American tenor Michael Fabiano will make an important role debut and house debut on 22 March when he sings Calaf in Turandot at the Rome Opera. “I’ve been preparing it for years,” he told me. “Many … [Read more...] about [Interview] “Me and my voice” American tenor Michael Fabiano on music and other passions
Puccini
Angel Blue answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Q&A When did you start singing? When I was 6 years old. Why did you start singing? My Dad. Which singer inspired you most when you were young? My Dad, my sister, and Leontyne Price Which … [Read more...] about Angel Blue answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Interview with Jonas Kaufmann: opera in the age of #MeToo and why he refused to go to the sauna
Jonas Kaufmann: [#MeToo is happening in opera] and not just for the girls! We men are at risk too! I know the situation well because as a young man it happened to me. I was at the beginning of my … [Read more...] about Interview with Jonas Kaufmann: opera in the age of #MeToo and why he refused to go to the sauna
Interview with Riccardo Chailly on Andrea Chénier and his 40 years at La Scala
Chénier is not only a masterpiece of verismo, but it mirrors many contrasting aspects that preceded the music of the 20th century: there’s Wagner, with echoes of the prelude of Tristan; there is … [Read more...] about Interview with Riccardo Chailly on Andrea Chénier and his 40 years at La Scala
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 … [Read more...] about Angela Gheorghiu’s releases first studio recording in six years: Eternamente – The Verismo Album
Jonas Kaufmann on his return to singing after 4 months, and his love of Italian singability
Jonas Kaufmann has not sung since September when he sang the programme from his glorious new cd, Dolce Vita, at Teatro San Carlo in Naples. He was forced to cancel his imminent appearances due to … [Read more...] about Jonas Kaufmann on his return to singing after 4 months, and his love of Italian singability
Tenor fractures spine after stage collapses during Turandot
Friday night's performance of Turandot at the open-air theatre in Torre del Lago nearly finished in more tragedy than the opera had already delivered when, just after midnight, part of the stage … [Read more...] about Tenor fractures spine after stage collapses during Turandot
Fiorenza Cossotto answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Q&A in italiano When did you start singing? When I was a girl. Why did you start singing? For my own personal enjoyment. Which singer inspired you most when you were young? No one. Which … [Read more...] about Fiorenza Cossotto answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Mark S Doss answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Q&A When did you start singing? I was in the 5th grade when the music teacher, Mrs Mapson, asked me to sing the Wells Fargo Wagon song from Music Man. She heard me sing it back to her and then … [Read more...] about Mark S Doss answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Singers’ Edition
Sylvano Bussotti: flamboyant composer, poet, set and costume designer, theatre director, and… and… and…
Silvano Bussotti, known as Sylvano, is an Italian eccentric, some say genius, and the word 'flamboyant' appears in many articles about this modern Renaissance man. He is a composer, poet, set and … [Read more...] about Sylvano Bussotti: flamboyant composer, poet, set and costume designer, theatre director, and… and… and…
Great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya dies at 86
Russian opera legend Galina Vishnevskaya has died today, December 11, at the age of 86. Vishnevskaya was born in St Petersburg (Leningrad) 25 October 1926, and cast out by her parents at six weeks. … [Read more...] about Great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya dies at 86
Cecilia Bartoli on her voice, her repertoire, on turning down Carmen and facing up to Norma
Cecilia Bartoli's been busy: not only getting ready for her new tour featuring the extraordinarily difficult arias by Agostino Steffani that are featured on her new CD Mission, but also doing the … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli on her voice, her repertoire, on turning down Carmen and facing up to Norma
Cecilia Bartoli on discovering a new composer, vocal styles, and bella Italia
Cecilia Bartoli's new album will be on the shelves in a couple of weeks' time. If Mission is successful it should put early Baroque composer Agostino Steffani (1655-1728) back on the musical map. He … [Read more...] about Cecilia Bartoli on discovering a new composer, vocal styles, and bella Italia
Great American soprano Evelyn Lear dies at 86
Great American soprano Evelyn Lear died yesterday at 86. She was one of the twentieth century's most celebrated American 0pera and concert singers, enjoying a long and remarkable career spanning 5 … [Read more...] about Great American soprano Evelyn Lear dies at 86
America’s Got Talent’s goth Andrew De Leon gives an unusual but moving account of “O mio babbino caro”
He might not have the voice of Philippe Jaroussky or Andreas Scholl but Marilyn Manson goth Andrew De Leon certainly gives a moving performance of Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" and his story is … [Read more...] about America’s Got Talent’s goth Andrew De Leon gives an unusual but moving account of “O mio babbino caro”
Swedish baritone Ingvar Wixell dies at 80
Swedish baritone Ingvar Wixell who for 30 years was a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin company has died at age 80, the Dagens Nyheter daily said Monday. Wixell was born in Lulea, northern Sweden … [Read more...] about Swedish baritone Ingvar Wixell dies at 80
Gloves off in Washington: Placido Domingo strikes back
Washington Post music critic Anne Midgette was often critical of Placido Domingo during his years with the capital's opera company. However when she criticized his conducting of Tosca a month ago, … [Read more...] about Gloves off in Washington: Placido Domingo strikes back
Kaufmann, Netrebko and Schrott at the Royal Albert Hall
Opera singers Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott are to perform together for a special concert performance at the Royal Albert Hall in June 2012. The trio ("Opera's Greatest Stars") … [Read more...] about Kaufmann, Netrebko and Schrott at the Royal Albert Hall
Newsweek finds out what makes Anna Netrebko tick… and why she hates ‘toska’
The papers are full of interviews with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, especially during this, the month of her 40th birthday. They are not exactly carbon copies of each other, but very … [Read more...] about Newsweek finds out what makes Anna Netrebko tick… and why she hates ‘toska’
Andrea Bocelli in Central Park: “The World’s Most Beliked Tenor”?
Mr. Bocelli’s fans seemed thrilled, rain or no rain. There remains a considerable divide between the passions of the audience he has reached (his recordings have sold more than 65 million, according … [Read more...] about Andrea Bocelli in Central Park: “The World’s Most Beliked Tenor”?
Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra has died. He was 43.
Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra died today from head injuries he suffered nine days ago in an accident while riding his scooter in Sicily. Following the accident on 27 August near Ragusa, Licitra was … [Read more...] about Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra has died. He was 43.
Fabio Luisi’s moving house – but will Jimmy Levine be moving out?
Fabio Luisi is moving to New York. He and his wife, Barbara Luisi, a former violinist and now a photographer, and their 13-year-old son are moving to New York in May, to an apartment on West 96th … [Read more...] about Fabio Luisi’s moving house – but will Jimmy Levine be moving out?
Tenor Vincenzo La Scola dies at 53
Vincenzo La Scola, an Italian tenor known internationally as both an opera singer and a crossover artist, died on April 15 in Turkey, where he was giving a master class, from a heart attack. He was … [Read more...] about Tenor Vincenzo La Scola dies at 53
You don’t expect the pastry chef to make an exquisite consommé, so why should the film auteur be capable of directing opera?
Michael White, voted Britain’s least boring music critic by listeners of Classic FM, comments in the Telegraph about the rush of first-time directors at the ENO. It’s no bad thing to be an amateur: … [Read more...] about You don’t expect the pastry chef to make an exquisite consommé, so why should the film auteur be capable of directing opera?
Talk about last minute replacements: Terfel saves Tosca
Well, of course, he didn't because she stabbed him first, and then forgot to read the small print on the safe-conduct papers; but that's another story. Meanwhile at the Met... Is there a great … [Read more...] about Talk about last minute replacements: Terfel saves Tosca
“Vincerò” or “I shall win!”? The opera translation dilemma
Soprano Jane Eaglen once told me that she would never sing Norma in English, how could "Casta Diva" be replaced by "Chaste Goddess"? In fact for Italian speakers, translations are often excruciating … [Read more...] about “Vincerò” or “I shall win!”? The opera translation dilemma
Franz Liszt (or rather Liszt Ferenc as we must learn to call him) invented the “recital” in Milan at La Scala
Therefore it was appropriate for Italian pianist Gregorio Nardi to give a Liszt recital in Milan as part of the bicentenary celebrations of the composer's birth. Liszt's original invention of a … [Read more...] about Franz Liszt (or rather Liszt Ferenc as we must learn to call him) invented the “recital” in Milan at La Scala
Anna Nicole’s breasts loom largely on the Royal Opera House stage – “I’ll eat my six-gallon hat if it’s not a stonking great hit.”
"The sad but true story of Anna Nicole Smith, a two-bit, surgically enhanced American stripper, nude model and C-list celebrity who married an 89-year-old billionaire and ended up, at the age of 39, … [Read more...] about Anna Nicole’s breasts loom largely on the Royal Opera House stage – “I’ll eat my six-gallon hat if it’s not a stonking great hit.”
2011 Olivier Award nominations and winners
Winners of the award. Adriana Lecouvreur Revived at the Royal Opera House for the first time in over a century, Adriana Lecouvreur is a fictional account of the life of the 18th century actress. … [Read more...] about 2011 Olivier Award nominations and winners
Daniel Harding conducts the New Year’s Concert from Venice
The increasingly popular New Year's Concert from the La Fenice theatre in Venice will be shown live on Italian television and relayed to many other countries around the globe. It goes in direct … [Read more...] about Daniel Harding conducts the New Year’s Concert from Venice
