John Aler News

It's never a good sign when, during an opera, you pay more attention to the orchestra than the people onstage. This is the kind of situation that befalls George Mason University's School of Music and Mason Opera's new revival of Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring. Britten's complex score is indeed a difficult one and Mason Opera tackles it head-on. They're never able to reach the necessary heights this work allows. This calls into question whether this selection was the right choice for this class of students.

The Art Song Preservation Society (ASPS) will present French Mezzo-Soprano, Virginie Verrez in recital with accomplished piano collaborator, Thomas Muraco. Ms. Verrez, the first place winner of the 2014 Mary Trueman Vocal Art Song Competition sponsored by the Art Song Preservation Society, will present works by Brahms, Monteverdi, Poulenc, Duparc, Canteloube among others.

The Art Song Preservation Society (ASPS) will present French Mezzo-Soprano, Virginie Verrez in recital with accomplished piano collaborator, Thomas Muraco. Ms. Verrez, the first place winner of the 2014 Mary Trueman Vocal Art Song Competition sponsored by the Art Song Preservation Society, will present works by Brahms, Monteverdi, Poulenc, Duparc, Canteloube among others. The recital is on March 21 at 2pm at the National Opera Center (330 7th Avenue) in New York City. Tickets are $25 at the door. You can purchase tickets by visiting the Art Song Preservation Society website at www.artsongpreservationsocietyny.org

The Art Song Preservation Society (ASPS) will present French Mezzo-Soprano, Virginie Verrez in recital with accomplished piano collaborator, Thomas Muraco. Ms. Verrez, the first place winner of the 2014 Mary Trueman Vocal Art Song Competition sponsored by the Art Song Preservation Society, will present works by Brahms, Monteverdi, Poulenc, Duparc, Canteloube among others.

ASPS (Art Song Preservation Society), will present a concert in conjunction with their first annual Summer of Song Series led by Baritone, Michael Weyandt, and International Piano Collaborator, Thomas Muraco today, June 20 at 7pm at Opera America (330 7th Avenue). The Art Song Preservation Society is New York's premiere Art Song Organization that serves the New York City area by creating opportunities and performance in the genre of classical art song vocal literature.

ASPS (Art Song Preservation Society), will present a concert in conjunction with their first annual Summer of Song Series led by baritone Michael Weyandt and International Pianist and Collaborator, Thomas Muraco tonight, June 20 at 7pm at Opera America (330 7th Avenue).

ASPS (Art Song Preservation Society), will present a concert in conjunction with their first annual Summer of Song Series led by Baritone, Michael Weyandt, and International Piano Collaborator, Thomas Muraco on Thursday, June 20 at 7pm at Opera America (330 7th Avenue). The Art Song Preservation Society is New York's premiere Art Song Organization that serves the New York City area by creating opportunities and performance in the genre of classical art song vocal literature.

ASPS (Art Song Preservation Society), will present a concert in conjunction with their first annual Summer of Song Series led by baritone Michael Weyandt and International Pianist and Collaborator, Thomas Muraco on Thursday, June 20 at 7pm at Opera America (330 7th Avenue).

Over three days of preliminary auditions today, February 25 through the 27th, 2013, approximately 90 of the best young American and Canadian opera singers will compete to reach the final round of the 42nd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition.

Over three days of preliminary auditions on February 25-27, 2013, approximately 90 of the best young American and Canadian opera singers will compete to reach the final round of the 42nd annual George London Foundation Awards Competition.

This November, in Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Anne Manson will conduct the U.S. premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Kommilitonen! (Young Blood!) - an opera co-commissioned by Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Music - which received its world premiere in London this past March to remarkable critical acclaim. The production opens Juilliard's 2011-12 Vocal Arts season on Wednesday, November 16 at 8 PM, with additional performances on Friday, November 18 at 8 PM and Sunday, November 20 at 2 PM. David Pountney, librettist of the opera, provides stage direction, sets and costumes are by Robert Innes Hopkins, and choreography is by Carolum Choa.

This November, in Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Anne Manson will conduct the U.S. premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Kommilitonen! (Young Blood!) - an opera co-commissioned by Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Music - which received its world premiere in London this past March to remarkable critical acclaim. The production opens Juilliard's 2011-12 Vocal Arts season on Wednesday, November 16 at 8 PM, with additional performances on Friday, November 18 at 8 PM and Sunday, November 20 at 2 PM. David Pountney, librettist of the opera, provides stage direction, sets and costumes are by Robert Innes Hopkins, and choreography is by Carolum Choa.

This November, in Juilliard School's Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Anne Manson will conduct the U.S. premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Kommilitonen! (Young Blood!) - an opera co-commissioned by Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Music - which received its world premiere in London this past March to remarkable critical acclaim. The production opens Juilliard's 2011-12 Vocal Arts season on Wednesday, November 16 at 8 PM, with additional performances on Friday, November 18 at 8 PM and Sunday, November 20 at 2 PM. David Pountney, librettist of the opera, provides stage direction, sets and costumes are by Robert Innes Hopkins, and choreography is by Carolum Choa.

Tenor Paul Appleby is joined by pianist Brian Zeger for a solo recital as the winner of Juilliard's 14th annual Alice Tully Vocal Arts Recital Award on November 30 at 8 PM in Alice Tully Hall (Broadway at 65th Street). The program features Schubert's song cycle, 'Die schöne Müllerin', on poems by Wilhelm Müller.

Tenor Paul Appleby is joined by pianist Brian Zeger for a solo recital as the winner of Juilliard's 14th annual Alice Tully Vocal Arts Recital Award on November 30 at 8 PM in Alice Tully Hall (Broadway at 65th Street). The program features Schubert's song cycle, 'Die schöne Müllerin', on poems by Wilhelm Müller.

Ravinia celebrates opera with Mozart's Così fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by James Conlon and joined by all-star casts as well as members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Both operas will be presented in the Martin Theatre and will receive two performances, Così on Aug. 5 and 7 and Figaro on Aug. 6 and 8. Cosi fan tutte features 'one of America's finest artists and singers' (New York Times), mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, portraying Despina; Grammy Award winning soprano Ana Maria Martinez, who last appeared at Ravinia with Plácido Domingo at the festival's 2007 Gala, as Fiordiligi; Romanian mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose, who recently appeared as Veronica Quaife in The Fly at L.A. Opera, making her Ravinia debut as Dorabella; Russian baritone Rodion Pogosov, who made his Metropolitan Opera debut playing Papageno in the 2004 production of Die Zauberflöte, portraying Guglielmo in his festival debut; and Albanian tenor Saimir Pirgu, who made his US debut singing Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at LA Opera, conducted by Conlon and directed by Woody Allen, appearing as Ferrando in his festival debut.

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