Richard Tucker News

The Dallas Opera's 2013-2014 Season Finale is Gioachino Rossini's wildest and most popular romp: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, opening the evening of Friday, March 28, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in theMargot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, with generous support from TACA.

THE TENOR, the new novel by BWW's Classical Music Editor, Peter Danish, is a sweeping tale of a young tenor, that extends from pre-war Italy to his coming of age as a soldier in war-torn Greece, and ends in 1965 with Maria Callas' historic final performance at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Based loosely on stories that Danish gathered from several of Callas' personal friends, it also includes extensive research done in Italy and Greece. I talked with Peter about the novel--how it came about and his own passion for opera.

What's on your iPod tenor Stephen Costello?

The new year has already brought notable success for Houston Grand Opera (HGO), where the hotly anticipated American premiere of the long-lost Holocaust opera The Passenger-hailed by the Associated Press as 'the latest coup for a company known for producing new works'-took the national and local press by storm, and where the company's Rigoletto revival was pronounced 'glorious' (Theater Jones). These accolades come at an exciting time for the company, which continues this season's extraordinary line-up with the launch of the first American presentation of a visionary and groundbreaking treatment of Das Rheingold by La Fura dels Baus; the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's A Coffin in Egypt, named one of the twelve 'must-see opera events of the season' (Opera News); a new HGO production of Carmen from Broadway sensation Rob Ashford; and Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, which boasts designs by fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi.

Washington National Opera (WNO), led by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, today announced its 2014-2015 season. It includes the company premiere of Daniel Catán's Spanish-language Florencia in the Amazon, a brand-new production of Puccini's classic La bohème, the company premiere of Rachel Portman's family opera The Little Prince, an English-language production of Poulenc's 20th-century drama Dialogues of the Carmelites, a revival of Wagner's epic The Flying Dutchman, and an acclaimed new-to- Washington staging of Rossini's Cinderella. A third season of the American Opera Initiative, including the world premiere of Penny by two alumni of the program, continues WNO's efforts to commission new works and expand the American repertory. Highlights from the 2014-2015 season will be performed by the WNO Orchestra and special guests at a free preview concert on Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Opera House.

The critical response to Houston's American premiere production of The Passenger was overwhelming. Classical Voice America proclaimed the opera “a masterpiece,” and the Chicago Tribune found it an “engrossing, thought-provoking experience” that “deserves [a place] in the regular repertory.” Houston's production impressed the Houston Chronicle as one “that unites commanding performances and vivid, fast-paced staging,” while the Wall Street Journalcommended the way “conductor Patrick Summers shaped the evening with enormous care.” As for the performers, “top to bottom, the cast is excellent,” asserted the Dallas Morning News. Melody Moore “gave Marta's anguish lyricism and strength” (Wall Street Journal), “Michelle Breedt's instrument seemed ideally suited to the role of Liese” (Classical Voice America), and “Kelly Kaduce was mesmerizing” as Katya (Wall Street Journal). The Toronto Star concluded:

Ailyn Perez, winner of the Richard Tucker, Placido Domingo and Leonie Rysanek Awards, will make her Washington National Opera debut this March, stepping in for an indisposed colleague to star as Adina in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. This career milestone follows on the heels of the soprano's recent success at London's Royal Opera House, where she proved herself 'a must-hear' (Guardian) in the title role of Manon.

The winners of the 43rd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition's final round this evening, which took place in a front of a capacity audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.

The new year has already brought notable success for Houston Grand Opera (HGO), where the hotly anticipated American premiere of the long-lost Holocaust opera The Passenger-hailed by the Associated Press as 'the latest coup for a company known for producing new works'-took the national and local press by storm, and where the company's Rigoletto revival was pronounced 'glorious' (Theater Jones). These accolades come at an exciting time for the company, which continues this season's extraordinary line-up with the launch of the first American presentation of a visionary and groundbreaking treatment of Das Rheingold by La Fura dels Baus; the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's A Coffin in Egypt, named one of the twelve 'must-see opera events of the season' (Opera News); a new HGO production of Carmen from Broadway sensation Rob Ashford; and Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, which boasts designs by fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi.

This month, the first of two major house and role debuts takes Angela Meade – whose numerous honors include Richard Tucker and Beverly Sills Artist Awards – to Europe. For her first appearances at the Frankfurt Opera, the soprano sings her first Fidelia in concert performances of Puccini's Edgar (Feb 16 & 18), before making her Italian debut with her first Mathilde in a new Graham Vick production of Rossini's William Tell at the Teatro Regio di Torino (May 7-18) that will tour to Carnegie Hall next season. These European debuts follow on the heels of Meade's success in New York, where she recently headlined Bellini's Norma and showed off her comic chops in Verdi's Falstaff, both at the Metropolitan Opera, and the latter seen worldwide in the Met's Live in HD series. She also performed at a special Richard Tucker Centennial Gala, broadcast Live from Lincoln Center on PBS-TV.

Renowned bass John Relyea, who is performing in the Metropolitan Opera's current production of Rusalka with Renée Fleming; rising young soprano Lori Guilbeau, a 2010 George London Award winner; and pianist Warren Jones will share the stage for the second event in the season's George London Foundation Recital Series on Sunday, March 9, 2014, at 4:30 PM at The Morgan Library & Museum. The series presents pairs of outstanding opera singers, many of whom were winners of a George London prize early in their careers or are recent George London Award recipients. (Watch Lori Guilbeau's George London Award-winning performance of 'Einsam in trüben Tagen' from Wagner's Lohengrin here, available in the George London Foundation website's Media Library.)

This month, Carnegie Hall presents the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in two performances led by esteemed conductor Bernard Haitink as part of the orchestra's annual visit to Carnegie Hall. The BSO's first program on tonight, February 11 at 8:00 p.m. features Mr. Haitink conducting Steven Stucky's arrangement of Purcell's Funeral Music for Queen Mary and Brahms's Symphony No. 4 in E Minor. In addition, Murray Perahia joins the orchestra for Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54.

David B. Devan, General Director and President of Opera Philadelphia, today announced the commissioning of a new opera based on the life of legendary saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955), one of the most influential soloists in the history of jazz and a central figure in the development of bebop. American tenor Lawrence Brownlee will star as Parker in a work written for him by composer Daniel Schnyder, with a libretto by poet and playwright Bridgette A. Wimberly. Soprano Angela Brownwill costar as Charlie's mother, Addie Parker. The opera is being developed in partnership with Gotham Chamber Opera.

Rising young soprano Nadine Sierra, will take the stage at the Michael Schimmel Center For the Arts on Sunday, February 9 at 3pm as part of Pace's concert series VOCE AT PACE: RISING OPERA STARS. Rising Opera Stars in Recital is supported by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation in honor of Dr. Agnes Varis. It is curated by Matthew Epstein.

Richard Tucker Award-winner Ailyn Pérez – the “lyric soprano who truly seems to have it all” (Opera News) – takes on a trio of starring roles at London's Royal Opera House over the coming months. After launching the new year in the title role of Manon (Jan 31–Feb 4), she makes her role debut as Liù in Turandot (Feb 17–March 10), before giving her first scheduled Covent Garden performances in the title role of La traviata opposite her husband and fellow Tucker Award-winner, tenor Stephen Costello (May 6–20). Dubbed “America's fastest-rising husband-and-wife opera stars” (Associated Press), the couple brought down the house in London two years ago, when the soprano stepped in as a last-minute replacement to partner her husband in Verdi's masterpiece.

The Dallas Opera, in partnership with AT&T Stadium and with support from its presenting sponsor, The Dallas Foundation, will present company's third stadium simulcast-the seventh free Dallas Opera simulcast since 2010.

The Dallas Opera, in partnership with AT&T Stadium and with support from our presenting sponsor, The Dallas Foundation, is extremely proud to announce the company's third stadium simulcast—the seventh free Dallas Opera simulcast since 2010. The announcement was made this afternoon at a gathering of prominent arts and sports representatives and attending local media at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Participants included:

There was a lovefest for the great mezzo Marilyn Horne in New York last week, filled with the music of friends, acquaintances and admirers at Carnegie Hall's sibling, Zankel Hall.

Emerging operatic powerhouse Paul Appleby, one of this generation's most incredible new tenors, will take the stage at the Michael Schimmel Center For the Arts on Sunday, January 26th as part of Pace's concert series VOCE AT PACE: RISING OPERA STARS. Rising Opera Stars in Recital is supported by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation in honor of Dr. Agnes Varis. It is curated by Matthew Epstein.