Francis Poulenc News

This fall, the star soprano takes her acclaimed interpretation of Elle from the stage to the screen in a new film adaptation of the French monodrama, streaming on the Opera Philadelphia Channel beginning on Friday, September 24.

The role of Elle, the lone character in Francis Poulenc's La voix humaine, has been called a true tour de force for Patricia Racette, who has brought her characterization of the one-act opera to life in productions in Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, and other cities over the past five years.

The Bard Music Festival continues its intensive exploration of “Nadia Boulanger and Her World” through the prism of her life and career. 

The three-act opera, divided into sixteen scenes, is sung in English, and the production is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. Recorded in NEC's state-of-the-art Plimpton Shattuck Black Box Theatre with piano accompaniment, the opera is free.

The acclaimed Merola Opera Program continues its summer season with Back Home: Through the Stage Door, a thrilling new digital production.

The Bard Music Festival returns for its 31st season this August, with a rare and intensive two-week exploration of “Nadia Boulanger and Her World.” In twelve themed concert programs, performed live with limited in-person audiences, Bard examines Nadia Boulanger (1887–1979), the pioneering Parisian pedagogue, composer, conductor, pianist, organist and indomitable personality who shaped more than a generation of American musicians.

Alone on stage. Alone, alone and desperate. Alone forever. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and that courageous soprano Patricia Racette bring us Francis Poulenc’s one-act opera LA VOIX HUMAINE. It’s a solo piece, a true tour de force for the singer. And Ms. Racette carries it off magnificently.

New film adaptations of Poulenc's La voix humaine starring Patricia Racette and Henze's El Cimarron starring Sir Willard White presented alongside an Academy of Music production of Verdi's Rigoletto and a Verizon Hall concert pairing Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex with George Walker's Lilacs

Bard SummerScape returns to live performance with a wide-ranging and adventurous lineup this summer. Staged for limited in-person audiences, the 2021 season presents the 31st Bard Music Festival, “Nadia Boulanger and Her World,” which pays tribute to one of the most important female figures in classical music history.

Boston Ballet’s digital season will conclude with BB@yourhome: Process & Progress, an approximately one-hour long program featuring a collection of dance films by international choreographic and new-to-North America voices Ken Ossola and Nanine Linning, boundary-breaking choreographer Lex Ishimoto, and Boston Ballet Principal Dancer John Lam.

Staged for limited in-person audiences, the 2021 season presents the 31st Bard Music Festival, “Nadia Boulanger and Her World,” which pays tribute to one of the most important female figures in classical music history; the first fully staged American production of King Arthur (Le roi Arthus), and more.

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. 

The American Symphony Orchestra will offer a free, nine-concert chamber music series to welcome spring at Manhattan’s Bryant Park and 34th St. Herald Square Plaza from May 3–19.

From contactless ticketing to a new smartphone festival app to socially distanced seating pods, Opera Theatre is taking all performances outside this year, creatively adapting the Festival Season in response to the pandemic.

Peter Brook's 1981 “La tragédie de Carmen” (The Tragedy of Carmen) is more than a shorter, recut version of Bizet's “Carmen.” While it pares the cast down to four singers, accompanied by a chamber orchestra, and is filled with musical passages from Bizet's famous opera, La Tragédie is a nearly complete reworking of the story focused on the intense interactions and tragedy of the four central characters.

Today, The Cleveland Orchestra announced its April and May programming and broadcast schedule for The Cleveland Orchestra: In Focus digital concert series.

On February 26th, Vocal Arts DC presents American baritone Rod Gilfry in a virtual concert with pianist Peter Walsh. The performance will include selections by Francis Poulenc, Jake Heggie, Morten Lauridsen, Charles Ives, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel as well as original jazz arrangements of classic French art songs.

Utah Opera presents an evening of opera arias inspired by central themes of light and optimism in a virtual concert in two acts that is available for streaming On Demand from February 12 to March 14. For more information, visit https://utahopera.org/events/2021/9897/

Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago is continuing the celebration of its tenth anniversary season with winter and spring offerings that include three recitals as part of the Lieder Lounge series, and the final installment of a Polish song workshop.

Bloomington Chamber Opera has announced a streaming production of Francis Poulenc's La Voix Humaine, a one-act monodrama for soprano.