Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” is a messy work. Premiering first on Nov. 10, 1862 in Russia and then reappearing in its revised and finalized form on Feb. 27, 1869, the opera is clearly one that experienced tremendous transformation over the course of those seven years. But it’s messiness doesn’t necessarily derive from these compositional edits, but from the work’s {…}
Mirella Freni is one of the great sopranos of the 20th century. Born on Feb. 27, 1935, she conquered opera hearts with her refined soprano and luscious phrasing. There simply aren’t many with as glorious a sound as she produced in her best years. Freni is noted for being a cautious singer, straddling repertoire that often seemed a tad heavy {…}
Victor Hugo, born on Feb. 26, 1802, was one of the great French writers of the 19th century. Many know him as the author of “Les Miserables,” which was then adapted to the famed musical. Or others might recognize his work “Notre Dame de Paris,” in its English title “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” He is well-noted for the populism {…}
Arrigo Boito, born on Feb. 24, 1842, has marked his space in the opera world mainly through his opera “Mefistofele.” He didn’t get a chance to create much other music, his final work, “Nerone,” never coming to full fruition. But he did leave his mark in other major ways. Here is a look at his most famous works, outside of {…}
There is perhaps no other Baroque composer with as wide a repertory as George Frideric Handel. Though a handful of his operas are still widely performed in Europe, his operas don’t typically get much attention from the major houses in the United States. Even the few shows that are still regularly staged are recycled in succession, such as “Giulio Cesare,” {…}
Vittorio Grigolo is undeniably one of the finest artists of his generation. Born on Feb. 19, the tenor embodies what most would want from a leading man. Great looks. Tremendous acting dynamics. A powerfully resonant voice with both strength and tenderness. And most of all, he is highly unpredictable, meaning that every performance is quite an adventure. Grigolo’s artistry has {…}
Renée Fleming, born on Valentine’s Day, is widely known in pop culture. Perhaps more than any other singer in the world, her voice has become a signature of the mainstream when people refer to opera. One might point to her iconic Super Bowl appearance a few years back when she became the first opera singer to sing at the widely {…}
Joyce DiDonato is a fierce artist and one of the finest of the 21st century. She didn’t land at the number one spot of our top singers of 2017 list for no reason. DiDonato, born on Feb. 13, has been the champion of all people and in the opera world she has shown an ability to slip from one piece {…}
Bass Paata Burchuladze, born on Feb. 12, enjoyed a tremendous operatic career. He made a student debut in 1976 and would go on to perform all around the world in a wide range of repertoire ranging from Verdi, to Tchaikovsky, to Mozart, to Mussorgsky, among many, many others. But the bass was always tied to his home country of Georgia, {…}
Leontyne Price. The Met’s diva, even to this day. Over the last year, Price’s presence has grown astronomically by virtue of her association with the new house. She was a prominent part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of the new house in Lincoln Center and appeared in a recent documentary. And it is no surprise. She was and continues to be {…}
Verdi’s “Otello” is one of the world’s greatest operas. For many, it is THE Italian opera. Premiering on Feb. 5, 1887, the penultimate opera in Verdi’s legacy is a work that is also the conjugation of all the styles that he had been playing with for decades. While many would look to “Falstaff” as a subversion of everything that had {…}