Stephanie Blythe News

A day after canceling upcoming performances due to concerns around the coronavirus, the Metropolitan Opera announced that it would stream encore presentations from the award-winning Live in HD series of cinema transmissions on the company website for the duration of the closure.

After a months-long series of competitions at the district, regional, and national levels, a panel of expert judges named five singers as the winners of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Each winner receives a $20,000 cash prizea?"up from $15,000, the first increase since 1998a?"and the prestige and exposure that come with winning the competition that launched the careers of many of opera's biggest stars.

Following yesterday's semi-final competition, nine young singers have advanced to the final round of the Metropolitan Opera's 2020 National Council Auditions. In the public concert, finalists perform on the Met stage Sunday, March 1 at 3 p.m., for an audience of judges, agents, industry leaders, and the general public (in the auditorium and live on the radio). The finalists, chosen by a panel of opera administrators from the Met and other companies, each perform two arias with the Met Orchestra conducted by Bertrand de Billy. Prize money will increase for the first time in 20 years, with the winners receiving individual cash prizes of $20,000 (previously $15,000), and the prestigious and potentially career-launching title of National Council Auditions Winner. The remaining finalists receive $10,000 (previously $7,500).

The 23 young opera singers who have won regional auditions around the United States will compete in the semifinal round of the country's leading vocal competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, on Monday, February 24. The closed semifinal competition, held on the Met stage before a panel of judges, will determine the select group of finalists who will advance to the final round of the competition-the Grand Finals, which is open to the public and will be held on the Met stage on Sunday, March 1.

Two-time Tony nominee brings his big voice to Lincoln Center... and his iPad

Today, the Metropolitan Opera announced its 2020-21 season, the first in which Yannick Nézet-Séguin assumes his full breadth of musical duties as the company's Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Music Director, conducting six productions. His schedule includes the Met premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, the first contemporary opera conducted by the maestro on the Met stage, as part of his ongoing commitment to opera of our time at the Met, which will expand in the seasons to come.

Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) celebrates its fifth anniversary with a special one-night-only Gala Concert and Celebration on Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 7:30 PM at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA.

Stephanie Blythe is Blythely Oratonio in BLYTHELY EVER AFTER at Jazz At Lincoln Center's American Songbook

Live From Lincoln Center will livestream four intimate performances as part of Lincoln Center's acclaimed American Songbook series.

The iconic pop star impressed the Jazz At Lincoln Center audience this week during his concert for The American Songbook Series

Noted conductor Jason Tramm will lead the Long Island Concert Orchestra and Guest Soloist, the acclaimed Korean violinist and rising star, Kyoung-Joo Sung in the Midatlantic Artistic Productions concert 'Beethoven at 250' at Merkin Concert Hall, Saturday March 21 at 8PM.

I admit this is an absolutely personal, totally one-sided view of what gave one man opera thrills last year and what I will look back on with delight. Some are old works, some are new, some are individual performers, some are ensembles, some are complete productions, some are merely the highlight of an evening, most are domestic, a few are foreign. In any case, as the new decade begins, I recall that these are the vocal highlights that made my heart beat a little faster and made me look forward to the year ahead.

Now in its 37th year, the Schwabacher Recital Series returns on Wednesday, January 29, with performances at San Francisco's Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater that feature emerging artists from around the globe.

Stephen Mosher looks back at the cabaret scene, as captured by his camera in 2019

This January, Lincoln Center presents a plethora of music and dance events across the campus. David Rubenstein Atrium continues its 10th anniversary year with free, eclectic live performances every Thursday. The 2019-20 season of LC Kids (October 5a?"June 7, 2020) is in full swingwith free and ticketed events developed for toddlers, children, and teenagers stepping into young adulthood; and American Songbook begins its latest season with artists performing Broadway, folk, classical, and more. 

BWW Cabaret Editor invites the journalists on the team to an informal discussion about the art form of cabaret, their passion, and what excited them in 2019.

MasterVoices, led by Artistic Director Ted Sperling, continues its 2019-20 season on January 10 and 11 at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice with the New York premiere of Iron & Coal, Jeremy Schonfeld's multimedia rock-opera about his family's experience in the Holocaust and its aftermath. Along with MasterVoices, joining Schonfeld onstage will be distinguished theater artist Rinde Eckert, tenor Daniel Rowan, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and the New York-based contemporary music ensemble, Contemporaneous.

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??Opera SB welcomes back world-renowned pianist and conductor, Warren Jones to work with its 19|20 Chrisman Studio Artists on November 9th, 2019 from 1:30PM - 4PM at Braille Institute Santa Barbara, 2031 De La Vina St. Held in partnership with the Braille Institute in Santa Barbara, this masterclass is free and open to the public.

There was so much heart, love and entertainment on the stage of The Rose Theater last night, as The Cabaret Convention celebrated the legacy and the music of the legendary Judy Garland

The third night of the Mabel Mercer Foundation's New York Cabaret Convention hosted by Judy Garland expert John Fricke and actor, singer, humorist Klea Blackhurst had many noteworthy performances during it's three hours last night at Rose Theater. However, the most touching and dramatic Judy Garland minute was not musical. It happened when Sidney Myer a New York City Cabaret superstar related a story from his youth. It seems that Sidney survived the stress of the 50's and 60's of being “different” in the all boy New Jersey Prep School he attended (which Sidney recalled was populated by boys who specialized in terrorism) by focusing on his love of music and his worship of Judy Garland. He described to a spellbound Convention audience of being brought to a Judy Garland concert by his parents, he had his sign “ We Love Judy” in hand and with thousands cheering her as she walked down the aisle in a twist of fate he accidentally came face to face with her. Judy shook his hand and he managed to get out a “thank you” even though he had rehearsed a speech for years if this kind of moment ever happened. . There wasn't a dry eye in the house after his story. The evening had many humorous and emotional moments as Emmy Award winning host John Fricke, who is considered the preeminent Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz authority related many stories about Garland. Klea Blackhurst is probably one of the most effective and beloved Convention hosts and she used her wit and music to make it as always one of the most enjoyable of Convention nights.