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Check out: New Opera West

Check out: New Opera West

"The strength of any given piece is usually revealed fairly early in the process. Even a first run-through can indicate whether something is going to work or not."

Jenna Simeonov
Talking with singers: Erin Wall

Talking with singers: Erin Wall

"It's fairly extreme in its demands, and Massenet saved some of the hardest writing for the very end - the duet which closes the opera builds to two high Ds! It requires the singer to finesse a pianissimo one minute, and then have a huge fortissimo outburst over full orchestra the next!"

Jenna Simeonov
"A grandiose spectacle" in Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera

"A grandiose spectacle" in Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera

"The show itself is a grandiose spectacle indicative of traditional opera productions, but more importantly the score written by Julien Bilodeau is incredibly rich, beautiful, impressive and clever."

Jenna Simeonov
Stellar performances from a star cast in Chicago's Dead Man Walking

Stellar performances from a star cast in Chicago's Dead Man Walking

Graham's performance is gut-wrenchingly sincere and she's as vocally resplendent as ever, even when her voice seems on the verge of breaking with emotion.

Hannah De Priest
Ambitious & epochal: Saul at Houston Grand Opera

Ambitious & epochal: Saul at Houston Grand Opera

The performance I saw was a microcosm of Houston at her best, a perfect example of the glorious, if not uncontroversial, results of numerous talented individuals combining their efforts to create something far bigger than the sum of its parts.

Andrew Schneider
Talking with composers: Victoria Bond

Talking with composers: Victoria Bond

"I am quite certain that most people have no idea of what goes into composing. It is generally not accurately portrayed in film, and so much of it is not at all exciting to watch. However, discovering a new idea, a turn of phrase, an unexpected harmony – these are the precious moments a composer lives for!"

Jenna Simeonov
Treat yourself to WNO's Magic Flute

Treat yourself to WNO's Magic Flute

A cast of charismatic singing actors with impeccable comic timing to go with their across-the-board excellent Mozartean singing are the whipped cream and cherry on top of this operatic ice cream sundae.

Molly Simoneau
Karah Son a "true jewel" of Opera Omaha's Madama Butterfly

Karah Son a "true jewel" of Opera Omaha's Madama Butterfly

"Son's entire demeanor shifted in this scene from distraught mess to calm intensity. The effect was quite jarring, ending the opera with a truly tragic shock."

Meghan Klinkenborg
Revived Maria, Regina d’Inghilterra A Crowd-Pleasing Guilty Pleasure

Revived Maria, Regina d’Inghilterra A Crowd-Pleasing Guilty Pleasure

"I absolutely believe the program's assertion that Pacini was Rossini's main rival for the bel canto crown during the peak of his career."

Arturo Fernandez
Talking with singers: Douglas Williams

Talking with singers: Douglas Williams

"At the moment I'm thinking of a project where I can bring singing and nature together. Probably a video. Probably somewhere in Nevada. Maybe text by Robinson Jeffers. Maybe music by me."

Jenna Simeonov

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