San Diego Opera's 60th Anniversary La bohème sees Mimì as a ghost
Don't miss: Encounter with Sondra Radvanovsky
NewsSingers, sign up now; you don't want to pass on the chance to work with Radvanovsky, whose career speaks for itself. For singer fans, the October 22nd concert is a great chance to hear new voices at exciting stages of their development.
Dear me: advice to my freshman self
Op-edAt the end of the day, there are certain things that you will not able to control, no matter how much you practice; and no matter how solid your technique is, you will hear, "no". You cannot take it personally, the thicker your skin is, the better you will fare. It will make the "yeses" you hear even sweeter.
United we stand, divided we fall
Op-edSo, the next time you get hit with a flash of "inspiration" to change something during the middle of a live show, STOP! Take a moment to consider the consequences of your potential actions as well as who they might impact. Nine times out of ten, you'll put more than just your own career at risk; ten times out of ten, you’ll always put your own career at risk.
Familiar & exotic: a brief history of Bellini's Norma
Op-edFor British audiences, the Druids were a healthy dose of exoticism; still, the connection to the ancient societies of their own land likely held some form of national and cultural pride. Perhaps it was just enough mystery to pique interest in Norma, and just enough familiarity to easily identify with the values and decisions of the characters.
A Letter to the Modern Diva
Op-edIf you view fashion and the way you dress as an extension of your artistic personality, why would you allow others to put you in a box and stifle you? After all, isn’t your goal to show the audition panel exactly who you are and what makes you special and unique?
One Voice Orlando: after Pulse
NewsHosted by famed baritone Sherrill Milnes, and conducted by David Charles Abell, the concert will donate proceeds to Orlando Health's Level One Trauma Center, the Orlando LGBTQ Community Center, Proyecto Somos Orlando, the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, the Zebra Coalition, and the Holocaust Center's "UpStanders: Stand Up to Bullying Initiative."
Mildly amusing: the Wiki Opera Game
HumourWell, how about the opera version of the Wikipedia Game*? The premise is simple: go to the Wikipedia home page, and on the left hand side, click on "random article." Starting from this random page, the goal is to get to the Wiki article on "Opera" in as few clicks as possible, using only the hyperlinked words within each page along the way.
Can you say, "Yannick Nézet-Séguin"?
HumourA little bit Stephen Colbert-esque, Nick chats with greats like conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Emmanuel Ax (or, Yo-Yo Ma's accompanist) about their work. We can't quite tell if the interviewees knew what they were getting into with Nick, but we like it.
Amy Winehouse & the power of an audience
EditorialWhat struck us about her story is the apparently objective frenzy that audiences have over the human voice. Singers of all genres are made to understand early on that their voice is only part of a puzzle (albeit a vital part); they need self-discipline, they need to hustle and make business contacts, they need to want their career to happen, and to make their career happen.
How to empathize with singers
EditorialWhen pianists and singers work together, they're basically trying to connect to how the other approaches music, and combine their skills and ideas. For young pianists, it can be a huge learning curve to start to think like a singer. Fortunately (or unfortunately, for the shy), the fastest way to build your singer empathy is simply to become one.