We recently went to Ballo at the Met. I had never seen it before so I was excited. But I quickly ended up feeling like I had entered The Twilight Zone. Most of the audience was going wild for the production and I was surprised at what I was seeing and hearing. Now, the music… [Read More]
Dirty Codpieces, Sequins and Sneezing: The Tempest at the Metropolitan Opera
We saw The Tempest at the Met last week and it left me with many questions. Perhaps someone can answer at least a few of them. I know it was a contemporary opera, written in the last decade, but it left me not only with questions but also a general feeling of unease like I… [Read More]
Floyd on Floyd: A Composers Symposium and Live Chat
Click on the link below to watch the rebroadcast of the Maria Zouves’ discussion with Carlisle Floyd about his life and works. Filmed in the Telfair Museum in Savannah, GA in front of live audience as part of National Opera Week’s Opening Events. http://operamusicbroadcast.com/2012/11/06/floyd-on-floyd-a-composers-symposium-video-and-live-chat/ For those wishing to participate in the live online chat on… [Read More]
A View From the Inside: Opera America’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Just over two weeks ago, I attended the OPERA America National Opera Center’s official ribbon cutting ceremony as a guest of honoree Sherrill Milnes. With it, the new center became available to the public and all those interested in opera. The opening itself was attended by those involved in the creation the new National Opera… [Read More]
Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera
We went to out first Met opera of the season last night. Turandot. I had never seen it in its entirety and never live so I was excited. It was also being broadcast on the Met’s Sirius Radio Channel. After passing ads in the lobby for special reward programs for people under 40, we took… [Read More]
How Hollywood Films Are Killing Opera?!?
I very seldom do this but I find that I must speak out against a specific article. The NYT recently published an article entitled “How Hollywood Films Are Killing Opera.” The piece is ostensibly a review of a movie named Margaret, but in it the author makes some very grand and sweeping claims about movies… [Read More]
Prelude to Performance: The Making of an Opera Singer
Martina Arroyo I’ve attended many opera performances at the Metropolitan Opera and other venues in recent years. But I’d never reflected upon the many layers of work, expertise and skill that go into the productions I enjoy for a couple few hours (and then go home). How do talented opera singers even get to perform… [Read More]
