When did you start singing? I always loved to sing since I was a child. I sang on every occasion, also during public events at school, where my maths teacher heard me and advised me to take singing lesson with her neighbour who was a voice teacher. He listened me, and he told me that I was ready to attend the conservatoire in Xi’an, my city. I went there, in few years I became … [Read more...] about Hui He answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Adriana Lecouvreur
Angela Gheorghiu’s releases first studio recording in six years: Eternamente – The Verismo Album
The studio recording - her first in six years - explores the generation of Italian composers that followed Verdi, including three duets with tenor Joseph Calleja Eternamente - The Verismo Album, Angela Gheorghiu's first studio recording in six years, will be released on 20 October 2017, and will feature performances of opera and song by Italian composers of the generation that … [Read more...] about Angela Gheorghiu’s releases first studio recording in six years: Eternamente – The Verismo Album
Luisa Spinatelli – celebrating the life of the Milanese opera and ballet designer
Luisa Spinatelli… taking tasteful to a higher dimension The Amici della Scala (Friends of La Scala), run by the indefatigable Anna Crespi, gathered together at the association’s spectacular headquarters, a short walk from La Scala, to celebrate one of Italy’s most important theatre designers. Luisa Spinatelli is one of a tight-knit core of Milanese artists, by birth or … [Read more...] about Luisa Spinatelli – celebrating the life of the Milanese opera and ballet designer
14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]
Anna Netrebko has returned to La Scala to sing Violetta as she sings ‘addio’ to the role. She will sing in a Traviata once more in Paris next February, and then that’s it for the curvy Russian and the consumptive courtesan. The idea of tackling this role at La Scala was my idea, so I talked it over with Pereira. I was very worried about it and extremely nervous. Singing … [Read more...] about 14 minutes of applause for Anna Netrebko at La Scala in La traviata [interview and photos]
Angela Gheorghiu reveals Alagna’s pathological jealousy of Kaufmann
I'm in love and happy. His name's Mihai Ciortea and he's Romanian like me. He's good-looking, kind and very, very young. Angela Gheorghiu is talking about her new partner who is twenty-two years her junior and works as a dentist. He followed me everywhere in the theatres. We first met a couple of years ago at Covent Garden after a performance of La Rondine. We haven't been … [Read more...] about Angela Gheorghiu reveals Alagna’s pathological jealousy of Kaufmann
Happy 80th Birthday Mirella Freni… from La Scala – in photos and video
Mirella Freni is eighty, and to celebrate her birthday La Scala threw open its doors to her fans and opera lovers to see the great soprano once again on the stage that was hers for so many years. A feisty Freni strode onstage and seemed surprised and visibly moved by the long standing ovation. She was not there to sing, though she says she still has the voice, but with … [Read more...] about Happy 80th Birthday Mirella Freni… from La Scala – in photos and video
The funeral of Magda Olivero – 11 September 2014
Magda Olivero's funeral was a life affirming mix of emotions. She was a practising Catholic, and three different priests, who had been close to her for many years, spoke about this very special woman. A Czechoslovakian had known Olivero from the 1960s when he took over the church in Solda. This was where she had a holiday home with her husband, at 2,000-meters, in the … [Read more...] about The funeral of Magda Olivero – 11 September 2014
La Scala pays tribute to Magda Olivero who has died at 104
Theatrical to the last, the great soprano Magda Olivero died on the day of La Scala's opening performance after the summer break. Before Maria Agresta's recital a beautifully worded tribute to Olivero's career, voice and life was read out, and then the audience stood for a minute's silence. It was followed by long applause. Although Olivero started having difficulties in … [Read more...] about La Scala pays tribute to Magda Olivero who has died at 104
The face of a soprano: Fornasetti’s obsession with Lina Cavalieri
"Variation is not only a noble endeavour or a musical exercise, but also an intellectual tradition and virtuosity of the imagination," said Giò Ponti, Italian architect and designer, and close friend of Piero Fornasetti, the man whose obsession with the face of soprano Lina Cavalieri, his theme, led to more than 350 variations on plates, glasses, paperweights and … [Read more...] about The face of a soprano: Fornasetti’s obsession with Lina Cavalieri
Angela Gheorghiu: The Rolling Stones have a big sound. You know why? Because they are plugged in!
Angela Gheorghiu is in London to promote a season of Royal Opera House filmed performances, three starring herself. The Royal Opera House is striving to build up opera and ballet audiences by piping 10 productions, five of them live, into 700 cinemas worldwide. The season opener was last night’s live broadcast of Gounod’s “Faust,” with Gheorghiu. Her recorded performances of … [Read more...] about Angela Gheorghiu: The Rolling Stones have a big sound. You know why? Because they are plugged in!