|
Gary Wedow conducts for New York City Opera’s Don Giovanni |
|
 After more than a year in hiatus, Lincoln Center was abuzz this month with the grand re-opening of the New York City Opera. Conductor Gary Wedow led the orchestra in Don Giovanni - the company’s only new production of the season. The press was out in force for opening night and was lavish in their praise.
“Gary Thor Wedow’s conducting was superlative. Under his baton the orchestra sounded crisp and precise. I especially appreciated Maestro Wedow’s effort to show that Mozart was after all a son of his own time, and his operas were subjected to the same performance practices of the period.”
And as if conducting one important opening in New York wasn’t enough, Gary Wedow crossed the plaza later in the week to conduct the Juilliard Opera Center production of Ariodante.
“Gary Thor Wedow, the conductor, gently kept the singers on track and drew polished work from the Juilliard Orchestra, which played on modern instruments, showing an awareness of period style.” |
|
|
Jean Stilwell and John Fanning in Casanova’s Homecoming |
|
Twenty-five years after its world premiere at the brand new Ordway Music Theatre, in St. Paul Minnesota, Dominick Argento’s opera “Casanova’s Homecoming” is back on stage with John Fanning and Jean Stilwell in the lead roles.
More Photos from Casanova
|
|
Toronto’s Newest Concert Hall |
|
With the opening of Toronto’s newest concert hall less than a month away, anticipation is mounting and curiosity is piqued. Featured here in hard hat and work boots, Jean Stilwell along with pianist Patti Loach were among a hand full of people invited to test the acoustics of Koerner Hall in advance of the official opening on September 25, 2009.
|
|
Miriam Khalil steps in for Danielle de Niese at Glyndebourne |
|
Soprano Miriam Khalil made her Glyndebourne Festival debut this week singing the role of Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, stepping in for Danielle de Niese at the last minute on June 23. While Ms. de Niese was able to sing the first act she was unable to continue. Miriam Khalil sang Act II from the wings, received a standing ovation and then took over completely in Act III. |
|
|
Faerie Queen Across Canada |
|
Summer Festival activity picks up later this month starting with the Montreal Baroque Festival where there will be the first of several productions of Purcell’s Faerie Queen. Dean Artists Suzie LeBlanc, Nathaniel Watson and Lawrence Wiliford will be part of the production to close this festival on June 25 at 7 pm at Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours.
Moving on to Central Canada is the Elora Festival where Lawrence Wiliford and Suzie LeBlanc are again featured in a production of the Faerie Queen on July 26. Lawrence Wiliford appears, as well, in the opening night performance of Berlioz’ Requiem and then for a special concert with principal harpist of the Montreal Symphony Jennifer Swartz in a programme dedicated to the music Benjamin Britten wrote for tenor and harp. Peter Barrett, Laura Whalen and Colin Ainsworth are the soloists for the ever popular Carmina Burana and Joni Henson, Marc Hervieux and Gregory Dahl will be on hand for the Opera Gala scheduled for July 31. In another part of rural Ontario the Westben Festival continues to grow in popularity and runs for most of July. Their Saturday Night at the Opera will showcase a number of opera stars including Kimberly Barber and John Fanning.
Chicago’s Grant Park Festival takes advantage of the summer weather and the cool breezes off the lake in their open air performances. This year, Allyson McHardy and John Mac Master will appear in Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius on July 31 and August 1.
The Vancouver Early Music Festival completes the cross country productions of Purcell’s Faerie Queen on August 6 at the Chan Centre and soprano Suzie LeBlanc rounds out her summer as the Faerie Queen. |
|
Glowing review for Kelly Robinson |
|
“My only complaint about Arizona Opera’s Mikado is that it made my cheeks hurt. It simply never gave me a chance to stop grinning. Most of that credit goes to the cast - especially Stephanie Blythe, who simply chews up the scenery and spits it out - but also to the direction by Kelly Robinson, which maintains the Victorian stylization while ironically winking at it at the same time. “ Such was the praise written in the Arizona Republic by Richard Nilsen. |
|
Nathalie Paulin to sing at the state funeral of Romeo LeBlanc |
|
Soprano Nathalie Paulin and fellow Acadian, is honoured to have been
asked to sing at the state funeral of former Governor General of Canada
Romeo LeBlanc. The funeral will be held in LeBlanc’s hometown of
Memramcook, New Brunswick on July 3.
|
|
|
|
|
