Michelle Johnson News

On Wednesday, May 6 at 7 pm, Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) principal bassoonist Brad Balliett will give a presentation on reed making for wind instruments, giving patrons a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the facets of the lives of double-reed wind players. The free event is offered by the PSO in partnership with the Princeton Public Library, and will be held in the library's community room.

Nineteen of the best young opera singers in the country will be competing in The Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition presented by The Dallas Opera and The Dallas Opera Guild. The talented performers are competing for thousands of dollars in prize money and prestigious honors including the “People's Choice” award selected by audience ballot.

On Thursday, February 26th, at 11am EST, Maestro Victor DeRenzi and principal artists from Sarasota Opera will present a live program of excerpts from this season's production of Verdi's Don Carlos on Classical WSMR 89.1 FM hosted by Russell Gant. Mr. Gant will interview Maestro DeRenzi about the upcoming production, which opens on Saturday, March 7th, as well as Sarasota Opera's ongoing Verdi Cycle.

DALLAS, JANUARY 22, 2014 –The Dallas Opera and The Dallas Opera Guild are proud to announce historic levels of participation in the first phase of the newly expanded Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, scheduled to take place on the weekend of April 18-19, 2015 in the acoustically acclaimed setting of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Over the past few years, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch have been taking Cast Party, their 'extreme' open mic, all over the country. This past week, they took the Party to Las Vegas for the sixth time. The venue, once again, was the glorious Smith Center, a half-billion dollar performing arts center that has become a vital force in the Las Vegas musical and theatrical community. Scroll down for photos!

Single tickets go on sale at the Sarasota Opera Box Office (61 N. Pineapple Avenue) Today, September 2nd for Sarasota Opera's 2014-2015 Fall and Winter Season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Box office hours are Mondaythrough Friday, 10am - 4pm, and is located at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue in the Pavilion Building at the Sarasota Opera House. Visitwww.sarasotaopera.org for more information.

Single tickets go on sale at the Sarasota Opera Box Office (61 N. Pineapple Avenue) Today, September 2nd for Sarasota Opera's 2014-2015 Fall and Winter Season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm, and is located at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue in the Pavilion Building at the Sarasota Opera House. Visit www.sarasotaopera.org for more information.

Single tickets go on sale at the Sarasota Opera Box Office (61 N. Pineapple Avenue) Tuesday, September 2nd for Sarasota Opera's 2014-2015 Fall and Winter Season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Box office hours are Mondaythrough Friday, 10am – 4pm, and is located at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue in the Pavilion Building at the Sarasota Opera House. Visitwww.sarasotaopera.org for more information.

Single tickets go on sale at the Sarasota Opera Box Office (61 N. Pineapple Avenue) Tuesday, September 2nd for Sarasota Opera's 2014-2015 Fall and Winter Season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm, and is located at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue in the Pavilion Building at the Sarasota Opera House. Visit www.sarasotaopera.org for more information.

Single tickets will go on sale exclusively ONLINE at www.sarasotaopera.org Friday, August 1st, 2014 for Sarasota Opera's 2014-2015 Fall and Winter Season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Highlights include the return of some of Sarasota Opera's most popular productions, acclaimed artists, and the Sarasota Opera premieres of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel as well as the Verdi masterpiece Don Carlos in the original Paris version.

Actress MICHELLE JOHNSON is set to reveal her singing and songwriting talents to the world with today's release of her debut album POPULAR.

Nicholas Muni gives a stylish yet peculiar take on an age-old story

Actress MICHELLE JOHNSON is set to reveal her singing and songwriting talents to the world with the June 10 release of her debut album POPULAR.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Don Giovanni returns to Philadelphia in five performances at the Academy of Music, today, April 25-May 4, 2014, weaving the tale of the legendary rake Don Juan in Mozart's alternately playful and dramatic musical masterpiece. With an ingenious staging of masquerades, trapdoors and mirrored panels, the production shines a spotlight on opera's most infamous scoundrel in a timeless classic of comedy and tragedy set to music of limitless genius. Mozart's anti-hero has a personality so engaging that audiences will wonder why they are rooting for him as he charms and abandons women at will, until his darkest side emerges.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present jazz pianist Jason Moran in Fats Waller Dance Party today, April 4, 2014 at 8:00pm at Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Tickets start at $44, and are available online at www.celebrityseries.org, by calling CelebrityCharge at (617) 482-6661 Monday-Today 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., or at the Berklee Performance Center Box Office, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Sponsored by Donna and Mike Egan.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present jazz pianist Jason Moran in Fats Waller Dance Party on Friday, April 4, 2014 at 8:00pm at Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Tickets start at $44, and are available online at www.celebrityseries.org, by calling CelebrityCharge at (617) 482-6661 Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., or at the Berklee Performance Center Box Office, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Sponsored by Donna and Mike Egan.

Sarasota Opera has announced its 2014 – 2015 Fall and Winter season, one of the grandest seasons in the company's history. Highlights include the return of some of Sarasota Opera's most popular productions, acclaimed artists, and the Sarasota Opera premieres of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel as well as the Verdi masterpiece Don Carlos in its original form.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Don Giovanni returns to Philadelphia in five performances at the Academy of Music, April 25-May 4, 2014, weaving the tale of the legendary rake Don Juan in Mozart's alternately playful and dramatic musical masterpiece. With an ingenious staging of masquerades, trapdoors and mirrored panels, the production shines a spotlight on opera's most infamous scoundrel in a timeless classic of comedy and tragedy set to music of limitless genius. Mozart's anti-hero has a personality so engaging that audiences will wonder why they are rooting for him as he charms and abandons women at will, until his darkest side emerges.

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild tonight announced winners of its Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists awards in 14 categories of film, television, commercials and live theater during the black-tie ceremony at the Paramount Studios Theatre. MAC Cosmetics was the Official Cocktail Reception Sponsor. The awards took place before an audience of more than 500, including guild members, industry executives and press. The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild's President Sue Cabral-Ebert presided over the awards ceremony with actor/comedian Tom Arnold serving as host.

Based on the legends of Don Juan, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's DON GIOVANNI is a true staple in the operatic repertoire and is the tenth most-performed opera worldwide. The opera is often considered to be a dramma giocoso, which means that it mixes serious drama with comedy to create a melodramatic plot; however, Mozart catalogued the work as an opera buffa, or comic opera. Houston's Opera in the Heights production highlights the humor of the piece and thrills with skillful performances.