Following yesterday's highly competitive semi-final competition, nine young singers will advance to the final phase of the Metropolitan Opera's 2017 National Council Auditions, America's most prestigious vocal competition.
No one can accuse the Met of skimping when it put together its current revival of Mozart's opera seria IDOMENEO. Yes, the production's 35 years old, but with this cast, it hardly mattered: tenor Matthew Polenzani in the title role, elegant and Mozartian to the nth degree, the suave and poignant mezzo Alice Coote as his son, Idamante, and the pristine, gorgeous soprano Nadine Sierra as Ilia, the captured Trojan princess, under Music Director Emeritus James Levine. But it was the fourth of the leading players, the full-bodied lyric soprano Elza van den Heever, as Elettra, who blew the roof off.
The runaway success of Opera Philadelphia's world premiere production of Breaking the Waves marked a catalytic moment last fall, “changing many of the people who brought the piece to the stage – and the company itself” (Philadelphia Inquirer). The new adaptation of Lars von Trier's searing Oscar-nominated film scored a nomination for the International Opera Award for Best World Premiere, and Opera News declared it “among the best 21st-century American operas yet produced.” Now home audiences the world over can hear the spellbinding production in its entirety at operaphila.org, starting next Wednesday, March 29 at 1pm, when Opera Philadelphia unveils a free on-demand audio stream of the world premiere production that took the opera world by storm, capping an online celebration of Women's History Month.
When Opera Philadelphia's new adaptation of Lars von Trier's searing Oscar-nominated film, Breaking the Waves made its world premiere in September 2016, the New York Times declared the opera "ambitious, accomplished, [and] dramatically direct," and Opera News said it "stands among the best 21st-century American operas yet produced." It has since earned an International Opera Award nomination for Best World Premiere and made its New York debut with Beth Morrison Projects' Prototype Festival to continued acclaim.
Opera Philadelphia's 2017-2018 Season opens with a twelve-day festival that transforms the city into a stage for the future of opera, as six venues come alive with the talents of dozens of spectacular artists in more than 25 performances. The inaugural festival, O17, takes place from September 14-25, and promises opera lovers and newcomers a fresh way to experience the art form.
Opera Philadelphia's 2017-2018 Season opens with a twelve-day festival that transforms the city into a stage for the future of opera, as six venues come alive with the talents of dozens of spectacular artists in more than 25 performances. Hailed as "a bold move aimed at making Philadelphia a compelling stop on the opera-lover circuit" (The Philadelphia Inquirer) and "a significant expansion of Opera Philadelphia's seasonal offerings" (Opera News), the inaugural festival, O17, takes place from September 14-25, and promises opera lovers and newcomers a fresh way to experience the art form.
Palm Beach Opera is thrilled to announce the 2018 mainstage opera season, which will include performances of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca January 26-28, Leonard Bernstein's Candide February 23-25, and Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart March 23-25. All mainstage opera performances will take place at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.
The winners of the 46th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition's final round this evening, which took place in a front of an audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.
Tomorrow afternoon, 18 young American and Canadian opera singers will perform with pianist Craig Rutenberg before a panel of judges and an enthusiastic audience at New York's Morgan Library & Museum, hoping to win a George London Award, an honor that has been conferred upon hundreds of the best young singers since 1971.
The Metropolitan Opera's 2017-18 season will feature 220 performances of 26 works, including two Met premieres, one co-commissioned by the company and one an older masterpiece having its first Met performances; a variety of repertory favorites, three in new productions; and performances of Verdi's towering concert work for soloists, orchestra, and chorus, the Requiem. Of note, Broadway star Kelli O'Hara is set to return to the Met in Così fan tutte this season.
With more than 20,000 nominations made, the International Opera Awards is pleased to announce the finalists for this year's Awards. These were selected by an international jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph, 'Once again, it was both a challenge and a pleasure for us to produce these shortlists, and I am very grateful to our distinguished jury. The quality of the nominations—received in record numbers this year—was very high, and I hope our lists prove that for all the difficulties faced by the world's opera companies, opera is in fact in a healthy and vibrant state.'
With more than 20,000 nominations made, the International Opera Awards has just announced the finalists for this year's Awards.
With more than 20,000 nominations made, the International Opera Awards is pleased to announce the finalists for this year's Awards. These were selected by an international jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph, 'Once again, it was both a challenge and a pleasure for us to produce these shortlists, and I am very grateful to our distinguished jury. The quality of the nominations-received in record numbers this year-was very high, and I hope our lists prove that for all the difficulties faced by the world's opera companies, opera is in fact in a healthy and vibrant state.'
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Bellini's riveting bel canto masterpiece Norma in a new-to-Chicago production. Vocal pyrotechnics and sumptuous music brilliantly tell the tale of forbidden passion, betrayal, revenge, and, ultimately, redemption.
The Canadian Opera Company presents a 2017/2018 season that defies conventions on what opera can be and cements the art form's enduring relevance as a reflection of timeless human relations and universal themes.
On Friday, February 17, 2017, 24 of the best young American and Canadian opera singers will perform with pianist Craig Rutenberg before a panel of judges and an enthusiastic audience at The Morgan Library & Museum, hoping to win a George London Award, an honor that has been conferred upon hundreds of the best young singers since 1971.
Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Bellini's riveting bel canto masterpiece Norma in a new-to-Chicago production. Vocal pyrotechnics and sumptuous music brilliantly tell the tale of forbidden passion, betrayal, revenge, and, ultimately, redemption.
Searing drama and epic lyricism open the Canadian Opera Company's 2016/2017 season with a new production of Bellini's Norma.
General Director Placido Domingo announced today that LA Opera will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program with a concert on April 1, 2017. Mr. Domingo will conduct the LA Opera Orchestra in Domingo's Young Artists, a performance featuring current members and distinguished alumni of the program, joined by guest soloist Sondra Radvanovsky, star of the company's spring production of Tosca, in a concert featuring favorite arias, duets and ensembles.
The only American finalist for the 2016 International Opera Award for Best Opera Company, Opera Philadelphia scored a fresh triumph this past week, when it launched the season with the world premiere of Breaking the Waves, a new company co-commission inspired by Lars von Trier's searing Oscar-nominated 1996 film, from the creative team of Missy Mazzoli, Royce Vavrek, and James Darrah. With three performances still to come (Sep 27 & 29; Oct 1), the critical response has already been unanimously euphoric; as the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, the season's opening week has succeeded in 'effectively demonstrat[ing] Opera Philadelphia's growing presence and ambitions.'
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