fight for Fifteen'

For one night only, on Sunday September 11, 2016 at 8 p.m., One Voice Orlando: A Celebration in Song will be performed in the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando, FL.

Blackstone Publishing is proud to announce the U.S. release of SUBJECT 375: A NOVEL [Blackstone Publishing; September 6, 2016], a new thriller by Nikki Owen, which will be available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats.

For one night only, on Sunday September 11, 2016 at 8 p.m., One Voice Orlando: A Celebration in Song will be performed in the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando, FL. The benefit concert will feature some of opera's brightest national stars and musicians from throughout Florida. Internationally-renowned David Charles Abell will conduct and legendary baritone Sherrill Milnes will be one of the evening's hosts. Tickets are $25-$125 and will be available beginning August 19 at www.operaorlando.org or by calling 844-513-2014.                 

For one night only, on Sunday September 11, 2016 at 8 p.m., One Voice Orlando: A Celebration in Song will be performed in the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando, FL. The benefit concert will feature some of opera's brightest national stars and musicians from throughout Florida. Internationally-renownedDavid Charles Abell will conduct and legendary baritone Sherrill Milnes will be one of the evening's hosts. Tickets are $25-$125 and will be available beginning August 19 at www.operaorlando.org or by calling 844-513-2014.   More info HERE.        

The opening program for this year's Mostly Mozart Festival—the 50th--at David Geffen Hall may not have offered any new insights into the mind of the genius composer or uncovered any long-lost masterpiece not heard in 200 years. On the other hand, it was filled with wonderful music, inspired singing and total bliss for the audience, in a program that flew by, all in the name of Mozart.

Houston Grand Opera will present four pinnacles of the operatic repertoire during the company's 2016-17 season, which also features the highly anticipated world premiere of It's a Wonderful Life by composer Jake Heggie with libretto by Gene Scheer, and much-loved comedies by Donizetti and Mozart. Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers will lead Gotterdammerung, the final installment of Wagner's epic Ring cycle, featuring a new generation of leading Wagnerians includingSimon O'Neill as Siegfried and Christine Goerke as Brunnhilde. HGO will bring back its popular production of Gounod's Faust, with the HGO debut of international star tenor Michael Fabiano in the title role partnered by Houston favorite Ana Maria Martinez as Marguerite, along with the role debut of prominent bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni as Mephistopheles. The company will celebrate the 30thanniversary of HGO's world premiere of John Adams's pivotal Nixon in China by presenting James Robinson's production, of which HGO is a co-producer, with HGO Studio alumnus Scott Hendricks as Richard Nixon and soprano Andriana Chuchman as his wife, Pat. Patrick Summers will conduct Verdi'sthrilling Requiem, which critics at the time termed "an opera in ecclesiastical robes," with soloists Angela Meade, soprano, in her HGO debut; Sasha Cooke, alto; Alexey Dolgov, tenor; and Peixin Chen, bass; and the HGO Orchestra and Chorus. HGO's 62nd season will open with a whimsical production of Donizetti's buoyant The Elixir of Love, featuring tenor Dimitri Pittas as Nemorino and HGO Studio alumna Nicole Heaston as Adina and led by the eminent English conductor Jane Glover, HGO's 2016-17 Lynn Wyatt Great Artist, in her first HGO appearance. Mozart's zany yet deeply emotive comedy TheAbduction from the Seraglio-featuring Russian coloratura soprano and HGO Studio alumna Albina Shagimuratova as Konstanze and leading American tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Belmonte in HGO's inventive 2002 co-production-will close the main-stage season.  

Although the solstice doesn't officially appear for another week or so, the summer opera clock is already ticking. There's a plethora of performances going on all over New York City, in addition to interesting, entertaining and fascinating productions that are just a hop, skip and jump away. Among them: Lincoln Center's Lincoln Center Festival and Mostly Mozart and On Site Opera's West Village venue, to the more bucolic realms of Bard SummerScape in Dutchess County (NY) for Mascagni and Caramoor in Katonah (NY) for Rossini and Beethoven.

San Francisco Opera's Summer 2016 Season at the War Memorial Opera House continues with Don Carlo, Giuseppe Verdi's grand opera of political intrigue and passion, opening on June 12. Starring an internationally renowned cast including Michael Fabiano, Ana Maria Martinez, Mariusz Kwiecie? and Rene Pape, Don Carlo is directed by Emilio Sagi and conducted by Company Music Director Nicola Luisotti. Opening on June 14, Leoš Jana?ek's riveting Jen?fa completes the summer opera season. Last presented by the Company in 2001, Jen?fa returns in an Olivier Tambosi production conducted by Ji?i B?lohlavek and featuring legendary Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, Malin Bystrom, William Burden and Scott Quinn.

A. De Guerre, has completed his new book 'Finding Aimée': a gripping and potent true love story that transcends the veil of death. Aimée's haunting is no scary ghost story or Halloween inspired poltergeist for amusement. The path to finding who Aimée truly was and why she is still here is laid in scientific method.

This December, legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli will be returning to the U.S. for seven special concert dates in select cities, starting at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Saturday Dec. 3, with additional dates in, Dallas, Houston, New York City, New Jersey and Bocelli's first appearance in Boston in more than six years.