Browsing all posts in January, 2010.
Lyric Opera of Chicago announces 2010 – 2011 Season
by Christie Connolley Lyric Opera of Chicago announced their star-studded 2010-2011 season. Read on for the details and visit www.lyricopera.org for information and tickets. Verdi’s Macbeth Oct. 1, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 (mat), 24 (mat), 30 Macbeth: Thomas Hampson Lady Macbeth: Nadja Michael Macduff: Dimitri Pittas Banquo: Štefan Koćan Lady in Waiting: Carter [...]
LSO and Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet
by Erica Papillion-Posey Based on the Greek tragedy of the same name, Elektra tells of the eponymous princess’ thirst for revenge on her father’s murderers and remains Richard Strauss’ most advanced large-scale score. Sam Smith of Music OMH hails this concert performance of the work with the London Symphony Orchestra and Ms. Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet in the [...]
Question of the Week
by Melissa Wimbish Why do singers love Diet Coke? Oh, don’t be so shocked. We all know it’s true. Especially those of us who like the occasional diet soda, but every time we go to the vending machine to purchase one (on the campus of a music school or in the lobby of a performing [...]
Grace Bumbry does Boston
by Christie Connolley I envy the Boston area residents who have the opportunity to see acclaimed mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry twice in the next 48 hours! The Friends of the Libraries of Boston University are presenting An Evening with Grace Bumbry at the George Sherman Union Metacalf Hall on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 pm. Admission [...]
What Would Pavarotti Do?
by Christie Connolley I remember when I first learned about ‘Respirazione e Appoggio’. An Italian breathing technique where there is a suspension at the height of inhalation. For me, it created a feeling that my ribcage was leaning on something outside of the body. I heard from numerous sources ‘in the know’ that Pavarotti used [...]
Is This the Future of Opera?
by Michael Rainbow Much has been made in recent years as to the future of opera and whether it has only managed to sustain a dying audience rather than create a fresh, enthusiastic one. As a response to this, the public has seen a number of new, wild interpretations, productions, and operas to hopefully spark [...]
Watch out Real Housewives, here comes the Fort Worth Opera Festival!
by Christie Connolley If you have ever been in a summer opera program you know how much drama is actually going on off-stage. From the tawdry love affairs, to the all-night partying, and of course the back-biting divas! The Fort Worth Opera Festival may be showcasing all this and more in a behind the scenes [...]
Puccini, Paris, Power and Pun
by Erica Papillion-Posey Though Puccini wrote little for the mezzo voice, I am still one of his biggest groupies. I have been gobbling up every piece of relevant literature I can these days on the middle child of ‘Il Trittico’, Suor Angelica. I am to play Zia Principessa, considered the female ‘Darth Vader’ in all of opera, this [...]
Quote of the Week!
by Christie Connolley “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Sir Winston Churchill
Law and Order: Philanthropy
by Christie Connolley Crime doesn’t pay, people! Even if it is to support the arts! Alberto Vilar… yes, the mega-millionaire supporter of opera, is requesting leniency for sentencing after being convicted of bilking millions of dollars from investors. Check out the complete story in the NY Daily News: http://tinyurl.com/yd7vxjn
