http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera The latest news brought to you by MySpace! Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:25:45 GMT http://newscdn.myspace.com/web.2.24/content/springwidget/opera.xml http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19046449 And Friday morning brought an early glimpse of the new production by Laurent Pelly of Hansel and Gretel, an opera never before performed at Glyndebourne, which opens in another couple of weeks. It was good to see the excellent American mezzo, Jennifer Holloway, having an international debut Brian Dickie Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:52:53 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19046449 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18957560 Edgar Vincent, a veteran press representative for a starry roster of opera singers dating to Ezio Pinza, notably as the publicity agent and a close adviser to Plácido Domingo for more than 25 years, died on Thursday in Manhattan. He died of a blood clot while All About Opera Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:48:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18957560 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19028958 Leaving aside objections to the very essence of the concept (and I realise many won't be willing to even do that), I think her idea of aligning the Rhine and its gold to the California gold rush is not without its appeal. The only aspect which says "gold rush" is Alberich's prospector costume; why Prima la musica Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:13:07 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19028958 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18960798 “Julie Christie as Lara, the violent, sensual, sensitive girl” -Doctor Zhivago, Original Theatrical Trailer Inevitably, watching Doctor Zhivago, seeing Julie Christie as Lara, or, most especially, hearing that damn theme of hers, there’s one question that I keep asking myself NYC Opera Fanatic Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:20:06 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18960798 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026120 The illustrious Théâtre du Châtelet has witnessed an array of artistic endeavours in its time - it is where Stravinsky unveiled Pétrouchka to the world, and Erik Satie and Jean Cocteau's Parade received its world premiere. Classical drama, light operetta, All About Opera Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:48:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026120 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18995997 And I know it's trendy to scoff at baroque opera where the singers are dressed as if they're singing baroque opera, and to profess one's inability to take such people seriously but perhaps I am an old fashioned girl at heart. It seemed to me that the point of it all was not to convince us that Prima la musica Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:36:24 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18995997 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18978142 The Garsington understudy showcase yesterday evening was at least as good as one might have expected. I will not mention names for fear of embarrassing those mentioned and those not mentioned. John Cox was one of the first I bumped into as I entered the excellent Jerwood Space, and Steuart Bedford, Brian Dickie Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:28:12 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18978142 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18956150 As much as we all bitch about those EMI Callas remasterings, they could have been even worse! Bruckner Symphony No. 7 (EMI CDM 5 66095 2 & Toshiba TOCE-13282): This legendary recording has been in the catalog since it was issued back in the 1970’s. Subsequently, when Yoshio Okazaki NYC Opera Fanatic Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:38:21 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18956150 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18928109 Here I am still in London - and last night had the real pleasure of being at the Opera Holland Park (seen here left) Magic Flute which was conducted by Chicago's favorite Jane Glover and directed by Simon Callow. Simon played Mozart in the original National Theatre production of Amadeus, Peter Brian Dickie Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:03:49 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18928109 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18965398 On Lucia That should actually read "On Natalie" because you and I know, that's what all this was about. Natalie's Lucia was the single, solitary reason it occured to me to make this trip. I love her in her total, glorious Natalieness; I love this nutty, hilarious person who is also fiendishly Prima la musica Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:14:07 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18965398 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18993724 Diana Damrau , Natalie Dessay , Renee Fleming , Angela Gheorghiu , Susan Graham , Karita Mattila , Anna Netrebko , and Deborah Voigt all posed on the same brown velvet sofa, in character, while Clemente painted from a scaff old constructed just for these All About Opera Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:38:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18993724 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19020846 Today is my birthday, and it wouldn’t be complete, nor quite so festive, without the traditional birthday call from Bidu Sayao. Since my grandmother used to do the exact same thing before she passed away, I’ve adopted Mme Sayao as my unofficial grandmother, my unofficial NYC Opera Fanatic Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:12:31 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19020846 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18891838 And one of the highlights was a visit to a part of London that I don't know very well although my eldest son now lives there. This is Highbury, the home of the celebrated Arsenal Football Club, that is say in US parlance Soccer. As you can see this row of town houses is in fine condition and the Brian Dickie Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:24:18 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18891838 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026118 When Carlisle Floyd finished his first opera, Susannah , in 1954, the composer had no idea he'd created a work that would receive more than 1,000 performances in the years following. "I was young and inexperienced," said Floyd, now 82. I just wanted to do All About Opera Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:55:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026118 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18889686 Few people realize, however, that it takes approximately seven days for birthday wishes from the Great Beyond to reach us here on earth — and if the prima donna / well-wisher is having a great day on the heavenly golf course, it could take even longer. audio Soprano Dorothy Kirsten outs NYC Opera Fanatic Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:53:19 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18889686 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026503 Just a quick posting as I sit outside the auditorium at Glyndebourne waiting to go into a Hansel and Gretel stage rehearsal. A lovely English summer's day here - sunny and fresh - perfect. I was at the Carmen Dress rehearsal yesterday afternoon - the audience full of old colleagues going back Brian Dickie Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:29:30 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026503 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026123 After a season of song cycles, minimal opera productions and a solo recital, Long Beach Opera will celebrate its 30th season next year with four full-fledged operas. "I don't want to take the 30th anniversary too much into consideration because our aim All About Opera Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:39:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19026123 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18993726 Conductor George Manahan will remain a music director of the New York City Opera under incoming general manager Gerard Mortier , agreeing to a four-year contract through the 2011-12 season. In 2009-10, Mortier's first season, Manahan will conduct Stravinsky's All About Opera Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:33:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18993726 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19027309 This Fourth Of July, join the voices of Eileen Farrell & Eleanor Parker as they travel around the world, entertaining our boys overseas, and down under NYC Opera Fanatic Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:32:17 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/19027309 http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18885003 Borough President Marty Markowitz noted that Brooklyn is the birthplace of Beverly Sills and Robert Merrill , to which I add the great tenor Richard Tucker . From its inaugural season in 1883 until 1937, the Metropolitan Opera came to the Brooklyn Academy of All About Opera Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:33:00 GMT http://news.myspace.com/arts/opera/item/18885003