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Lucia in Tel Aviv
Consider; opera based on text of XIX century with music of the same period produced and sang in Israel, a country reeling in inner battles; the ultra religious (haredim) against the institutions, the mitnahalim (settlers) against everybody, the right and
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Siegfried: Year Three of a Musical Marathon
Successfully performing Siegfried, the third and least accessible opera of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle, cemented the growing reputation of the Hong Kong Philharmonic for this demanding material. The orchestra was in outstanding shape, comfortably cruising between the lyrically heart-wrenching passages
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Don Carlo at La Scala: Men in charge
The Peter Stein production of Verdi’s Don Carlo from the 2013 Salzburg Festival finally debuted this January at Teatro alla Scala of Milan. Somewhat controversially acquired by Alexander Pereira, formerly Artistic Director of Salzburg and now Sovrintendente of La Scala,
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Figaro at La Scala
The place : La Scala di Milano The Opera : Le nozze di Figaro Composer: Johannes Chrisostomus Wolfgang Gottlieb (Mozart!) Script: Lorenzo da Ponte Inaugurated in 1778 La Scala was the heart of musical Milano for the last 200 years.
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Cutting through the crosses: Yoncheva brings London’s Norma to life
The Royal Opera House’s new production of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma was one of the most anticipated performances of the season, principally due to the casting of Anna Netrebko in the title role. When the Russian diva pulled out shortly after
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Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians – revisited by Steven Isserlis
Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians was originally written in 1848 to accompany his famous, and still very popular, Album for the Young, a suite of piano pieces for children and students. Schumann was a remarkable, forward-looking man, not least
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Pesaro 2016 – Living for and living off Rossini
It’s hard to justify the arduous trip to Pesaro. The unremarkable town on Italy’s Adriatic coast has poor train connections, it’s a dull two hour car ride from Bologna, and the nearest airport is Ancona Falconara, a run-down and inefficient
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Macbeth in Ravenna
Not exactly seated in the center of the world you have to be curious about opera or love it to come to Ravenna for its opera season. Located about 10 km from the Adriatic sea, this city founded at least
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