Opera

A Good Hair Day for the Los Angeles Opera

Alexandra McNally | Posted 12.16.2009 | Los Angeles


Alexandra McNally

For some people, three hours watching zaftig women and baritone men in tights belt out Italian (or even German) lyrics is like hanging out in Dante's seventh circle of hell. But not me.

Opera Comes to Duane Park

Alex Geana | Posted 11.10.2009 | New York


Alex Geana

During the beginning of the last century New Orleans was the center of the opera universe. Duane Park drew inspiration from there for their new Thursday night series, Theatre d'Orleans.

Tantalizing Tunes: A Fall Handful of Hit Performances

Marissa Bronfman | Posted 10.19.2009 | Entertainment


Marissa Bronfman

From Tchaikovsky to Broadway, Butterfly to Frankie Valli and Shalom, Toronto is truly alive with The Sound of Music!

'Opera Was My Secret Love': Interview with Roberto Alagna

Christina Patterson | Posted 10.08.2009 | Entertainment


Christina Patterson

That Roberto Alagna gives, through the miracle of his voice, a great deal of happiness is not in doubt. Nor, I think, is the price of it.

Peter Gelb and His Met: No Booing Please

David Finkle | Posted 10.11.2009 | Entertainment


David Finkle

What occurs to me about the booing is that it might begin to color attitudes towards the Met under Peter Gelb for whom this 2009-10 season is the first with no vestigial ties to Joseph Volpe.

Culture Zohn Off the C(H)uff: Milena Canonero, Oscar-Winning Costume Designer Collaborates at the Metropolitan Opera

Patricia Zohn | Posted 11.21.2009 | New York


Patricia Zohn

2009-09-21-zohnbox.jpg "In opera after the first night you don't know what will happen; it's a moveable feast!"

Interview With David McVicar: "I Am Good at What I Do Because I Care So Much"

Christina Patterson | Posted 11.11.2009 | Entertainment


Christina Patterson

Opera's leading director is frequently described as a genius, but rarely escapes the label of "enfant terrible" and "angry young man."

Woodstock for Wagnerians

Ivan Katz | Posted 09.27.2009 | Entertainment


Ivan Katz

In Seattle, as in Bayreuth, Germany, you get your Wagner in a highly concentrated dose. Woodstock for Wagnerians... without the mud.

'Twitter' Opera To Be Performed By UK's Royal Opera House

AP | GREGORY KATZ | Posted 09.11.2009 | World


LONDON — It probably won't be "Madame Butterfly," but it should be fun. In an effort to get more people involved with opera, which sometimes su...

If This is Monday and Opera in Central Park, Why the Microphones?

David Finkle | Posted 08.14.2009 | New York


David Finkle

My question, then, is: Whom are the presenters doing a favor by offering these recitals? Opera lovers will know they aren't hearing singing done under the proper conditions.

NYC Opera Struggles To Stay Solvent

nytimes.com | ROBIN POGREBIN | Posted 07.19.2009 | New York


In this difficult economy, the New York City Opera is having a difficult time keeping its doors open....

The Scent of an Opera

Ivan Katz | Posted 07.11.2009 | Entertainment


Ivan Katz

This opera was a half hour of New Age-ish music accompanied by twenty-three smells, twenty-four if you count the guy sitting next to you.

The F Word Causing Problems in the Midwest

Brian Dickie | Posted 07.02.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

Apparently the excellent Chicago Opera Vanguard has lost out on a sponsor because of the frequent use of a commonly used word beginning with "F." Really?

Smellorama Redux: New and Improved on Manhattan's Upper East Side

Jane Levere | Posted 06.28.2009 | Entertainment


Jane Levere

The audience at the Guggenheim will sit in seats outfitted with "scent microphones" that direct scents at each audience member while music supports the scents by helping them "sound".

I Know What to Do About Kim Jong Il.

Merrill Markoe | Posted 06.27.2009 | Politics


Merrill Markoe

First you have to understand that it is the grandiosity of Mr. Kim's narcissistic disorder out of which his unyielding nuclear testing stance is born.

The Boyle Next Door

Jonathan Tolins | Posted 05.25.2009 | Entertainment


Jonathan Tolins

The world of opera is a mirror image of the Susan Boyle circus. Serious fans regard good-looking singers with suspicion, fearing gorgeous looks are becoming more important than gorgeous singing.

Theater: "Joe Turner's Come..." To Broadway And Will Stay For A While

Michael Giltz | Posted 05.21.2009 | Entertainment


Michael Giltz

Director Bartlett Sher's revival of August Wilson's magnificent play Joe Turner's Come and Gone has just opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

Action!

Brian Dickie | Posted 04.27.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

These are difficult times so we have much to do other than producing good opera.

Met Party: Mary-Kate Olsen, Kanye, Parker Posey, Claudia Schiffer & More (PHOTOS)

Huffington Post | Katherine Thomson | Posted 04.16.2009 | Entertainment


The Metropolitan Opera celebrated with a 125th anniversary gala at Lincoln Center in New York on Sunday night. Among the stars who got all dressed up...

Wednesday Routine, and What it Takes

Brian Dickie | Posted 03.29.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

A show is employment for a large number of artists and crafts people. So the stimulus package's tiddly $50M for the arts can be put to work with disproportionate effect.

Back in the Groove

Brian Dickie | Posted 03.28.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

Having a week off at this time of the year is a good refresher there is no doubt. But of course it means that on return there is a bundle to do. But...

Opera: The Real Deal!

Brian Dickie | Posted 03.19.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

There is nothing more exhilarating than being transported from this stressed out world to the complete knockout world of "real opera."

Last Night's Fantasy

Brian Dickie | Posted 03.12.2009 | Chicago


Brian Dickie

There is some irony in Senator Coburn's stimulus bill amendment. His daughter is a fine opera singer and though she is unlikely to suffer, many of her colleagues will as opera companies cut back.

Dear President-Elect Obama, Could We Please Have a Ministry of Culture like Every Other Country in the World?

Vivian Norris de Montaigu | Posted 12.07.2008 | Politics


Vivian Norris de Montaigu

We need to invest in multi-dimensional human beings. We need to show that the country cares about culture.

You Don't Need A Weatherman To Know Which Way The Wind Blows

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.06.2008 | Politics


Chris Weigant

Whatever you believe about Bill Ayers and the Weathermen, the fact remains that he is not running for president. But John McCain doesn't really have any other arrows left in his quiver.