The Drunken Tenor, via Seattle Opera

If you’ve not had the chance to see tenor Robert McPherson’s “tipsy persona” live, you can tune in to catch him from home this weekend. On June 26, 7pm PDT, Seattle Opera’s virtual opera offerings will feature the premiere online performance of The Drunken Tenor. McPherson is joined by pianist David McDade and soprano Jennifer Bromagen for a program that balances Verdi and Bizet with the comedic joys of Zoom concerts and microphone management.

The event can be streamed on Seattle Opera’s Facebook and YouTube channels, or via their website. If you like what they’re putting out, consider donating. For a sneak peek, check out the trailer:

Valhalla Media Live’s debut broadcasts

Brand-new live-streaming platform Valhalla Media is set to launch with two back-to-back concert events, both broadcast from Chicago’s Studebaker Theater. On June 26, 7:30pm CDT, baritone Will Liverman and pianist Paul Sanchez offer a live recital of works by African American composers, including a world premiere by Shawn Okpebholo. And on June 27, 8pm CDT, you can catch a concert performance of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, starring mezzo Emily Fons and soprano Emily Pogorelc in the title roles.

These concerts are designed to conform to CDC health guidelines, including pre-performance health screenings, partitions separating singers and accompanying musicians, and the wearing of masks where possible. This is an exciting step forward in the production of live, high-quality performing arts broadcasts, and hopefully these debut shows will be the start of something big.

Both events are presented live, with a pay-what-you-can-model. The suggested price is $14.99. Registration is required for each event (Liverman/Sanchez recital, and Hansel and Gretel), and advance purchase is available via Valhalla Media’s website.

Having Guests for Dinner, a trash micro-opera

Los Angeles-based New Opera West is continuing its commitment to commissioning new operas, with its first virtual presentation, Having Guests for Dinner. The “trash micro-opera” (we too are baffled and confused by the term!) is by Nicholas Bentz and Robert Feng, and tells the story of a peculiar dinner party with a questionable menu…

The opera premieres on YouTube on June 27, 5pm PDT, and stars soprano Janet Szepei Todd as Laura, tenor Edmond Rodriguez as Marcus, and baritone Anthony Moreno as Christoph. Having Guests for Dinner is free to stream, but you need to RSVP to grab your link. Curious? Check out the trailer: