Samuel Ramey News

One of Giuseppe Verdi's lesser-performed operas, Attila lacks the hummable songs that have brought his better-known operas into popular culture. His complicated characters are ever-present, however, and his grand melodies support those characters with a commanding presence, especially when a large chorus takes up more than half the stage. Verdi definitely knew how to use the chorus. And in San Francisco Opera's Teatro alla Scala co-production, the singers, both leads and chorus, ultimately give Attila the power it needs to succeed, albeit a great deal of the production's success owes its existence to the visually stunning scenery on display behind the strong vocals on display.

Luca Pisaroni will reprise the role of Figaro in productions of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich (May 3-13) and at the Vienna State Opera (June 3-13).

The Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 82nd year, hosts its annual gala tonight, May 1 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 East Delaware Place. The oldest community music school in Illinois and one of the three largest community music schools in the nation, MIC is planning a celebratory evening highlighted by the presentation of the Dushkin Award to internationally acclaimed stage and film composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the winners of the 2012 National Council Auditions. They are: Janai Brugger, soprano from Darien, IL; Anthony Clark Evans, baritone from Owensboro, KY; Matthew Grills, tenor from Newtown, CT; Margaret Mezzacappa, mezzo-soprano from Euclid, OH; and Andrey Nemzer, countertenor from Moscow, Russia. The winners were selected from nine finalists who performed arias with the MET Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Davis. Each winner receives a cash prize of $15,000, as well as invaluable career exposure: the audience for the auditions includes influential opera executives, artist managers, and music critics, and some of the biggest stars in opera received their first major recognition as National Council Winners. The Grand Finals Concert was hosted by renowned bass-baritone Eric Owens, a 1996 National Council Auditions winner. During the judges' deliberations, he gave a special performance of "Ella giammai m'amo," King Philip's aria from Verdi's Don Carlo.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of nine finalists who will sing in the 2012 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 18 at 3:00 p.m. with the MET Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis. The finalists are: Janai Brugger, soprano from Darien, IL;Anthony Clark Evans, baritone from Owensboro, KY; Matthew Grills, tenor from Newton, CT; Will Liverman, baritone from Virginia Beach, VA; Margaret Mezzacappa, mezzo-soprano from Euclid, OH; Andrey Nemzer, countertenor from Moscow, Russia; Kevin Ray, baritone from Cornwall, NY; Lauren Snouffer, soprano from Austin, TX; and Michael Sumuel, bass-baritone from Odessa, TX.

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of nine finalists who will sing in the 2012 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on March 18 at 3:00 p.m. with the MET Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis. The finalists are: Janai Brugger, soprano from Darien, IL;Anthony Clark Evans, baritone from Owensboro, KY; Matthew Grills, tenor from Newton, CT; Will Liverman, baritone from Virginia Beach, VA; Margaret Mezzacappa, mezzo-soprano from Euclid, OH; Andrey Nemzer, countertenor from Moscow, Russia; Kevin Ray, baritone from Cornwall, NY; Lauren Snouffer, soprano from Austin, TX; and Michael Sumuel, bass-baritone from Odessa, TX.

The Opera Orchestra of New York continues its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Simon Boccanegra conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 8:00 pm.

Luca Pisaroni will make his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Argante in a new production of Handel's Rinaldo (Feb 29-March 24), reprising a role that he played to acclaim at the UK's Glyndebourne Festival last summer.

The Music Institute of Chicago, now in its 82nd year, hosts its annual gala Tuesday, May 1 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, 120 East Delaware Place. The oldest community music school in Illinois and one of the three largest community music schools in the nation, MIC is planning a celebratory evening highlighted by the presentation of the Dushkin Award to internationally acclaimed stage and film composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

Luca Pisaroni will make his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Argante in a new production of Handel's Rinaldo (Feb 29-March 24), reprising a role that he played to acclaim at the UK's Glyndebourne Festival last summer.

Houston Grand Opera's new production of Benjamin Britten's intimate but intensely gripping chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia takes place through February 11, 2012 and features the young American theatre director Arin Arbus in her operatic debut.

Houston Grand Opera's new production of Benjamin Britten's intimate but intensely gripping chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia takes place on February 3-11, 2012 and features the young American theatre director Arin Arbus in her operatic debut.

The Opera Orchestra of New York continues its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Simon Boccanegra conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 8:00 pm.

Opera Index presents its 2012 Distinguished Achievement Award to opera pioneer and Opera Orchestra of New York founder Eve Queler at its 28th annual black-tie winter gala on Sunday, January 15.

The Opera Orchestra of New York continues its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Wagner's Rienzi conducted by Music Director Laureate, Eve Queler at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. The opera, based on the life of Cola di Rienz (1313-1354), the Italian medieval politician and popular leader of the Roman people whose goal was to transform society by raising the power of the people, stars tenor Ian Storey in the title role, with soprano Elisabete Matos as Irene and mezzo-soprano Geraldine Chauvet in her US debut as Adriano. All three artists will be making their Opera Orchestra of New York debuts.

The Opera Orchestra of New York will present its annual Vidda Award Recital featuring soprano Chiara Taigi at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on Monday, December 12, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Joined by Eve Queler at the piano, Ms. Taigi will present a program including works by Bellini, Cherubini, Mascagni, Puccini, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.

Houston Grand Opera's new production of Benjamin Britten's intimate but intensely gripping chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia takes place on February 3-11, 2012 and features the young American theatre director Arin Arbus in her operatic debut.

The Opera Orchestra of New York will present its annual Vidda Award Recital featuring soprano Chiara Taigi at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on Monday, December 12, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Joined by Eve Queler at the piano, Ms. Taigi will present a program including works by Bellini, Cherubini, Mascagni, Puccini, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky.

The Metropolitan Opera Guild pays tribute to the legendary American mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne, on Monday, October 31

The Opera Orchestra of New York opens its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur conducted by new Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 8:00 p.m.