Sharleen Joynt News

Love. Revenge. Tragedy. Giuseppe Verdi's 1581 opera Rigoletto chronicles a court jester's revenge on his daughter's philandering suitor.

In 1851, Giuseppe Verdi composed Rigoletto — an opera critiquing the abuse of power rampant in society (inspired by Victor Hugo's scandalous play, Le roi s'amuse). The world has changed in the nearly 170 years since the opera premiered, but conversations about exploitation and sexual violence still dominate news headlines across the world.

Following a season of change and transition, Calgary Opera announced a fresh and innovative line-up of productions, programs and packages that will form their 2019-20 season today. This season, the company's 48th, includes three main stage opera productions at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and a series of smaller performances at other venues across the city.

Vancouver Opera's 2018/2019 season and festival bring us a lush new production of Puccini's La Boheme that is quite literally designed as an enormous vintage postcard of Paris. The curtain rises on a modern-day flea market, with tourists taking selfies, sellers touting their wares and an accordion duo entertaining the crowd. Amid the bustle, a lone visitor puts a record on a vintage gramophone from which plays the opening bars of Giacomo Puccini's famous opera, transporting the audience back in time.

Whether from disease, 19th century #MeToo-style abuse, or unrequited love, Opera Philadelphia's (OP) Festival O18 opening weekend showed us three ways that central female characters lost their grip on reality. While I considered only one of them a total success, audience openness to sometimes-demanding material made it clear that the company has found a formula that strikes at the hearts of opera-goers, new and old.

As a major highlight of its summer-long celebration, June 15-September 2, of the centennial of Leonard Bernstein's birth, Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in Lenox, MA, has programmed several fully staged and semi-staged productions of Leonard Bernstein's work written for the stage, featuring several Tony Award-winning Broadway performers, choreographers, and directors.

When Opera Philadelphia's inaugural Festival O launched the present season, the opera world responded with a standing ovation, welcoming it as 'one of the most enjoyable additions to the fall calendar in years'

When Opera Philadelphia's inaugural Festival O launched the present season, the opera world responded with a standing ovation, welcoming it as "one of the most enjoyable additions to the fall calendar in years"

A cast of exciting and familiar voices returns to Pacific Opera Victoria (POV) for Puccini's La Boheme, a bittersweet tale of young, impoverished artists experiencing friendship, love and loss. La Boheme is presented February 15 to 25, 2018, at the Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton Street, in Victoria, British Columbia.

American Lyric Theater (ALT) and Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center present InsightALT: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant on March 26, 2017 at 3pm, 129 W. 67th Street, NYC.

Lately, it seems that no matter where you turn you are assaulted with frightening news, disheartening images, and arguing politicians. It's gotten so upsetting that no one would fault you for thinking that this is the worst of all possible worlds. However, if you are tired of thinking the worst of society and your fellow man, there is no better antidote than the Orlando Philharmonic's joyous and playful production of Leonard Bernstein's light opera CANDIDE, running through Sunday, October 16th at Plaza Live Orlando.

The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra presents Leonard Bernstein's Candide, the first operetta in the Opera Series on October 13, 14, and 16. Bernstein's zany operetta takes Candide on a comic adventure around the world. Performances will be at The Plaza Live Theater, 425 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando, Florida.

American Lyric Theater (ALT) - founded by Lawrence Edelson in 2005 to build a new body of operatic repertoire by nurturing composers and librettists and providing an incubator for their collaborations - announces its 2016-2017 Season. The season begins with the InsightALT series, providing an insider's look at how new operas are made, featuring concert readings of operas in development at ALT, including The Halloween Tree, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, and Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant. The season concludes with the return of the critically acclaimed ALT Alumni: Composers & Librettists in Concert, celebrating the success of prominent alumni of American Lyric Theater's innovative Composer Librettist Development Program. Tickets are available at www.altnyc.org.

Last night marked the special red carpet and New York screening event for the new feature film, LITTLE MISS PERFECT, directed by Marlee Roberts. The film stars Lilla Crawford (Annie, Into the Woods) and teen recording artist Karlee Roberts. BroadwayWorld was there for the big event - check out photos from the screening and red carpet below!

Canadian Stage and Soundstreams are proud to present the North American premiere of internationally-acclaimed and multiple award-winning composer Philippe Boesmans's chamber opera Julie, a contemporary English-lyric adaptation of August Strindberg's classic 19th century drama Miss Julie.

Canadian Stage and Soundstreams are proud to present the North American premiere of internationally-acclaimed and multiple award-winning composer Philippe Boesmans's chamber opera Julie, a contemporary English-lyric adaptation of August Strindberg's classic 19th century drama Miss Julie.