Category: Commentary

Here are two views of Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto (HWV 17), a drama in three acts, performed at The Met on 6 April.

Based on reading the New York Times’ account of Met opera soprano Ruth Ann Swenson’s distemper with her home company in New York, published Thursday 5 April over the byline of Daniel J. Wakin, it is hard to find either motivation or reasonable expectation of reward for any of the participants in this travesty – reporter, newspaper, opera manager Peter Gelb (who comes off best), or, least of all, the distraught diva.

To his work as music director of the Los Angeles Opera James Conlon brings two commitments that some in music would find incompatible.

• Record number of singers auditioned
• Three countries competing for first time
• New sponsorship and increased prize money

Singing competitions are a mixed blessing.

Two Mozart operas — “Magic Flute” and “Abduction from the Serail” — head the list of works to be performed by the Houston Grand Opera in its 2007- 08 season that opens with Verdi’s “Masked Ball” on October 19.

The worldwide search is on for operaís rising stars to compete for the coveted title BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2007 and a £15,000 prize.

The Academy of Vocal Arts, based in the hub of Philadelphia, has one of the richest traditions of training and nurturing operatic singers.

Curtis, Americaís top fully funded conservatory, is on the move as one of the nationís leading opera preparatory programs.

Mary-Lou Vetere-Borghoff interviews Soprano Jennifer O’Loughlin of the Vienna Volksoper