The Art of the Countertenor

Since he first came to notice a few years ago — in Messiah in this very hall, as Creonte at Covent Garden, and as Arsace in Partenope at New York City Opera, to name by a few recently acclaimed performances — many a starry accolade has been heaped upon young Welsh countertenor, Iestyn Davies: “achingly beautiful tone”,“unforgettable focus and poignancy” and “compelling sense of rhetoric” are typical of the bountiful superlatives.

Ghost Opera & A Chinese Home

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/ghost-opera–a-chinese-home-20110113-19pwy.html

Carmen, I’ve cracked you

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jan/12/daniel-kramer-carmen

Taking Gilbert & Sullivan Seriously

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576073913819798464.html

NY Phil/AdËs/Hampson, Avery Fisher Hall, New York

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6d922412-1cdf-11e0-8c86-00144feab49a.html#axzz1B32F4Jxp

Operatic Advice and Counsel…A Welcome New Reference Book

Vincent Giroud’s valuable new French Opera, a Short History, is in hand and very welcome it is.

Music at the Morgan

http://www.therestisnoise.com/2011/01/music-at-the-morgan.html

Un ballo in maschera at its roots

In its production this season of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera
Lyric Opera of Chicago has staged the work in its original locale at the royal
court of Sweden.

Hansel and Gretel, Royal Opera House, London

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/40f5a2d0-1758-11e0-badd-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1A5Wd4iLB

The Met’s New “Traviata”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-kissel/the-mets-new-traviata_b_803233.html