San Diego Opera's 60th Anniversary La bohème sees Mimì as a ghost
Don't miss: SongFest alumni in recital
NewsThe programme is a fantastic mix of top-shelf art song by Poulenc, Schubert, Zemlinsky, Marx, Turina, and Berg, alongside works by SongFest featured composers Tom Cipullo and Jake Heggie. Plus, there are a few tastes of the artists' operatic work, including the delicious final trio from Der Rosenkavalier.
How your voice type determines your on-the-job social life
EditorialIt's something to ponder: have the great composers of history inadvertently laid out a predetermined social life for generations of operatic artists? Have they added to the stereotype of rival divas by keeping them isolated to their own operas? Have they given credulity to the inevitable cross-disciplinary romances between soprano and baritone, between répétiteur and tenor?
A visceral, nightmarish tour-de-force: Der Mieter
ReviewEvery scene change had us on the edge of our seats, hearts pounding, craning our necks to catch a glimpse of what was next. And just when the tension couldn't possibly mount any higher, it kept rising for what seemed like another agonizing half-hour. It was completely draining and very, very good.
Don't miss: Voice of a Nation
NewsStravinsky's L'histoire du soldat is re-imagined by First Nations choreographer Aria Evans "through a truly Canadian lens"; and mezzo-soprano Rebecca Cuddy sings the new orchestral song cycle by Ian Cusson, Five Orchestra Songs, based on Métis poet Marilyn Dumont's A Really Good Brown Girl. The song cycle is directed by Tapestry Opera Artistic Director Michael Mori.
A dreamy indulgence: The Pearl Fishers in Chicago
ReviewThe plot may be banal, the title confusing, and the libretto outrageous, but the fine singers of the Lyric wrought every possible nuance from the story and embraced The Pearl Fishers for what it is. Sure, it's no Carmen, but why should it be? The Pearl Fishers is something else: an unapologetic bit of hazy escapist fantasy — a rumination on passion and friendship set against an alluring, (if problematically ill-defined), "oriental" backdrop.
A great loss: Hvorostovsky passes at 55
NewsHvorostovsky was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2015 and retired from the opera world in 2016. The world will miss him.
The Olympics of Singing: Semiramide at ROH
ReviewRemarkably, despite all the difficulties of this work, the cast took it all in stride, making it seem effortless as they thrilled with truly pristine singing. The singers also had the difficult job of filling a massive stage, sparse with sets or props. This was achieved by real presence and unteachable charisma, which the ensemble possessed in spades.
Making the connection: Madama Butterfly in Manitoba
ReviewThis fabulous production that Manitoba Opera has mounted at the Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg, with an absolutely stellar cast, has made me remember why Madama Butterfly is one of the most popular operas of all time.
As One: "they both took risks that paid off."
ReviewI was struck most in Hannah's story by how significant seemingly small things became. Her handwriting was the greatest example of this. It had never occurred to me that handwriting could be so gendered and a source of exposure for a trans person. Much of Hannah's childhood is spent trying to be the perfect boy, and even her handwriting has to fit the perception of masculinity.
Calgary Opera delivers comedy gold with well-cast Barber
ReviewWith Barber, Calgary Opera gets the laughs, thanks to a roster of principals at the top of their craft who are well cast for their respective roles. More importantly, it does justice to one of the most beloved works in the operatic repertoire, by casting singers who can handle the vocal acrobatics of Rossini.