Karen Slack News

Portland Opera announces another round of changes to the 2020/21 season, as the company continues to navigate COVID-19 safety, travel, and assembly restrictions in Multnomah County, Oregon.

Fort Worth Opera has announced the company's expanded line-up of innovative programs and performances for the spring of 2021.

Fort Worth Opera has announced today the line-up of dynamic artists headlining A Night of Black Excellence: Past, Present, and Future, an all-star virtual benefit concert to celebrate Black History Month. FWO proudly honors the rich cultural legacy, inspiring contributions, and trailblazing talents of Black musicians, composers, and librettists.

The OBIE-winning HERE has announced programming for its HERE There Everywhere winter and spring 2021 season. The season launches with the ninth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera | Theatre | Now (January 8–16), the premier global festival of opera-theatre and music-theatre which has been completely re-envisioned in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

After the triumphant sold-out concert at the Wortham last year—Giving Voice: Lawrence Brownlee and Friends Sing Opera, Gospel, and Standards—internationally renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee returns with his co-host, celebrated soprano, HGO Studio alumna, and frequent HGO collaborator Nicole Heaston.

Portland Opera and All Classical Portland are teaming up this holiday season to share a Winter Wonderland Sing-Along that will be broadcast on All Classical Portland on December20th at 12pm PT. 

San Francisco Opera Center Director and Merola Opera Program Artistic Director Sheri Greenawald, whose December 2020 retirement was announced in March, received the San Francisco Opera Medal at a special Zoom event organized by San Francisco Opera and Merola Opera Program. The Opera Medal, the Company's highest honor, was awarded to Greenawald for her extraordinary service and leadership with the Company. 

Today (November 20) in live streaming: Adam Pascal visits Backstage Live, Beetlejuice reunites on Stars in the House, and so much more!

On Thursday, December 10, Houston Grand Opera will release The Making of The Snowy Day: An Opera for All on HGO Digital.

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Blythe in Plenty to be Thankful For (A Thanksgiving Variety Show). The cast includes Stephanie Blythe, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Karen Slack.

Having joined Opera Philadelphia as Artistic Advisor in 2017, Lawrence Brownlee will take a starring role this fall in the debut of the Opera Philadelphia Channel, a global platform that will bring a robust 2020-2021 season into opera loversa?? homes via their television screens and streaming devices.

Portland Opera has announced the five artists joining the company's Resident Artist program for the 2020/21 season: soprano Lynnesha Crump, mezzo-soprano Jasmine Johnson, tenor David Morgans Sanchez, baritone Michael Parham, and bass Edwin Jhamal Davis.

On Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 8:00pm ET, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra presents Speaking Truth to Power, an online performance of Beethovena??s Egmont, Op. 84 featuring the world premiere of an incisive new Orpheus-commissioned English translation, adapted for the current day, by Philip Boehm.

SFJAZZ, in collaboration with San Francisco's Opera Parallèle, will present a special online-only broadcast of the 2016 production of Champion - An Opera in Jazz by Terence Blanchard on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT.

On Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 8:00pm ET, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra will present Speaking Truth to Power, an online performance of Beethoven's Egmont, Op. 84 featuring the world premiere of an incisive new Orpheus-commissioned English translation, adapted for the current day, by Philip Boehm.

Banff Centre will build upon its work in recent years changing conversations about opera. In 2020-21, Joel Ivany, director of opera at Banff Centre since 2014, will be joined this season by two co-directors: Métis and French-Canadian composer, Ian Cusson, and American soprano, Karen Slack, and celebrating Indigenous and Black composers and librettists. 

Having joined Opera Philadelphia as Artistic Advisor in 2017, Lawrence Brownlee will take a starring role this fall in the debut of the Opera Philadelphia Channel.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has announced five outdoor concerts in New York and New Jersey in September and October 2020. Small chamber groups composed of Orpheus members will perform live for limited audiences using marked seating to ensure social distancing with masks required.

Black Opera Productions LLC, and Presenting Partner, Brookfield Place, will present Jessye Norman at 75: A Celebration LIVE on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 6:00 PM ET, to commemorate the legendary singer's first birthday in memoriam, presented in support of the Estate of Jessye Norman and Jessye Norman School of the Arts, and the forthcoming documentary film Black Opera. 

The Cosumnes River College (CRC) Music Department has found a unique way to serve students during the pandemic. The college remains in an online teaching environment and the music program is responding with creative new ways of reaching its students and community.