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Chris Pine Meets The Barber During Armani Code Commercial

December 18, 2014, 11:21 am
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Actor Chris Pine seen here in the elusive cologne commercial for Armani Code. An electronic version of the overture from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia plays under the ad. Watch the clip after the jump.

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Deborah Voigt And Mormon Tabernacle In Festive Holiday Mode

December 19, 2014, 11:44 am
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"Leading dramatic soprano Deborah Voigt and acclaimed British actor and voice artist John Rhys-Davies join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in a concert of holiday favorites.Among the highlights of the concert, conducted by Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy, are Voigt’s performances of the English carol 'The Holly and the Ivy' and the light-hearted 'The Twelve Days After Christmas' with the choir and orchestra. The program includes a new Mack Wilberg twist on the traditional song 'Christmas Is Coming (The Geese Are Getting Fat).' The Bells on Temple Square join the choir and orchestra for an upbeat rendition of 'Ring Those Christmas Bells.' The concert also includes Rhys-Davies’ dramatization of A Dickens Christmas with Robin Dick and the Christmas Players. The vignette features Rhys-Davies as the Ghost of Christmas Present soaring overhead at the LDS Conference Center in a dazzling scene of aerial choreography. Rhys-Davies also reads Luke 2: The Christmas Story with a fervor that
moves audiences. Recognized as one of the world’s most versatile singers, Deborah Voigt is a leading dramatic soprano revered for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. She also has portrayed heroines of Italian opera to great acclaim. An active recitalist and performer of Broadway standards and popular songs, she appears regularly as both performer and host in the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series. Acclaimed British actor and voice artist John Rhys-Davies is one of modern cinema’s most recognizable character actors, best known to film audiences for his role as Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and more recently as the ax-wielding dwarf Gimli in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Together with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, Voigt and Rhys-Davies performed before a combined audience of 80,000 people in the annual concert taped in December of 2013 at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah." [Source] Check your local listings for performance times this evening. You can also purchase the DVD and CD by clicking here.
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Last-Minute Holiday Shopping Ideas From Heavenly Voices On High

December 19, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Purchase the album here.
Recommended track: "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
If you want to turn the frequency up this holiday season, check out the plethora of recordings from divas both past and present. From the latest release by Measha Brueggergosman to the Germanic overtones of Rita Streich, Maria Stader, and Anneliese Rothenberger, high notes during the holidays will ensure everyone has a holly jolly time. Check out more than 30 albums after the jump to give you instant holiday spirit through sacred seasonal music or christmas classics. Each one is linked to the full digital version to allow you to either choose the entire package or simply download the tracks you enjoy most. You can even make a compilation off the recommended tracks from each selection. Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale, Frohe Weihnachten, Feliz Navidad and с рождеством! Remember to share the music with someone you love this holiday season.


Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Marie Wiegenlied"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Dormi Jesus"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Greensleeves"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Angels From the Realms of Glory"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "See Amid the Winter's Snow"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "What Child is This?"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "L'adieu des Bergers
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "The First Noel"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "This is the Truth Sent From Above"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Maria, durch ein Dornwald ging"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "O Du Stille Zeit"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Exsultate, Jubilate"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "O Holy Night"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Mary's Little Boy Child"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "White Christmas"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Schlaf, Mein Kindlein"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Ave Maria"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Silent Night"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Leise, rieselt der Schnee"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Trei cantece de stea din Dobrogea"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "White Christmas"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Panis Angelicus"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Bred Dina Vida Vingar"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Who Knows Where the Time Goes"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Sanctus"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Petit Papa Noel"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Noël de Paris"
Purchase the album here. Recommended track: "Ave Maria"
Purchase the album [Out of Print] here. Recommended track: "Kling, Glöckchen klingelingeling"
Purchase the album (CD only) here. Recommended track: "Tu Scendi dalle Stelle"
Purchase the album (CD only) here. Recommended track: "Sweet Little Jesus Boy"
Purchase the album (CD only) here. Recommended track: "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen"
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Will The Metropolitan Opera Be Forced To Sell Chagall Paintings?

December 23, 2014, 6:07 am
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Renée Fleming in the new Susan Stroman production of Lehár's The Merry Widow (Die Lustige Witwe) which opens this month at the Metropolitan Opera. It will replace the last new production they did of the operetta in 2000. (Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera)
"New York City’s Metropolitan Opera Association had its rating cut by Moody’s Investors Service to three steps above junk and is again turning to works by Marc Chagall for collateral as its cash dwindles. The nation’s largest performing-arts organization is putting the Chagalls hanging in its lobby -- 'The Triumph of Music' and 'The Sources of Music' -- up as collateral on a line of credit with Bank of America Corp., Sam Neuman, a spokesman for the opera, said in an e-mail today. The opera is tapping the paintings anew after using a $100 million bond sale to pay off bank loans backed by the artwork in 2012. Moody’s today lowered that debt one level to Baa1 and assigned a negative outlook, meaning more cuts are possible. The Met’s deficit ballooned to an estimated $22 million in fiscal 2014, from $2.8 million in 2013, according to financial documents. The opera, which had its first performance in 1883, expects to balance its budget in the next two years by cutting expenses such as labor costs, Neuman said....In fiscal 2013, the organization had monthly liquidity of $46 million, covering 53 days of cash expenses, according to Dennis Gephardt, a Moody’s analyst. Without a $17 million draw on its line of credit, liquidity fell in half, according to preliminary fiscal 2014 results, Gephardt wrote in today’s report." And the New York Times points out: "Some of the Met’s biggest stars recently agreed to cut their fees to help the Met. This week, another cost-cutting measure was evident: It did not put up its Christmas tree."[Source]
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Opera Singers Important To "Christmas In Washington" History

December 25, 2014, 8:01 pm
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Clamma Dale
Performing for Presidents of the United States has long been a duty and service that comes with great honor for classical musicians for more than a century. Particularly highlighted during the holiday season in December each year since 1981, opera singers have played an integral part of the concert Christmas in Washington. Standing alongside fellow musicians from virtually every genre of the music world to celebrate holiday favorites has brought the world of opera to larger audiences via television. Taking a look back over the years, the following singers have been fortunate enough to be part of this American tradition: Frederica von Stade (1984), Clamma Dale (1986), Kathleen Battle (1988), Barbara Hendricks (1990), Dawn Upshaw (1995) Ruth Ann Swenson (1996), Thomas Hampson (1997), Harolyn Blackwell (1998), Charlotte Church (2001), Renée Fleming (2003),  and Andrea Bocelli (2010). Take a look at some of the
Kathleen Battle
performances after the jump. "One of two annual holiday specials produced by George Stevens, Jr. (the other being the Kennedy Center Honors), the variety show first aired in 1981 on NBC before moving to its current home on TNT in 1998. Recorded in Washington, D.C. at the National Building Museum, on the second Sunday of each December before being re-edited for later broadcast, Christmas in Washington is a one-hour concert featuring artists from musical genres. Each guest perform at least one solo, but the marquee performer usually has one or two more songs. The show also has at least one guest from the world of opera. Each of the musical performances are backed by a full orchestra and chorus. The show's finale consists of a medley performed by all the musical guests before
Frederica von Stade
the attendees-of-honor, the President of the United States and the First Lady, make a closing statement. Recent events have benefited Children's National Medical Center. The show also has a host. For many years, the show was hosted by Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin. However, since 2009, the show has had a single host. The 2013 edition featured Hugh Jackman as host and The Backstreet Boys as marquee performers, marking the first time in six years that a group has been featured as marquee performers. The show airs live on pay-per-view internationally and in most major cities, after which a re-edited 42-minute version (with commercials in a one-hour slot) airs on the aforementioned TNT network." [Source, Source, Source, Source, Source]  
Renee Fleming performing during the Christmas in Washington at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., in 2003. | gettyimages.com

BONUS - Barbara Hendricks singing with the Boston Pops in 1990:
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Anna Netrebko Covers Russian Tatler Magazine For December

December 29, 2014, 12:35 pm
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Soprano Anna Netrebko is featured in the Russian edition of Tatler magazine. Inside pages feature the singer in her New York apartment with fiancé Yusif Eyvazov (pictured at left) and son Tiago. The photos catch a glimpse of the glamour that surrounds the opera world's superstar. Ms. Netrebko will next be seen performing at the Metropolitan Opera in Iolanta by Tchaikovsky from January 26 - February 21, 2015. The HD broadcast in movie theaters will take place on Valentine's Day, February 14. To purchase her new recording of the opera on Deutsche Grammophon, click here. More photos from the Tatler pictorial can be found after the jump. For additional information about the issue, click here.





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Greek Soprano Dimitra Theodossiou Survives Ship Fire

December 30, 2014, 7:41 am
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The soprano at a concert in China last May.
Dimitra Theodossiou was a first-class passenger on the Norman Atlantic ferry when she awoke to smoke in her cabin. The opera soprano describes in detail throwing on a sweater, grabbing money, and gathering identification, before making her way to the upper decks of the ship. She was shocked to see men pushing women out of the way to make it to the helicopters rescuing passengers. A fellow passenger also slapped her face to keep her awake waiting for her chance for rescue declaring, "You must not sleep. If you sleep, you die." She was particularly distressed by the lack of no fire alarm on the ship and the fact that not all of the life boats were put in the water. The full account of the tragic event can be found after the jump. Read the full interview with the soprano by clicking here. For videos of the fire and rescue, click here. Read the soprano's complete biography here. Listen to a telephone interview, and watch a video tribute to the Greek opera star, below.




Better Days: A photo depicting the passenger ferry pre-disaster

"On 28 December 2014, Norman Atlantic caught fire in the Strait of Otranto, on a ferry run from Patras to Ancona. A fire broke out on the car deck just before 6:00 am local time, half an hour after leaving port of Igoumenitsa, Greece, an intermediate stop, when she was 44 nautical miles (81 km) northwest of the island of
Norman Atlantic: Interior Common Space
Corfu, 33 nautical miles (61 km) northwest of the island of Othonoi. At the time she was carrying 222 vehicles, 411 passengers, and 55 crew (22 Italian, 33 Greek). The heat from the fire permeated the entire ship, even starting to melt people's shoes on the reception deck. The incident happened in Greek territorial waters but with night closing in, the ship started drifting towards Albania. There were gale-force winds and lashing rain. Passengers claim that the order to abandon ship was not given until four hours after the fire had started. Despite their cabins filling with smoke, no alarm had been sounded. They also state that the crew of Norman Atlantic gave them little assistance. One group of 40 managed to escape in a
Norman Atlantic: Dining Room
lifeboat, but others were prevented from doing so as the lifeboats were damaged or destroyed by the fire. Survivors described "scenes from hell" on board the burning ship, with the ship's crew overhelmed by the crisis and jungle law prevailing rather than an orderly evacuation. An international rescue effort, led and coordinated by the Italian Coast Guard, was started to evacuate the 466 passengers and crew aboard. Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias stated that Italian authorities had responded to a Greek request for assistance and that the Italian Coast Guard had assumed control of the rescue operation. The rescue operation was being coordinated from the Italian ship Cruise Europa. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said that first passengers were rescued by a helicopter and that his government was working with the Greek government. As darkness fell on
Norman Atlantic: Sleeping Cabin
28 December, the Italian Navy said that a tugboat, the Marietta Barretta, had finally been able to attach a line to the ferry. Greek Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis confirmed the towing operation but said he did not know the destination of the tugboat; although Albania was 'much closer', he said the final decision rested with the Italian rescuers who 'know the situation better'. Prime Minister Renzi informed reporters that the ferry was evacuated and that Captain Giacomazzi was the last one to leave the ship at 2.50pm. Ten people were killed, and at least eight were injured. Officials stated that one person died after jumping from the burning ship. A 62-year-old Greek man was the first of the fatalities to be recovered. Only 427 of the 478 people listed in the ship's manifest to have been on board were rescued. As of 29 December 2014, Norman Atlantic is under tow to Brindisi, Italy. On 30 December two Albanian tug-boat operatives were reported to have been killed when a connecting cable snapped." 
[Source, Source]
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Silvesterkonzert Selfie: A Gipsy Princess And Her Men

December 30, 2014, 9:37 am
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(Photo: Facebook)
Anna Netrebko with tenor Juan Diego Flórez (right) and Maestro Christian Thielemann (left) after the Silvesterkonzert performance of Kálmán's Die Csárdásfürstin at the Staatskapelle Dresden. Watch the performance after the jump.

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Bolshoi Theatre Revives Robert Carsen Circus "Rigoletto"

December 30, 2014, 1:02 pm
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Kristina Mkhitaryan as Gilda
"Giuseppe Verdi's immensely popular opera Rigoletto returned to the Bolshoi Theater earlier this month, after an absence of 25 years, in a staging by Canadian director Robert Carsen co-produced by the Bolshoi, the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, in France, where it originated in the summer of 2013, and the opera houses of Brussels, Strasbourg and Geneva. The Bolshoi played host to the Russian premiere of Rigoletto in 1859 and over the next 130 years the opera went on to become one of the theater's most-performed works, appearing nearly 1,600 times in 11 different stagings. To say that Carsen's production is unlike any seen before at the Bolshoi would amount to a gross understatement. Moving the action from its
Justina Gringyte as Maddalena and Sergey 
Romanovsky as the Duke of Mantua
original locale, the 16th-century ducal court of Mantua, in northern Italy, to a modern-day circus arena, Carsen has turned the libidinous Duke into an equally libidinous circus director and the court jester, Rigoletto, into a clown. To conduct Rigoletto, the Bolshoi engaged prominent Italian conductor Evelino Pido, who encountered certain difficulties in coordinating his forces and for whom the orchestra played rather insensitively at times. The principal treat vocally on opening night was the Duke of Sergei Romanovsky, who, after a brief stint with Novaya Opera, left Russia in 2009 to pursue a career abroad. His bright, technically secure lyric tenor proved a near-perfect fit to the music, marred only by a few cracked high notes. And he played the philandering Duke with enormous gusto and conviction. Kristina Mkhitaryan, a
Dimitris Tiliakos as Rigoletto
member of the Bolshoi's Young Opera Artists Program, showed considerable potential in her sympathetic account of the doomed Gilda, though she lacked, on opening night at least, the pure, bell-like high notes heard from the part's finest interpreters. The vocal disappointment of the evening was the Rigoletto of Greek baritone Dimitris Tiliakos, who seemed to possess several different voices, principal among them an only intermittently full-bodied sound in the mid-range of a sort that marks the true 'Verdi baritone' and rather weak and fluttering notes in music's upper reaches." [Source] Click here for information about Rigoletto performances at the Bolshoi. Watch a video after the jump.
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New Study Claims Steroids Stopped Heart Of Maria Callas

January 2, 2015, 3:58 pm
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What really stopped the heart of the world-famous diva?
"A study held by the University of Bologna is about to completely change the attitude towards the world-famous soprano Maria Callas. It reveals that she was suffering from a rare disease of vocal cords rather than the proverbial whims of opera divas. Professors Franco Fussi and Nico Paolillo studied the records of the famous singer and her voice changes in the last 18 years of her life using the latest technology and have concluded that Maria Callas was suffering from a rare disease that affects muscles and tissues. Long intake of cortisone, which is used for symptomatic treatment of the disease, seems to have caused the premature death of the world famous singer. The two professors from the University of Bologna presented their research on the 'Callas case.''We managed to separate only her voice from several bad recordings made at that time. They were made in the period 1958-1976. It was very difficult to study the changes in her voice and make our conclusions. The available videos allowed us to note the anatomical state of the muscles and their formation over the time.' According to the research of the two professors, the famous soprano Maria Callas was sick with dermatomyositis - an illness that affects muscles and tissues, including those of the larynx. Dr. Franco Fussi stresses that the disease is treated with cortisone and immunosuppressive medications that can cause heart failure. According to the official medical report, Maria Callas died of cardiac arrest." [Source] Read the whole article here.
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Diana Damrau "Fiamma Del Belcanto" Full Of Fireworks

January 3, 2015, 6:44 am
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Diana Damrau's upcoming release for Erato this spring, Fiamma del Belcanto, will feature the soprano in hardcore repertoire of Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi. The Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino is conducted by Gianandrea Noseda in works ranging from Rosmonda d'Inghilterra to Luisa Miller. The result is sure to please fans of the soprano as she mixes both familiar repertoire like "Sempre libera" from La Traviata with new offerings like "Lo Sguardo Avea Degli Angelilo" from I Masnadieri throughout the disc. The international release date is March 27, 2015. Pre-order a copy here. The full track list is after the jump.

1. Rosmonda D'inghilterra, Act 1: "Ancor Non Giunse" (Rosmonda)
2. Rosmonda D'inghilterra, Act 1: "Perchè Non Ho Del Vento" (Rosmonda)
3. Rosmonda D'inghilterra, Act 1: "Torna Torna, O Caro Oggetto" (Rosmonda)
4. I Puritani, Act 2: "O Rendetemi La Speme" (Elvira)
5. I Puritani, Act 2: "Qui La Voce Suave" (Elvira)
6. I Puritani, Act 2: "Vien Diletto" (Elvira)
7. Maria Stuarda, Act 2: "Allenta Il Piè, Regina" (Maria, Stuarda, Anna)
8. Maria Stuarda, Act 2: "O Nube! Che Lieve Per L'aria Ti Aggiri..." (Maria, Stuarda)
9. Maria Stuarda, Act 2: "Nella Pace Del Mesto Riposo" (Maria, Stuarda, Anna)
10. La Sonnambula, Act 2: "Oh ! Se Una Volta Sola" (Amina)
11. La Sonnambula, Act 2: "Ah,Non Credea Mirarti" (Amina)
12. La Sonnambula, Act 2: "Ah, Non Giunge Uman Pensiero" (Amina)
13. I Masnadieri, Act 1: "Venerabile, O Padre, è Il Tuo Sembiante" (Amalia)
14. I Masnadieri, Act 1: "Lo Sguardo Avea Degli Angelilo" (Amalia)
15. La Traviata, Act 1: "E Strano! è Strano! " (Violetta)
16. La Traviata, Act 1: "Ah, Fors'è Lui " (Violetta)
17. La Traviata, Act 1: "Follie ! Follie !" (Violetta)
18. Verdi: La Traviata, Act 1: "Sempre Libera" (Violetta, Alfredo)
19. Luisa Miller, Act 2: "Il Padre Tuo" (Luisa, Wurm)
20. Luisa Miller, Act 2: "Tu Puniscimi, O Signore" (Luisa)
21. Verdi: Luisa Miller, Act 2: "Qui Nulla" (Luisa, Wurm)
22. Luisa Miller, Act 2: "A Brani, A Brani" (Luisa, Wurm)
23. La Bohème, Act 3: "Donde Lieta Usci Al Tuo Grido D'amore" (Mimi)
24. I Pagliacci, Act 1: "Qual Fiamma" (Nedda)
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Joseph Volpe Winters In Florida To Boat And See Friends

January 3, 2015, 12:57 pm
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The Volpes: Joseph and Jean in Florida
"Joseph Volpe, 74, worked his way up from apprentice carpenter to general manager of New York’s Metropolitan Opera, a position he held for a headline-making 16 years. Upon his retirement in 2006, The New York Times called him a 'famously demanding impresario.' Volpe and his wife, Jean, a ballet teacher and former principal soloist with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, will winter on Longboat Key while he continues his work as a theater consultant, including helping plan a new opera house in Athens, Greece. 'He’ll never unwind,' says Jean. 'He’s always finding something to do.' [Source] The article also details the new boat he purchased; how he chose Florida as his winter destination; the couple's exercise routine; what arts organizations will be the recipient of their presence; and if he has any regrets about the Metropolitan Opera.
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Opera-Loving Civil Rights Senator Edward Brooke Dies

January 4, 2015, 6:38 am
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Before the Obamas: Edward Brooke, seen with his wife
and two daughters, paved the way for many.
"Edward W. Brooke III, who in 1966 became the first African-American elected to the United States Senate by popular vote, winning as a Republican in overwhelmingly Democratic Massachusetts, died on Saturday at his home in Coral Gables, Fla. He was 95. Ralph Neas, a family spokesman, confirmed the death....Edward William Brooke III was born on Oct. 26, 1919, in Washington. He was the third child and only son of the former Helen Seldon and Edward W. Brooke II, a lawyer for the Veterans Administration and a Republican, as most blacks were then. He grew up in 'a cocoon,' he wrote in his autobiography, Bridging the Divide: My Life (2007). He had a stable home, firm religious guidance — he was an Episcopal altar boy — and a good education, attending Dunbar High School, a prestigious black school in Washington. Surrounded by middle-class blacks, he wrote, he rarely encountered direct racial discrimination, although when the Washington opera was closed to blacks his mother took him to the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Mr. Brooke earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Howard University in 1941. A reservist during college, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant after Pearl Harbor in 1941 and joined the all-black 366th Combat Infantry Regiment. The regiment was assigned to guard duty in Italy; combat was reserved for whites. 'An insult to our dignity,' Mr. Brooke wrote. Put in charge of special events, he brought opera and the heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis to his troops.""He loved opera and served as president and chairman of the Boston Opera Company."[Source, Source]
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Celebrate The Birthday Of Legendary Grace Bumbry

January 4, 2015, 7:11 am
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Today marks the 78th birthday of opera singer Grace Bumbry. See a selection of rare photos after the jump that give a glimpse into her glamorous life and read more extensively about the singer's life by clicking here.

In character as Lady Macbeth

Getting a singing lesson from Lotte Lehmann

With Jacqueline Onassis at the White House

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Paul Potts Operatic Story Told In Television Movie

January 4, 2015, 10:16 am
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Big Break: Actor James Corden portrays opera singer Paul Potts during his competition experience.
"From the director of The Devil Wears Prada, One Chance (tomorrow, Fox Movies Premium, 9pm) is the remarkable real-life story of Paul Potts, a shy, humble shop assistant who became an overnight sensation after appearing on Simon Cowell's variety show Britain's Got Talent. Ruthlessly bullied for his love of opera and chubby physique, everyman Potts (played by James Corden of Gavin & Stacey fame) spends his days working as a mobile-phone salesman alongside his best friend, Braddon (Mackenzie Crook; below left, with Corden), and his nights as an amateur choir singer. When Paul meets his dream girl on the internet, his life changes and they fall deeply in love. Fueled by his girlfriend's unwavering belief, Potts journeys to Venice to study opera but he chokes during a performance for Luciano Pavarotti and returns home, along with his shattered dreams, to the small Welsh industrial town of Port Talbot. But, this being a rags-to-riches story much in the vein of Billy Elliot and The Full Monty (and with Potts' YouTube video being one of the top 10 most-viewed videos ever), it leads predictably to a by-the-numbers crowd-pleasing climax. One Chance is a humorous biopic that never feels overly sentimental and Corden imbues Potts with bundles of charm. There is a touching chemistry between the cast, but, it must be said, the wonderful comic talents of Julie Walters, playing Potts' supportive mother, seem woefully underused. Of course, and thank heavens, it's not really Corden doing the operatic warbling (this comes from the real Paul Potts) but he does put on a convincing lip sync and it would take a cold-hearted person indeed to not get goose bumps when he belts out Puccini's 'Nessun Dorma' in all its thunderous glory." [Source] Watch the trailer after the jump.

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Danielle De Niese Dubbed "Opera's Coolest Opera Singer"

January 4, 2015, 1:21 pm
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Life Is A Stage: The soprano photographed by Sven Arnstein
"The world's coolest opera singer is headed our way which will delight Ireland's loyal circle of music fans and Danielle de Niese, has every excuse to bring lots of luggage and fab gowns. The trouble with YouTube is everything is filmed these days, so you really 'can't wear the same dress twice', explains the lyric soprano who has been described by the BBC as the 'most sought-after singer on the planet'. Indeed, the New York Times described her voice as 'seductive enough to woo gods as well as mortals.' Chatting to her over the holidays, I discovered that Danielle's diary is booked up five years in advance and she is excited about performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at Dublin's National Concert Hall on January 15. Opera is such vibrant territory for great socialising in Ireland - just ask the legions who descend on Wexford - and you can expect lots of drinks' invitations to be going out this week, held to mark her return to Dublin. This lady has the best fashion connections. Donna Karan designed the gown for her fairytale wedding to Gus Christie who is the third-generation boss of the famous Glyndebourne Festival. Danielle wears Vivienne Westwood because she loves the designer's mix of modern and baroque and says the gowns 'feel as comfortable as pyjamas'. If the soprano is escorted on stage by security, it's because she's wearing her Van Cleef and Arpels jewels. Off stage, Danielle likes to walk Caesar, her Portuguese water dog who is actually related to the Obamas' dog, Bo." [Source] Watch a video of the singer's photo shoot after the jump.
A day out with Danielle de Niese from sven arnstein on Vimeo.
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Wagner Meets The Playground In "Step Brothers" Film

January 4, 2015, 7:00 pm
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In a scene not for the faint of heart, Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly play step brothers that get beat up by a gang of young kids on the playground. The end of the scene is sophomoric, but underscores the ineptitude of the characters. The music accompanying the scene is the Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. "Step Brothers is a 2008 American buddy slapstick comedy film starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. The screenplay was written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, from a story written by them with Reilly. It was produced by Jimmy Miller and Judd Apatow, and directed by McKay. The film was released on July 25, 2008, two years after the same group of men wrote, produced, and starred in another comedy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. 39-year-old Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and 40-year-old Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) are two unemployed, middle-aged, offensive, and self-centered men who still live with (and are reliant on) their parents. They have no intention of moving out or finding jobs and behave childishly. When Brennan's mother Nancy (Mary Steenburgen) and Dale's father Robert (Richard Jenkins) marry, Brennan and Dale are forced to live with each other as step brothers." [Source] Watch the movie scene, and listen to Hildegard Behrens singe the complete arias, after the jump.



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Renée Fleming Headlines All-Star Evening Of American Voices

January 9, 2015, 5:52 am
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"World-renowned American opera singer Renée Fleming convenes a festival of special guests to celebrate the diverse range of America’s vocal artistry. Young artists receive mentoring from respected singers including Ben Folds, Dianne Reeves, Sutton Foster, Eric Owens, Kim Burrell and Alison Krauss. Also see performances by Josh Groban, Sara Bareilles and Norm Lewis. A documentary about the festival will air on Great Performances on PBS Friday, January 9 at 9/8c." [Source] Watch the complete performance,  or just an excerpt of Renée Fleming singing "Danny Boy," after the jump.






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Elena Obraztsova Has Passed Away In Germany At 75

January 12, 2015, 6:16 am
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"Prominent Russian opera singer Elena Obraztsova passed away on Monday in Germany at the age of 75. Details about the cause of Obraztsova’s death have not been made public. Representatives of Obraztsova’s charitable organization told RIA Novosti that she was recently undergoing treatment at a German clinic. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to the family and friends of Obraztsova, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Monday. Elena Obraztsova was born on July 7 in Leningrad (Saint Petersbrurg), USSR. Thanks to her outstanding vocal abilities, she was widely recognized as one of the greatest opera singers of all time." [Source] More about the mezzo-soprano, as well as an extensive gallery, after the jump.
"Elena Vasiliyevna Obraztsova (Russian: Елена Васильевна Образцова) (born July 7, 1939 in Leningrad, Soviet Union; died Germany, 12 January 2015) was a Russian mezzo-soprano, widely recognised as one of the greatest opera singers of all time, thanks to her outstanding stage presence and the vocal abilities. As a child Obraztsova lived in Leningrad through the long siege (August 1941-January 1943) during World War II. In 1954-1957 Obraztsova studied in the Tchaikovsky musical college in Taganrog and frequently participated in concerts onstage of Taganrog Theatre. In 1957-1958 Obraztsova studied in Rostov on Don's music school. In August 1958 Yelena Obraztsova passed the examinations and became a student at the Leningrad Conservatory. In 1963 she was invited to perform in a Bolshoi Theater production of Boris Godunov in Moscow. Her introduction to the opera houses of Europe and the world was a recital in the Salle Pleyel in Paris. She has played many roles throughout her career, including performances under the baton of such leading conductors as Claudio Abbado and Herbert von Karajan. In December 1977 she opened the 200th opera season in La Scala singing Don Carlos's Eboli with Abbado as conductor. In 1978 she played the title role of Carmen opposite Plácido Domingo in Franco Zeffirelli's television production of the opera. She also appeared as Santuzza in Zeffirelli's film version of Cavalleria rusticana in 1982. On 27 December 1990 she was awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor (mark of distinction - 'Hammer and Sickle' gold medal ), Order of Lenin by the President of USSR for her contribution to the development of Soviet Music. In June 2007 Obraztsova was appointed artistic director of opera at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. She also trained young soloists in her own cultural center in St. Petersburg. Obraztsova appeared regularly on stage at the Mikhailovsky in the role of the Countess in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades. In 2008 Obraztsova ended her artistic director contract with the Mikhailovsky to concentrate on the competition of her name and the recently announced project of International Academy of Music in St Petersburg. Obraztsova continues her collaboration with the Mikhailovsky in a capacity of the General Director's Artistic Advisor. On 7 July 2009, Obraztsova's 70th birthday was marked with a special program at the Mikhailovsky Theater that included ballet performances, opera arias, excerpts from films, and jazz and piano recitals. Elena Obraztsova expressed her support for the International Delphic Games. Greetings with her signature came to the III Delphic Games 2009 in Jeju / South Korea, under the motto 'In Tune with Nature,' and to the IV Junior Delphic Games 2011 in Johannesburg / South Africa with their motto 'Provoke, Innovate, Inspire'."[Source]


























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Sonya Yoncheva Makes Vogue Magazine Spread For Debut

January 14, 2015, 9:54 pm
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A Star is Born: Soprano Sonya Yoncheva Arrives
"As Yoncheva made her debut in major operas in Europe, word of her singular range and tone made its way to Gelb. 'We have a very sophisticated scouting system,' he later explained by phone. 'Sometimes I hear reports about young singers that make it clear we should bring them in. European opera houses are typically smaller than the Met. Singers who can make an impression in a smaller European house sometimes do not have the same success on stage at the Met. The singer has to be even more intensely charismatic on stage.' Following her turn as Gilda, Gelb said, Yoncheva has been on a 'meteoric rise to operatic stardom.' Tonight, Yoncheva will begin the first of four performances in La Traviata, one day after releasing her first album, the result of an exclusive, long-term deal with Sony Classical. She is now booked five years out, including in the opening of the Met’s next season, when she will sing the part of Desdemona in a new production of Verdi’s Otello that is slated for a live-broadcast in movie theaters around the world." [Source] Read the full article "Meet Sonya Yoncheva: Opera's Brightest New Star" by clicking here and see more photos by Vogue's Ruven Afanador after the jump. Sonya Yoncheva will be appearing at the Metropolitan Gift Shop on January 22 to sign copies of her new CD, see details here. Sample tracks off the soprano's new album are also after the jump. 



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