Sydney Mancasola News

The return of Jonathan Miller's brilliant Mafioso take on Verdi's Rigoletto is incredibly welcome after the awkward and confusing version that last appeared at the ENO in 2014. The original production directed by Miller premiered back in 1982, but still feels as sharp and slick as ever.

A rare Puccini receives a lovely production: 'La rondine' at Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) with its new artistic vision, is proud to announce casting for the four productions of its 2015-16 Season, which include Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, Mieczys?aw Weinberg's The Passenger (Passazhirka), and Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

?Anthony Barrese, award-winning conductor and composer, arrived in Miami yesterday to begin conducting rehearsals for Florida Grand Opera's (FGO) upcoming production of Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pecheurs de perles). Barrese makes his company debut conducting this French masterpiece not even two weeks after the close of FGO's well-received production of Mozart's comic opera Cosi fan tutte. The Pearl Fishers will open today, February 28, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

?Anthony Barrese, award-winning conductor and composer, arrived in Miami yesterday to begin conducting rehearsals for Florida Grand Opera's (FGO) upcoming production of Georges Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Les pecheurs de perles). Barrese makes his company debut conducting this French masterpiece not even two weeks after the close of FGO's well-received production of Mozart's comic opera Cosi fan tutte. The Pearl Fishers will open on Saturday, February 28, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

General and Artistic Director Michael Egel and the Board of Directors have announced casting for the operas of the 42nd Summer Festival Season. The three, full-scale grand operas will be presented in 15 performances between June 27 and July 20, 2014 at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola Iowa. A fourth production will run for 3 performances on July 10 and 19 at the newly renovated Des Moines Social Club in Des Moines as part of the company's newly-minted 2nd Stages Series. The Summer Festival Season repertory includes the return of a timeless operatic classic paired with two operas which will be company premieres - the first is a modern masterpiece and the second is a sparkling farce by opera's greatest comedic composer, Rossini. It's truly a season for everyone from first-time opera-goers to lifelong devotees highlighted by Des Moines Metro Opera's exceptional attention to details, including casting some of the most remarkable vocal talent in America today.

On Sunday, January 12, 2014, Opera Index will presents its 35th Distinguished Achievement Award to mezzo-soprano Rosalind Elias, described as one of the finest singing actresses of our time, at its Winter Gala in the Grand Salon of the JW Marriott Essex House, 160 Central Park South, beginning at 6 p.m. with a reception in the Petit Salon. The three-time Grammy and two-time Emmy Award-winning artist made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1954 and over her half-century-long career, has sung more than 50 roles. Ken Benson, renowned artists manager and longtime Opera Index supporter, will present the award to Ms. Elias.

The Academy of Vocal Arts performed an updated version of Mozart's comic opera that makes sense in its handling and boasts some fine performances

Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) General Director Darren K. Woods proudly announced today the August 1, 2013release of the company's live recording of American composer Tom Cipullo's acclaimed, emotionally-charged opera,Glory Denied, based on the bestselling book by journalist Tom Philpott. The album will also be available for digital download at www.albanyrecords.com, Amazon.com, Archivmusik.com, and iTunes by mid-September.

On Sunday afternoon March 10, the air was buzzing with anticipation at the Met, before the performances by the ten singers who had made it to the Grand Finals of the opera company's National Council auditions. No, this wasn't the opera equivalent of American Idol, where the emphasis is on the judges as much as the performers. It was a grown-up affair.

After an intense semi-final round of competition, the Metropolitan Opera today announced the names of ten finalists who will sing on the Met stage in the 2013 National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert on Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m., with the MET Orchestra conducted by Marco Armiliato. The auditions, which are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, have been an important stepping stone in the career of many of the opera world's leading artists. 20 gifted young singers from around the country arrived in New York on Thursday afternoon to prepare for today's semi-final round, in which they sang on the Met stage for the first time in their careers before a panel of judges. After deliberations, the panel has narrowed the field to ten singers who will move to the final phase of the competition.

Twenty young singers who won regional competitions around the United States will come to New York to sing on the Met stage in the semi-finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The Met Auditions, this year celebrating their 60th anniversary, are a major stepping stone to a career as an opera singer and were crucial in introducing many of today's best-known stars, such as Renee Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Ramey, Deborah Voigt, and Dolora Zajick.

Darren K. Woods, General Director of Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) appeared on KERA's widely popular program Think-the daily topic driven and call-in radio show hosted by Krys Boyd-this afternoon, Monday, January 7, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. (CST). During this special hour long, in-depth interview he discussed the recent announcement of the organization's new artistic vision, Opera of the Americas, a ten-year commitment to the production of thought-provoking works by contemporary composers of the Americas.

The winners of the 41st 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 a capacity audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.