Metropolitan Opera

I attended the Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars Concert series on Sunday, February 28, 2016 in Wright Auditorium. The stars consisted of Janai Brugger a soprano, Sarah Mesko a mezzo-soprano, Sean Panikkar a tenor, Trevor Scheunemann a baritone, and lastly Brent Funderburk the pianist. These performers are apart of the S. Rudolph Alexander performing arts series. The audience consisted of a wide range of people; from college students to the elderly citizens of Greenville, NC. First, I would like to start off with one of the songs that immediately captured my attention, “Ah! Guarda sorella.” This song was an aria by Janai Brugger and Sarah Mesko. These ladies were singing about their wonderful men. I found that although I didn’t quite understand…

“Anderson was the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.” On January 7, 1955 she performed in a prestigious place, Metropolitan Opera House, which led her to fame to become one of the most celebrated singers in the 20th Century. She was a very famous and talented black opera singer who overcame many obstacles in her life, such as finding the resource to finance her vocal lessons. She was honored and rewarded by her success, but was distracted by…

While working as the Artistic Director of La Boite Theatre Company Sean Mee made the very bold and daring decision that of all the works that the company would produce in each season must be entirely Australian plays. During the ‘In conversation’ Mee reflects on his decision while working as the Artistic Director, “If I’m going to be [working for] an Australian company, then we are going to produce Australian work”. In the 2007 La Boite Theatre Company Annual Report the objectives of the…

Montserrat Caballe As a legendary Spanish opera singer, Montserrat Caballe is considered one of the greatest opera singers of her generation. In terms of production and performance, she made more than 80 recordings and preformed almost 4,000 performances. Well trained as a young singer in her life, Caballe, certainly, had a special talent, which was sheer powerful voice. Her performance was not restricted in Italian style exemplified by Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti. She went further and…

Samuel Osborne Barber II, a well remembered American composer, was known for his astounding musical skills. He showed his ardency for music from childhood and even at an extremely puerile age and went on to he decided to become a music composer. He was a master of orchestral, opera, choral and piano music. It was practically instinct for him to go along with music all his life since he was brought up in a family packed with musicians. Barber’s works acknowledge his love for poetry and his deep…

Placido Domingo is generally known as “the King of Opera”, as he is one of the most famous singers and composers of all time. Born on January 21, 1941, in Madrid, Spain, Domingo grew up in a very music oriented family. Both of his parents were singers of Spanish operas, and toured all around Spain with a troupe. When he was around the age of eight years old, he received his first piano lessons. He moved with his parents down to Mexico so they could start up their own zarzuela group, which helped…

When most people hear the words “opera singer,” their mind conjures up images of bloated women, plunked down in the middle of a stage, illuminated by a spotlight, dressed in exotic costumes, and screaming at the top of the lungs in even more exotic languages. But frankly that stereotype could not be more wrong; I know that for a fact. If those stereotypes were right, then I would not be writing this paper. I love opera. I have been addicted to it for over five years now, and the fire that…

Fidelio An Opera by Ludwig van Beethoven "Fidelio," opera in two acts, by Ludwig van Beethoven. Produced in three acts, as "Fidelio, oder, die eheliche Liebe" (Fidelio, or Conjugal Love), at the Theatre on the Wien, November 20, 1805. Revised and given at the Imperial Private Theatre, March 29, 1806, but withdrawn after a few performances. Again revised and successfully brought out May 23, 1814, at the Kärnthnerthor Theatre (Theatre at the Carinthian Gate), Vienna, Paris, Théâtre Lyrique,…

He began singing and composing on the accordion and piano at the age of 4 and gave his first recital at 10. When he was 15 years old, he entered the Vienna Conservatory. During his years at the school, he began composing a piece where he felt he was able to truly develop his voice, Das Klagende Lied. Once he graduated he decided that conducting was the main thing he wanted to do. He thought it would be the best career choice. On January 1, 1908, Mahler debuted as director of New York City’s…

Copland is not only able to just contribute to the repertoire of wind music, but is able to liberate it from European influence and continues to inspire other American composers still to this day. Aaron Copland was born on November 14, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York to a Conservative Jewish family. His father had no musical interest whatsoever, while his mother, Sarah Copland, sang and played the piano. His brother excelled at the violin, while his sister was his first piano teacher that gave him…