Joyce DiDonato is this year's winner in the Vocal category of the BBC Music Magazine Awards. This is the tenth edition of the awards which are voted for by readers of BBC Music Magazine and classical music lovers around the world. DiDonato won for her album Stella di Napoli. The Magazine's five-sate review stated, Joyce DiDonato’s love letter to Neapolitan ‘bel canto’ is … [Read more...] about Joyce DiDonato and other winners of the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2015
Natalie Dessay
Natalie Dessay to say ‘addio’ to opera
I want to change my life - I want to go into straight theatre. Natalie Dessay announced to Examiner.com's Sean Martinfield. After the summer Dessay is slated to sing Massenet’s Manon in Toulouse, and it could well be her adieu to the operatic stage. I did my real début in Toulouse, in the chorus. I had started off as an acting student. That was my real passion. That is my … [Read more...] about Natalie Dessay to say ‘addio’ to opera
Juan Diego Flórez on his future, his family, his colleagues, and the economic crisis
To coincide with his Pesaro appearances this year, Juan Diego Flórez talked with Italy's Il Corriere della Sera. It was at Pesaro's Rossini Opera Festival in 1996 that the young Peruvian suddenly burst on to the world stage when he stepped in to take the leading tenor role in Matilde di Shabran after Bruce Ford became indisposed. They were searching desperately for a … [Read more...] about Juan Diego Flórez on his future, his family, his colleagues, and the economic crisis
Peter Gelb’s tyranny gets struck down by Met Opera fans
After the Metropolitan Opera chief Peter Gelb had forbidden his house magazine, Opera News, to review Met performances in the future (because an editorial had the cheek to comment negatively on some Met decisions) the management has done an abrupt about face, and issued the following statement: In view of the outpouring of reaction from opera fans about the recent decision to … [Read more...] about Peter Gelb’s tyranny gets struck down by Met Opera fans
Natalie Dessay pulls out of next month’s Manon performances at La Scala “for health reasons” – Netrebko takes over
Natalie Dessay was forced to cancel, even mid-performance, performances of La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera last month, where she was replaced by soprano Hei-Kyung Hong. The conductor was Fabio Luisi, the Italian maestro heavily tipped to take over from the ailing James Levine. Now at Milan's Teatro alla Scala she has withdrawn from performances of Manon which she was … [Read more...] about Natalie Dessay pulls out of next month’s Manon performances at La Scala “for health reasons” – Netrebko takes over