Blog
All Blogs
ECHOES OF THE EPIC: Operas Based on Homer Odyssey or Iliad
Echoes of the Epic: Operas Based on Homer A blog by Google AI, redacted and edited by Flamand Many of the operas mentioned can be found on Opera on Video – just search. Echoes of the Epic: Operas Based on Homer and the Trojan Cycle Introduction: From Oral Formula to Operatic Drama The epic poems […]
MODERN OPERA AT THE MET 2000 – 2026 – A Comprehensive History
MODERN OPERA AT THE MET 2000 – 2026 – A Comprehensive History A blog written by Google AI, redacted and edited by Flamand. Most of these operas can be found on Opera on Video (search for the title). The Metropolitan Opera in New York City has undergone a dramatic institutional transformation since the turn of […]
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUBTITLES
This guide is for you as an opera fan using Opera on Video. It is not a comprehensive guide about subtitles for video creators and editors. Many opera fans do appreciate subtitles in the video in order to better understand the plot even without reading a translated libretto on the side. But if you know […]
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR VIDEO FAVORITES on Opera on Video
A blog by Flamand Olivier There are over 35000 videos documented and available linked on Opera on Video. Sure you have your own favorites amongst this plethora. Now you can easily create a personal list of all your favorite performances and then go back to it and quickly find a specific video. This feature is […]
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE for Opera Fans
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE for Opera Fans a blog by Flamand Olivier AI Artificial Intelligence is the big trend today. Everybody talks about it and claims abound about AI being the future of the world. Articles have been written about the impact of AI on Opera, in particular on production, design and composition of opera. https://www.operaamerica.org/magazine/spring-2024/an-ai-revolution-is-coming-in-opera-too/ In […]
WAGNER’s TRISTAN, VON TRIER’s MELANCHOLIA
Wagner’s Tristan, von Trier’s Melancholia A guest blog by Helge Høibraaten In the fall of 2011, I saw Lars von Trier’s film Melancholia for the first time. The movie made an extremely strong impression on me. The film is von Trier’s Tristan. This is indicated both by the film’s music (the prelude to Wagner’s opera) […]
POP PLAY OPERA DE PARIS Great Streaming Site INFO & VIDEO PLAYLIST 72 video clips
There are many great opera video streaming sites, but POP Play Opera de Paris is one of the best. https://play.operadeparis.fr/en Paris Opera Play (POP) is the official streaming platform of the Opéra national de Paris, offering a front-row seat to world-class performances from the Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille. Core Offerings Performances: Access a rich […]
HOW TO BEST WATCH VIDEOS WITH OPERA ON VIDEO – A GUIDE and OVERVIEW
HOW TO BEST WATCH Videos with Opera on Video. I get frequent questions about how to best watch videos with Opera on Video. Let me explain how videos are posted with Opera on Video. As you may know, NO full videos are posted on the Opera on Video webserver at all. Instead the information about […]
How to Search and Find on Opera on Video
Opera on Video has grown greatly and provides you with a great number of opera performances and huge amount of information. This is great! But it may become more difficult to find quickly exactly what you are looking for. NOW we are improving the SEARCH facility even further, to allow you to find what you […]
TEACH ME TO LOVE PARSIFAL Blog by Paul Padillo
Teach Me To Love Parsifal A guest blog by Paul Padillo https://www.facebook.com/paul.padillo.9 About Me Sharky Portland, Maine, United States Crazy, free spirit, originally from New York with side trips through DC, Chicagoland, Tennessee and Florida. Maine is home. Love anything to do with sports, music, food, movies, theatre. Least favorite things: fashion, pretentious people, today’s […]
UNITEL – The Largest Opera Video Producer
UNITEL is the producer and rights holder of the largest classical video catalogue: It holds more than 3000 video productions. Unitel GmbH & Co.KG is based and operates from just outside Munich, Germany. The huge Unitel catalogue is fully documented on OperaonVideo HERE Quote from the UNITEL Website: True to its motto “Music to Watch,” […]
MARIA AND ISOLDE AND ME by Paul Padillo
A guest blog by Paul Padillo Callas und Isolde We know Maria gave her first Isolde at La Fenice on 30 December 1948, after learning memorizing and rehearsing it in a matter of days. Fiorenzo Tasso was her Tristan, Fedora Barbieri the Brangane, and Boris Christoff was King Marke. There were only four performances and […]
OPERA ON SOLO PIANO by Matthew Toogood
Discovering Music from the Podium to the Piano: Welcome to Matthew Toogood Conductor Website: www.matthewtoogood.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MatthewToogood As a conductor, I’ve always believed that music lives most fully when it’s shared — not just on stage, but in conversation, collaboration, and discovery. That belief is what inspired me to launch my YouTube channel, Matthew Toogood […]
CROSSOVER – popular music artists singing opera
CROSSOVER – popular music artists singing opera Many opera singers crossover into musical, folksong and pop music. But also popular music artists occasionally sing a bit from opera. I do not mean popular artists who try to be in both such as Andrea Bocelli, Katherine Jenkins, Sarah Brightman and similar. I mean singers who only […]
Behind the Curtain: How a Little-Known Tech is Helping Opera on Video Stay Organized
Behind the Curtain: How a Little-Known Tech is Helping Opera on Video Stay Organized At Opera on Video, we’re all about bringing the beauty of opera to the world—making sure timeless performances are easy to find, watch, and enjoy. But behind the scenes, there’s a bit of digital magic helping us keep everything in order. It’s […]
DO YOU KNOW THESE GREAT METROPOLITAN OPERA RESOURCES?
Sure, you know the great Metropolitan Opera Website. It gives you all information about current and upcoming performances, provides ticketing and subscriptions, has a gift shop and best of all with Met on Demand you can get access to 900 full-length Met performances with the online streaming service. But the website has also a number […]
BACHTRACK – A great classical music website
If you are interested in classical music in general, then BACHTRACK is one of the best websites to visit. It provides you with a huge performance data base to search and many reviews. In addition to reviews, Bachtrack publishes general articles including previews of festivals and concert/opera seasons, as well as interviews with performers and industry figures. […]
TRAGEDY OF A QUEEN A Vocal Operatic Feast Lisette Oropesa triumphs as Maria Stuarda in Madrid 2024 A Review
The tragedy of a queen, a vocal operatic feast: Lisette Oropesa triumphs as Maria Stuarda in Madrid. A guest blog by Angel Parsifal https://emocionesliricas.blogspot.com/ Madrid, December 29, 2024. Once again, Christmas has arrived to the Spanish capital, and with its famous traditional street illumination, the crowds shopping for their families, and the frenzy taking hold […]
FANNY AND ALEXANDER World Premiere in Brussels 2024
‘FANNY AND ALEXANDER’ AT LA MONNAIE A guest blog by Ger Leppers originally posted by Basia con fuoco In the spring of 1987 I bought my first subscription to the opera performances at the Brussels Muntschouwburg. Since then I have seen quite a few world premieres there, because they are lavish in the Belgian capital. […]
Hans Pfitzner, Amazing Composer, unpleasant man: Thielemann conducts a dazzling Palestrina in Vienna 2024
Hans Pfitzner, Amazing Composer, unpleasant man: Thielemann conducts a dazzling Palestrina in Vienna A guest blog by Ángel Parsifal at https://emocionesliricas.blogspot.com/ Watch the full video performance here There are not many chances today to see some of Hans Pfitzner’s music in opera houses and concert halls. In fact, if it happens, they are usually limited […]
MAD SCENES IN OPERA
Mad Scenes A guest blog by Graham Abbot Graham’s Music https://www.grahamsmusic.net/ In 2015 I presented a series of four Keys to Music programs under the general heading of Focus on Opera. These looked in turn at mad scenes, death scenes, love scenes and crowd scenes and spanned operas from a wide range of periods and […]
The Impact of Digital Technologies on Singing
The Impact of Digital Technologies on Singing The impact of digital technologies on opera singing is a subject of debate that reflects the encounter between the tradition of opera and the technological innovations of our time. A blog by Imogen Streul https://www.facebook.com/imogen.streul Opera singer, German coach at the KCB in Brussels and singing teacher at […]
GROUNDED A PERSONAL REVIEW by Paul Padillo
GROUNDED A PERSONAL REVIEW A guest blog by Paul Padillo GROUNDED on Opera on Video I’m in a minority amongst my opera friends. I like and love a lot of works, especially newer operas, that routinely get bad press in the opera groups, criticized by the press. I often call my own t aste into […]
POP OPERA SINGERS – Success and Controversy
POP OPERA SINGERS – Success and Controversy Many opera singers crossed over into the popular genre in order to attract a different and greater audience. Just think of Monstserrat Caballé and Freddy Mercury in Barcelona, Luciano Paverotti with Zucchero and Eric Clapton, Placido Domingo with John Denver, José Carreras with Sissel – and many more. […]
The Bayreuth Rings – A Review
The Bayreuth Rings between Barenboim and Janowski: Levine’s Götterdämmerung and Thielemann’s Walküre Guest blog by Angel Parsifal from emocionesliricas The Bayreuth Ring videos on Opera on Video Here is my review on the existing videos from the Ring productions between 1994 and 2010 at Bayreuth: the 1997 Götterdämmerung conducted by James Levine, and the amazing […]
Gods observing life through laboratory glass: Wagner’s Ring by Tcherniakov and Thielemann in Berlin
Gods observing life through laboratory glass: Wagner’s Ring by Tcherniakov and Thielemann in Berlin. A guest blog by Angel Parsifal https://emocionesliricas.blogspot.com/ Review of Wagners Ring Berlin 2022 https://www.operaonvideo.ch/Opera/der-ring-des-nibelungen-berlin-2022/ I always try to watch any Ring version on DVD or video, at least once per year. Last year, I was uplifted after watching by legendary Rings […]
OPERA AND SCIENCE FICTION A Blog
OPERA AND SCIENCE FICTION A Blog Opera and Science Fiction have much more in common than you would think first. Both are fantasy based on more or less reality. Science fiction stories are often modern sagas, or almost fairy tales. Just think of the Star Wars saga, or E.T. a classic fairy tale. Science fiction […]
Considering Kundry: Wagner’s Most Fascinating Character A Blog by Paul Padillo
Considering Kundry: Wagner’s Most Fascinating Character A Guestblog Paul Padillo Years ago my feathers got ruffled when I read an article arguing Kundry leaves an insignificant impact in Wagner’s Parsifal. He stated incorrectly Kundry’s only lines are in Act 2 “and even then limited,” and suggested it doesn’t even matter WHO sings Kundry, and expressed wonder […]
ELEKTRA – A Damaged Personality With A Sense Of Her Own Degradation
ELEKTRA – A damaged personality with a sense of her own degradation a critique by Nigel Gallimore Richard Strauss Elektra January 26, 2024. 7.30 pm ROH, Covent Garden After forty years of marriage and 43 years together, Sue and I have calculated that the operas we have seen the most live in the theatre are […]
THE RICHARD WAGNER WEB MUSEUM
THE RICHARD WAGNER WEB MUSEUM https://richard-wagner-web-museum.com A guest blog by Nicolas Crapanne, Editor-in-chief of the website The Richard Wagner Web Museum The most ambitious internet project ever dedicated to a composer ! For the first time, a completely unique website dedicated to a classical music composer – available in French since 2015, English, and German […]
Remembering Callas by Paul Padillo
Remembering Callas a Guest Blog by Paul Padillo Maria Callas 54 Videos on Opera on Video Maria Callas lived only to the age of 53. Today marks the one hundredth anniversary of her birth. Mind blown. While I’ve written so much about Maria Callas since . . . let’s see, add the 6, carry the […]
DAS RHEINGOLD London 2023 A review by Nigel Gallimore
DAS RHEINGOLD London 2023 A review by Nigel Gallimore Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen. Das Rheingold. 23rd September 2023. 7.30 pm ROH, Covent Garden. The story of humanity, the evolution of the human race and society: a critique by Nigel Gallimore. DAS RHEINGOLD on Opera on Video A new Ring Cycle at the ROH is […]
The Story of Opera Bracelets
The Story of Opera Bracelets A guest blog by Cindy Battisti I was only a “hit song” sort of opera lover for the first part of my life. My Grandma would listen to opera on the radio when she was cooking big Sunday dinners. As an adult, I got in the habit of tuning in […]
OPERA IN WARTIME a blog
OPERA IN WARTIME Any war had a big impact on the cultural life and on opera in particular. Opera houses had to be closed during wars and many were destroyed by war. But often opera thrived even during wartime and rose again like a Phoenix afterwards. We will look at World War II and the […]
OPERA AND WAR
OPERA AND WAR We often think of opera being inspired by love, intrigues and conflicts, fights and murder – but inspired by war? Actually there are quite many operas which feature and depict war, and even more with a story with war as background. I will only include operas which feature and depict war. WARS […]
WEB OPERA and OPERA ON THE WEB
WEB OPERA and OPERA ON THE WEB A guest blog by Sofija Perović Sofija Perovic is a harpsichordist, opera stage director, professor, researcher, literary critic and author. She holds 3 doctorate degrees: Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA from University of Arts in Belgrade, thesis “The Influence of Andalusian music on the interpretation of compositions for solo harpsichord […]
VIRTUAL REALITY OPERA – Is this the future?
VIRTUAL REALITY OPERA – Is this the future? Opera is widely considered a conservative art form. Even if some opera directors nowadays try to modernize staging. But could new technology such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) open opera to new dimensions ? And facilitate reaching a new and younger target group, who […]
Guest Blog by Open AI CHAT GPT – Opera in South Korea
This Blog text has been written by CHAT GPT: OPERA in South Korea Opera has a long and rich history in South Korea, with its origins dating back to the late 19th century. During the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), Western opera was introduced to Korea and became popular among the upper class. After the Korean […]
LISA DELLA CASA 100 Years Anniversary
Lisa della Casa was born 100 years ago. She is one of the greatest lyrical sopranos of the 20th century and will always be remembered for her portrayal of Strauss and Mozart roles. Her Arabella has never been surpassed! Just watch here: Lisa della Casa was the first singer who gave me a totally unforgettable […]
How To Hold Classical Guitar | Classical Guitar Shed
Guest Blog by Tracy Powers Find out how to hold a classical guitar the right way, and learn why this is so important for both beginners and advanced players. How To Hold Classical Guitar: An Expert’s Advice It’s no secret that playing the classical guitar can be a tough and rewarding experience, but it is […]
Top 5 Tips For Keeping Your Vocal Cords Healthy
How To Keep Your Vocal Cords Healthy Guest blog by Tracy Powers When you love singing, your vocal cords are your bread and butter. Without them, you won’t be able to do what you love! That is why taking care of your vocal cords (get the book) and keeping them healthy is important. In this […]
UMBERTO GIORDANO AND HIS FEDORA
Guest post by Basia Jaworski: Basia con fuoco is Basia Jaworski (Poland/Israel), a freelance publicist and music journalist. For almost 20 years she worked in a specialist store for classical music in Amsterdam, where she also organized concerts, lectures and “autogrammenstunden”. She was also a regular guest on several radio and television programs. including Discotable […]
L’AFRICAINE – HOW LOVING VASCO DA GAMA PROVED FATAL FOR AN AFRICAN QUEEN
Guest post by Basia Jaworski: Basia con fuoco is Basia Jaworski (Poland/Israel), a freelance publicist and music journalist. For almost 20 years she worked in a specialist store for classical music in Amsterdam, where she also organized concerts, lectures and “autogrammenstunden”. She was also a regular guest on several radio and television programs. including Discotable […]
Anna Netrebko- going strong AGAIN
On July 16, Anna Netrebko made a triumphal appearance as Aida in the Arena di Verona. Read the review here AIDA Verona Video Clip One would not have thought this to be possible just five months ago. But on this occasion in Verona the controversy centered on Angel Blue and her “blackfacing” comments. In February […]
OPERA LIVES! – Contemporary opera succeeds
OPERA LIVES! – Contemporary opera succeeds I often hear doomsday prophets predict the imminent death of opera. The say that opera is an art form out of the museum and because there is no positive evolution it will gradually die. These people are very wrong. Opera lives and develops strongly. In the decades since 1945 […]
Opera vs.the Pandemic – A Guest Blog by Charles Handelman
Dear Flamand Olivier, who is the creator of the fabulous Opera on Video group (over 35,000 members) asked me to write a little something that may add to your “education” in the field of opera. This is a sad time in our world, but at least we can often gravitate to music, which we love […]
A GREAT SMALL OPERA COMPANY – Brooklyn Telemann Chamber Society
Brooklyn Telemann Chamber Society A guest blog by Liz Kiger Homepage The brain child of soprano/violinist Liz Kiger, this chamber group is focused on bringing historically informed performance practice of lesser known and lesser produced Baroque repertoire to its NYC audience in an affordable, intimate, and unique setting while simultaneously providing resume enhancing performance opportunities […]
Opera in and from Mongolia
Opera in Mongolia? What sounds very exotic, really is not, considering history and development over decennia, if not centuries. In recent years several great singers have emerged from Mongolia, won competitions and began world careers. Mongolians are incredible singers, with traditions dating back many centuries. Their famous throat singing creates multiple pitches simultaneously. It requires […]
Opera Magazines in Print
We have become used to get news, reviews and information about opera from the Internet. We have almost forgotten about the printed magazines which were our only source of information just one generation ago. But there are still many printed Opera magazines available. Here is a list with links, examples and some comments: Opera (English […]
FULL 94 Great Performances from the Ed Sullivan Show USA 1948 – 1971 Corelli Nilsson Tebaldi Sutherland Moffo Tucker Merrill
94 Great Performances from the Ed Sullivan Show USA 1948 – 1971 with Franco Corelli, Renata Tebaldi, Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Anna Moffo, Mario del Monaco, Giuseppe di Stefano, Juss Björling, Robert Merrill, Regina Resnik, Lauritz Melchior, Jan Peerce, Cesare Siepi, Cesare Valetti, Dorothy Kirsten, Rise Stevens, Eileen Farrell, Eleanor Steber, Leontyne Price, Lily Pons, […]
Famous Young Opera Singers
Nowadays I often read about young opera singers having their international breakthrough and becoming famous. For example Lise Davidsen and Benjamin Bernheim. But these singers are already around age 35. Today it seems, singers are trained in their twenties, start their international career around thirty, and perhaps become famous in their mid thirties. It has […]
Controversial Opera Staging
CONTROVERSIAL OPERA STAGING More and more opera enthusiasts are complaining vehemently about “modern” opera staging. Opera directors transport the action to different places and times, and rewrite the story. They also use very explicit visuals including violence and nudity. But if you think controversial opera performances are something new and in our time only – […]
EDITA GRUBEROVA 1946-2021 in memoriam by Sonia van der Graaf
EDITA GRUBEROVA 1946-2021 Legendary Slovak Soprano, Edita Gruberova was born on December 23, 1946 in Bratislava, then part of Czechoslovakia, and died on October 18, 2021 in Zurich, Switzerland. A brilliant career, she conquered the world in a few years with unforgettable roles. The beginning in life is difficult but that allowed her not to […]
Il Trovatore Zurich October 24, 2021 Beczala Rebeka Kelsey
IL TROVATORE by Giuseppe Verdi Opernhaus Zürich, October 24, 2021 Luna Quinn Kelsey Leonora Marina Rebeka Azucena Agnieszka Rehlis Manrico Piotr Beczała Ferrando Robert Pomakov Ines Bożena Bujnicka Ruiz Omer Kobiljak Conductor Gianandrea Noseda Director Adele Thomas Stage and Costume Design Annemarie Woods Lighting Design Franck Evin Chorus Master Janko Kastelic Choreography Emma Woods This […]
A Wonderful Opera Day in Zurich with Salome and Tosca
A Wonderful Opera Day in Zurich with Salome and Tosca Like all opera houses worldwide Zurich Opera got hit by the pandemic in March 2020. They tried to still have some performance with a reduced audience and they employed some very innovative techniques. The orchestra and chorus were placed in a rehearsal hall some hundred […]
Opera and Animated Movies – an Overview
Opera and Animated Movies – an Overview I already explored the great relationship of opera and movies in several blogs. But there is a very interesting special case: Opera and Animated Movies. It seems that animators are often attracted to opera, opera music and opera stories. There are very few complete operas which have been […]
OPERA and SILENT MOVIES – an overview
Opera and Silent Movies At first it sounds like a contradiction: Opera and silent movies. But actually there is a rich history of opera and silent movies which you probably did not know much about. I will try here to give an overview of this great relationship with many video examples. Silent movies were attracted […]
Placido Domingo at 80 – A personal appreciation
My relationship with Placido Domingo is special: We are almost of the same age. And Placido is the singer which I have seen and heard in the theater most of all tenors. I became aware of Placido in 1971 when I purchased the LPs with his Don Carlo (Giulini; Caballe, Verrett, Milnes, Raimondi) This tenor […]
COVID OPERA
By now we all know about the enormous impact the Corona pandemic had on opera. All opera houses were closed and some such as the Met will remain closed until mid 2021. But in these dire times the human species showed great resilience and incredible inventiveness. First new forms of performances started to appear. Opera […]
OPERA in Movies – a blog/list
I am a great opera fan as you know. But I am also very fond of movies and I have collected a lot. Opera and movies have always been associated with each other: There are many and great opera films which I have blogged about earlier in Opera Movies – An Historical Overview And there […]
Opera Gazet – A great website for opera lovers
OPERA GAZET a website with opera reviews Flamand Olivier is a reviewer for Opera Gazet Here is an example of his reviews: Nabucco, Zürich 2019 Flamand says: *This is not only one of the oldest opera review website in Europe – it is also one of the best. It covers all important and significant new […]
Cecilia Bartoli in Iphighénie en Tauride Zürich February 2nd, 2020 – A Review
Iphigénie en Tauride by C.W.Gluck at the Opernhaus Zürich on February 2nd 2020 Iphigénie: Cecilia Bartoli Oreste, her brother: Stephane Degout Pylade, Oreste’s friend: Frederic Antoun Thoas, King of Tauris: Jean-Francois Lapointe Diane: Birgitte Christensen Femme grecque: Katia Ledoux Orchestra La Scintilla Chor of the Opera Zürich Conductor: Gianluca Capuano Staging: Andreas Homoki On Sunday, […]
Anna Netrebko Turandot Munich Jan 31, 2020 – Review and Clips
I attended the Friday January 31st performance of Turandot in Munich. My review was published on Opera Gazet You can compare her performance with the following clips: Riddle Scene Munich January 2020 In questia reggia Munich January 2020
La Cenerentola with Cecilia Bartoli in Zürich Dec 31, 2019 – a review
La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini Opernhaus Zürich performance of Decemeber 31, 2019 Angelina La Cenerentola Cecilia Bartoli Don Ramiro Javier Camarena Dandini Oliver Widmer Don Magnifico Alessandro Corbelli Tisbe Lileana Nikiteanu Clorinda Martina Jankova Alidoro Stanislav Vorobyov There is no recording of this performance. You can view other recording excerpts with Bartoli here. Or watch […]
Die Tote Stadt Munich 2019 – Review
Die Tote Stadt – A great psychothriller – but no city Performance on November 26, 2019 Bayerische Staatsoper Munich This review was also published on OperaGazet Here is a video (excerpt, documentary, interview) about the performance Paul Jonas Kaufmann Marietta/Marie Marlis Petersen Frank/Fritz Andrzej Filonczyk Brigitta Jennifer Johnston Juliette […]
The great old man of opera returns – Placido Domingo – A review of Nabucco Zürich, October 13, 2019
Nabucco, opera by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera. First performed at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 9 March 1842. Premiere of this production at the Opernhaus Zürich on 23 June 2019. Nabucco: Placido Domingo Ismaele: Otar Jorjikia Zaccaria: Vitalij Kowaljow Abigaille: Oksana Dyka Fenena: Veronica Simeoni High Priest of Baal: Stanislav Vorobyov Abdallo: Leonardo Sanchez Anna: Ania Jeruc Philharmonia Zürich Chor […]
Alcina Salzburg August 8, 2019 – A Review
Alcina: Cecilia Bartoli Ruggiero: Philippe Jaroussky Morgana: Sandrine Piau Bradamante: Kristina Hammarström Oronte: Christoph Strehl Melisso: Alastair Miles Obert: Sheen Park (Wiener Sängerknabe) Bachchor Salzburg Les Musiciens du Prince-Monaco Stage Director: Damiano Michieletto This staging of Handel’s Alcina was premiered at the 2019 Salzburg Whitsun Festival with the same singers. It was now re-staged for […]
Verona – A tale of Romeo and Julia and the two Annas
Verona – A tale of Romeo and Julia and the two Annas (July 2019) Verona is mainly known for two things: Romeo and Julia and Opera in the Arena of Verona. I went to Verona for the latter: Il Trovatore and Aida in the Arena. Reviews of these later. Arriving in Verona I was struck […]
Verdi Nabucco Zürich Opera June 23, 2019 – A Review
Verdi Nabucco Zürich Opera June 23, 2019 – A Review – This review was published by Opera Gazet on June 24, 2019. Full video of the performance here Nabucco, opera by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera. First performed at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 9 March 1842. Premiere of this production at the Opernhaus […]
Wiener Staatsoper 150 Years – a personal hommage
The Staatsoper (as it is called in Vienna) has been present in my whole life. Already in the 1940s as a small child I was very much aware of the “Haus am Ring”. I knew the half-ruined building on the Ringstrasse and I was aware that it was going to be rebuilt. In the meantime […]
High-tech Opera Videos
Video has evolved with new and better? techniques in recent years. There is now opera on Blu-ray disc even in 4K resolution. The 3D fad has faded but there are still some three dimensional operas available. You need a TV which supports 3D. BD from Amazon .ad AIDA from Verona is a classic performance and […]
Massenet Manon Zürich Opera April 7, 2019 – A Review
This review was published by Opera Gazet on April 8. 2019 Fotos (Foto: T+T Fotografie Toni Suter) Manon, opéra in five acts by Jules Massenet to a French libretto by Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille, based on the 1731 novel L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by the Abbé Prévost. It was first performed at the Opéra-Comique […]
Operas with a special place in my heart
Sure I love all opera and I love some more than others but there are a few operas which occupy a very special place in my heart. Well, you say how can one choose between great masterworks and prefer one over the other? Is La Traviata better than La Boheme? Do you prefer Otello over […]
Opera Movies – an historical overview
At Opera on Video we distinguish between live performances, opera movies and concert performances. There are hybrids such as semi-staged performances and live performances in a studio. Opera movies are operas filmed in studio and on location to a previously recorded soundtrack. Directors are often quite liberal with music und libretto and cut or add […]
Opera in South-East Asia ??
When opera in Asia is mentioned most think of the numerous glorious performances of visiting companies in Japan starting with del Monaco and Tebaldi. View these here. Or you might think of the many excellent performances in South Korea by very good local artists. View here. And China has many excellent singers too: View videos […]
When opera goes wrong…
I am sure it happened to you too – something went completely wrong during an opera performance. I have experienced myself a few incidents and collected others. Here for you to enjoy: A glitch in the machinery can be fateful – Mefistofele Theatre Antique Orange 2018 The usually so safe and reliant stage machinery goes […]
My most unforgettable experiences in the opera
You may know that I have been attending live opera performances for almost 70 years now. The number of exceptional performances I have seen is huge. People always ask me to name the most unforgettable extra-ordinary experiences I had over the many years. Well here is a try at my personal list of my […]
Cecilia Bartoli 30 years on stage at Zurich Opera
In 1989 a virtually unknown singer made her debut as Cherubino at the Zurich opera with Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducting. It was the start of an incredible career for Cecilia Bartoli. I was in the audience 1989 and although her costume was less than ideal her singing was superb. After that a world-wide career started […]
(Visited 5,544 times, 2 visits today)