There is a lot of history and iconic imagery that goes hand in hand with Samson and Delilah. Learn more about this biblical story’s transition to an opera featuring some of the most lush and passionate music in the...
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By: Betsy Schwarm Richard Wagner was a master of both music and story, which you will see well-reflected in his work The Flying Dutchman. To learn the full story of the opera, check out The Flying Dutchman 101: Characters...
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Where would opera be without those characters we love to hate? It’s a time-honored role, their detestable qualities neatly counterpointing the likable ones who are the other half of the equation. The womanizing Don Giovanni isn’t a good guy,...
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By: Betsy Schwarm Turandot stands last in the catalog of its composer, Giacomo Puccini (1858 – 1924). Last because he did not live to complete it. He was at work upon the score when health problems developed and were...
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By: Betsy Schwarm and Angelica DiIorio We close our 40th Anniversary Season with Puccini’s larger-than-life fantastical drama, Turandot, from May 6 to 14. This opera features some of the most gorgeous arias in the repertoire, including “Nessun dorma.”Before you head...
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By: Betsy Schwarm Given its blend of music, words, and stage action, opera can be a powerful tool for psychological exploration. It is not just a matter of what these characters are doing, but why they are doing it,...
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By: Betsy Schwarm Many performing arts fans are familiar with the tales of Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885). From Les Miserables to The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Le roi s’amuse (The King’s Diversions), the stories are well-known. If...
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By: Betsy Schwarm In 1888, Pietro Mascagni (1863 – 1945) heard of a competition for one-act operas. With four complete operas to his name, the Italian composer was on the verge of submitting one excerpted act of his historical...
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By: Betsy Schwarm Put the iconic image of a leering, sneering Jack Nicholson out of your mind. Set aside those oft-quoted lines: “Here’s Johnny” and “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.” That’s the film by...
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By Kelly Maxwell “Imagine those paired theater masks: one laughing and one weeping. It’s a familiar image, one in use since ancient Greece where the masks served to delineate characters in a stage production. In the world of opera,...
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