Opera Sense recommended audio and video recordings of La bohème: Lyric Opera of Chicago’s La bohème returns to the stage following the tremendous success of its initial run earlier this season. The beautiful yet largely traditional staging of this perennial favorite by Puccini is sure to enchant both seasoned operagoers Read more…
Mark Campbell is one of today’s leading opera librettists. A champion of contemporary opera, Campbell has written 28 librettos, the most popular of which is Silent Night, which won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Music. The opera premiered at Minnesota Opera in 2011, and returns to the stage at the Read more…
Audiences can soon hear opera superstar and karaoke master Lucas Meachem singing on stage at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of Massenet’s Thaïs. I am thrilled that Lucas was willing to share his thoughts on Thaïs, karaoke, and his passion for all things opera Read more…
Director Jennifer Williams is making the opera world more exciting. Bringing a non-traditional voice to an art form drowning in the conventional, Williams is exploring the use of technology – currently video projections – in opera, and digging deeper into the narratives of the standard repertory in an attempt to Read more…
Countertenor John Holiday is currently performing Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I am thrilled that John was willing to take the time to answer a few of my questions about this production, his background, and his passion for opera. Tell me about your upcoming performance of Chichester Read more…
American tenor René Barbera is making major house debuts left and right this season. The Texas native is performing primarily in Europe, making his La Scala debut in early April. I am thrilled that I got the chance to talk to René about his path, passions, and love of opera. Read more…
Icelandic baritone Olafur Sigurdarson is currently performing a role near and dear to his heart at Minnesota Opera: Rigoletto. I am thrilled that Olafur was willing to answer a few of my questions about the role, the production, and what it was like growing up in Iceland. Rigoletto is a Read more…
French tenor Benjamin Bernheim will soon be making his U.S. debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago, singing the title role in Gounod’s Faust. I am thrilled that Benjamin was willing to take some time to talk to me about the new production, his take on the Faust legend, and his Read more…
Opera Sense recommended audio and video recordings, as well as musical score: I appreciate this production of Così fan tutte; right or wrong, it does something unconventional while staying true to the story. The traditionalists bemoan this sort of thing, while the radicals claim it doesn’t do enough. For folks Read more…
American tenor Lawrence Brownlee is a renowned interpreter of many of the great bel canto roles, but he is doing equally important work off the stage as well: currently serving as an artistic advisor to Opera Philadelphia, Brownlee is working toward bringing more diversity to the world of opera. I Read more…