Maria Nockin worked at the Metropolitan Opera in New York while attending Fordham University across the street from Lincoln Center. At the same time, she studied voice, piano, and violin privately. For many years she taught English as a Second Language as well as courses in Art and Theater at New York City and Hauppauge Long Island schools. She has also served as soprano soloist at Long Island's Cathedral of St. Agnes. She spent summers working at the Salzburg Festival where some iof her reviews were translated and read on Austrian Radio. Upon retirement from teaching, she moved to the warmer climate of the Southwest United States where, in winter, she writes about opera and classical music in the major cities of Arizona and California. In summer she covers operas and concerts in Santa Fe New Mexico. In summer 2014, Maria taught Music Theory at the Institute for Large Dramatic Voices. One of her students was Jonah Hoskins, a 2020 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions.
July 10, 2021
On the Los Angeles Opera website, Igor Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex is available to stream now thru July 18th. Stravinsky based his opera Oedipus Rex on the ancient Greek tragedy by Sophocles. Oedipus Rex, is staged with minimal movement, which works well with COVID restrictions. A narrator describes the action in English.
June 27, 2021
Pacific Symphony Orchestra’s semi-staged version of Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata (The Lost One) was filmed at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, CA. This opera’s title role requires a charismatic soprano and a consummate actress who can pull the audience into the opera’s stark drama. Cecilia Violetta Lopez proved to be that kind of artist.
June 26, 2021
This is the last week to watch Los Angeles Opera’s online Signature Recital Series which gives viewers exclusive online access to fine performances filmed in stunning venues around the world. The series includes unforgettable singing by mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, tenor Russell Thomas, soprano Christine Goerke, mezzo-soprano J'Nai Bridges, and soprano Julia Bullock—a breathtaking showcase of vocal magic.
June 23, 2021
On June 22, I watched J’Nai Bridges’ online recital at Los Angeles Opera’s website. Bridges has been making highly acclaimed debuts at major opera houses. For her LA Opera recital, she chose major selections by Johannes Brahms and Charles Gounod as well as many lesser-known shorter pieces. She sang with pianist Jeremy Frank, harpist Brandee Younger, violist Drew Forde, and dancer Shauna Davis. Available on LA Opera website now.
June 19, 2021
On June 18, 2021, I watched Los Angeles Opera’s film of Stravinsky’s 1927 opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex. Jean Cocteau, who wrote the libretto, based it on the ancient Greek tragedy Sophocles wrote ca. 429 BCE. Right now LAO is featuring it online for free.
June 19, 2021
On Saturday, we see Los Angeles Opera’s online stream of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex. Stravinsky based Oedipus on Sophocles’ Greek tragedy and his 1927 opera is a highly stylized, ritualistic work. A narrator describes the action throughout the course of the opera. Although the opera is in Latin, narration is spoken in the language of the audience.
June 14, 2021
Seattle Opera’s film of Puccini’s Tosca, that can be streamed starting June 25, opened with the escape of political prisoner Cesare Angelotti who was once a friend of Cavaradossi. Angelotti, sung by bass Adam Lau, was exhausted from running, surmounting walls, and crashing through fences. His clothes were tattered and he almost fell into the cooling water of the church’s Baptismal Font.
June 12, 2021
Los Angeles Opera’s presentation of Oedipus Rex by Igor Stravinsky is available online from June 17 to July 18, 2021. The libretto is by Jean Cocteau. The cast includes: Oedipus, Russell Thomas; Jocasta, J’nai Bridges; Creon, John Relyea; Tiresias, Morris Robinson; Narrator, Stephen Fry; Conductor, James Conlon.
June 5, 2021
Euphemia and Andronico bicker over Andronico's choice of the miserly Don Procopio as a husband for Bettina. Ernesto, Bettina's brother, arrives home from long travels and hears that his sister is to be married to a man she does not love. Bettina loves Odoardo. Ernesto, Odoardo, and Bettina, knowing that Procopio really wants Bettina’s money, devise a plan to stop the old man.
June 1, 2021
Los Angeles Opera presents a digital recital exploring the invaluable contributions Latina composers have made to the world of classical music. LAO’s much-beloved After Hours Recital Series is back, and this time it celebrates eleven Latina composers. Russell Thomas, the company's Artist in Residence-turned-host, curated this fabulous stream to transport viewers virtually to Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, and Peru.
May 17, 2021
On Saturday, May 15, 2021, Los Angeles Opera and Opera San Jose presented a recital honoring Latina composers. It includes songs by Modesta Bor, María Luisa Escobar, Chabuca Granda, María Grever, Ernestina Lecuona , Ángela Peralta, Consuelo Velázquez, and contemporary writers, Gabriela Lena Frank, Tania León, Mariela Rodríguez, and Irma Urteaga.
May 15, 2021
For her Los Angeles Opera Signature Recital, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, accompanied by Jeremy Frank, sings a collection of her favorite songs. They perform works by 20th-century composer Kurt Weill, including 'Lonely House,' 'I'm a Stranger Here Myself,” and 'September Song.” LAO will stream the recital until July 1, 2021
May 9, 2021
Christine Goerke and Craig Terry's Recital can be seen on the Los Angeles Opera website as part of the five-part Signature Recital Series offered for $45 per household. Performances will be streamed until July 1, 2021. Goerke and Terry opened with a wildly dramatic rendition of Handel’s fire and brimstone“Furie Terribili,” (“Dreadful Furies”) from Rinaldo. Goerke then introduced a group of Italian songs in honor of her mother whose lineage is Sicilian and Neapolitan.
May 8, 2021
Enjoy Los Angeles Opera’s Signature Recital Series presentation of mezzo-soprano Susan Graham with pianist Jeremy Frank in a program of songs by Kurt Weill. Selections include the yearning 'Lonely House,' the tantalizing 'I'm a Stranger Here Myself' and the nostalgic 'September Song.” The video, streams until July 1, 2021.
April 29, 2021
On April 28, 2021, Arizona Opera, in partnership with Tucson Desert Song Festival, presented an online recital by dramatic tenor Bryan Hymel and pianist Michael Borowitz. They opened their streamed recital with the lyrical aria, 'Ombra mai fu” from Handel’s opera Xerxes. Sung by Xerxes I of Persia in praise of the shade offered by an old world sycamore tree, the aria contains one of Handel’s best-known melodies, his Largo.
April 24, 2021
On April. 23, 2021, San Francisco Opera presented its first drive-in opera, Rossini’s rollicking comedy, The Barber of Seville. As the boisterous Spanish hair stylist, baritone Lucas Meachem opened the show with a vigorous, rousing version of his famous “Largo al Factotum”. California COVID restrictions limited the show to ninety minutes. Using the Zedda edition of the Ricordi piano/vocal score, Conductor Roderick Cox and Director Matthew Ozawa treated the audience to all the opera’s major arias, duets, and ensembles,
April 23, 2021
On Wednesday, April 21, We begin this week’s tour with one of the Los Angeles Opera website’s most popular “Living Room Recitals.” Soprano, Latonia Moore sings with pianist Roberto Berrocal. After the recital, we leave for NYC. On arrival, we go to Shut Up and Eat, a most generous Toms River restaurant that offers a discount to patrons in pajamas.
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