opera

RSVIP: Fashion Sings at Yves Saint Laurent-Sponsored Met Opera Gala

Rossini never wrote love music more lovely than the score of "Le Comte Ory" (1828), a comic opera which debuted at The Metropolitan Opera in New York on Thursday. But Yves Saint Laurent creative director Stefano Pilati was responsible for the cavalcade of fashion on the gala's jet-black arrivals carpet.

The set: the icy chill of a tented quarter-mile hallway leading to the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center on March 24.

The story onstage at the Met: love, identity confusion, and some cross-dressing in the 19th century. Met director Bartlett Sher has described "Le Comte Ory" as "a place where love is dangerous. People get hurt."

"That can be very funny and very painful," quips Sher.

Let the media coverage begin!

Tags: celebrities, events, fashion, Le Comte Ory, opera, red carpet, red carpet style, RSVIP, Stefano Pilati, The Metropolitan Opera, Yves Saint Laurent

Continue reading “RSVIP: Fashion Sings at Yves Saint Laurent-Sponsored Met Opera Gala”

Maria Callas Costumes Go On Display In New York

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

Maria Callas is a bit lost to the current generation but the late opera singer was once one of the world's most glamorous women and she had the closet to prove it. Stage costumes, dresses and jewelry belonging to the passionate diva are on display at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York.

The exhibit titled "A Woman, A Voice, A Myth" features memorabilia and photos gathered by Bruno Tosi, President of Associazione Culturale Maria Callas. The exhibition has toured the world and this event has been organized in collaboration with the Consulate General of Greece-New York , with major support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Hellenic Parliament Foundation.

Callas, who died in 1977, was born in New York City but received her musical education in Greece and was first famous for her opera singing in Italy where her musical gifts earned her the nickname La Divina. Callas is also famous for her equally dramatic personal life. After a successful career the beautiful diva fell for Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis while she was still married to her husband. She left him for Onassis and the pair were together nine years until Onassis left her for Jacqueline Kennedy.

The exhibit run through March 30 in New York.

Tags: aristotle onassis, exhibition, exhibits, maria callas, opera

Opera Rises Again In Baltimore

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

In 2009, I wrote about the problems befalling opera companies around the country. The recession doomed the expensive art form in many towns as donors scaled back their patronage. One that didn't make it was the old Baltimore Opera Company but the Baltimore Sun delivers the happy news that opera is making its way back to the city.

Lyric Opera Baltimore is a new opera company that will have a stage at the Lyric Opera House, recently renamed the Patricia and Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric. The inaugural 2011-2012 season follows the expansion and modernization of the stage-house and technical systems and will begin in November with Verdi's La Traviata. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro will be performed in March 2012 and Gounod's Faust completes the season in April 2012. Members of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Artists of Baltimore ensemble will be in the pit for the first three productions. The first season will be limited to just two performances each of the three productions planned, staged for a very modest budget of around $1.5 million. Subscriptions can be bought online.

Tags: baltimore, baltimore opera, lyric opera house, opera, opera companies, opera house

New York City Opera to Offer Music and Drinks After Select Shows

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

The New York City Opera is starting a new initiative to help rejuvenate the opera-going experience. After select performances throughout the 2010-2011 season the fourth ring of the David H. Koch Theater will be turned into a lounge with drinks and live music inspired by the performances. "We wanted to re-energize the experience of going to the opera," said the company's general manager and artistic director, George Steel. And it is truly considered part of the experience as the after-show gatherings will be offered free to all ticket holders.

The program is called ACT 4 and the first installment will take place on November 4th following Leonard Berstein's "A Quiet Place." The acapella group Blue Ribbon Glee Club will perform and the featured cocktail will be named "Garden Party" after an extended garden scene in the show.

Source

Tags: david h koch theater, entertainment, new york city opera, opera

Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Limited Edition Watch For The Opéra National de Paris

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Vacheron Constantin has released a sneak preview of an upcoming limited edition watch with a dial that will replicate Marc Chagall's famous ceiling for the Paris Opera House (Opera National de Paris). Details are this point are quite scant, but this highly limited edition Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art watch will feature a beautifully hand done replica of the ceiling. Over the last several years Vacheron Constantin has been wowing its fans with Metiers d'Art collection watches that come out about once a year, and all utilize impressive artistic techniques.

The fact that the ceiling mural is round sure helps it fit into a watch dial. The design will even feature some of the sculpted decor around the periphery of the mural (that will be on the bezel of the watch). No details yet on the complications or materials used in the watches. Vacheron Constantine has been a sponsor of the Opera National de Paris since 2007. We will get more details about this upcoming high-luxury watch collection in November.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: limited edition, marc chagall, metiers dart, opera, paris, vacheron constantin, watch

Wine Critic Becomes Opera Subject

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events

Wine and opera have a new relationship that goes beyond their usual pairing as wine critic and auctioneer Michael Broadbent has become the subject of his very own opera. In the opera the wines do the singing, literally. The show opens with a rumor that Broadbent might be leaving the world of wine, which prompts many of the great wines like Champagne, Bordeaux and Chateau d'Yquem to all compete with each other in an attempt to convince Broadbent to stay. "The Lovely Ladies" debuted on May 12th at the Christie's International auction house in Mayfair, London to a sold out crowd. It seems the idea, thought up by the head of Christie's in Scotland Sebastian Thewes, was a success.

When asked in an interview what it's like to be turned into an opera 83 yr old Michael Broadbent simply laughed and said "It's the most unlikely thing on earth."

Source

Tags: christies, michael broadbent, opera, wine

A Tour of the Vienna State Opera House

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Unappreciated in the architects' time. Imagine.

The Vienna State Opera House is surely one of the grandest and most beloved structures in the entire world, but it wasn't always so well appreciated.

Architects Eduard van der Nüll (1812-1868) and August Sicard von Sicardsburg (1813-1868) were the winners of the contest to design the new Opera House on "The Ring" (Ringstrasse) in 1858 with the motto "Fais ce que dois, advient que pourra," which is French for "Do what you must, come what may." Unfortunately, the Viennese were not very impressed with what they did. Many thought the staircase wasn't grand enough (or high enough) or that the style was too romantic. Also, the Ringstrasse was raised by a meter right in front of the House during its construction, leading naysayers to liken it to a "sunken box." Van der Nüll reportedly killed himself due to the criticism, and Von Sicardsburg, who had lived with him, died shortly after of a heart attack. Neither lived to see its opening day in 1869 -- which was the premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Over a hundred years later, following wars and restorations, ballets and operas are still performed nightly in the astonishing space to sold-out houses, and the Opera Ball is the most important ball of the Vienna Ball Season. I cannot imagine a better home for the ornate and awe-inspiring building than Vienna, where culture is king. In May, June, September and October, about 120 live performances are actually projected onto an enormous wall in the square outside the opera house -- free for everyone to enjoy.

Van der Nüll and Von Sicardsburg were woefully under-appreciated in their own time, so let's take a moment to appreciate their work now:

Gallery: The Vienna State Opera House

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: austria, ballet, opera, opera house, vienna

Maria Callas Yacht Experience Aboard the Christina O

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Yachts & Sailing

There's a unique opportunity to be transported into the jetset era of the 1950's and 1960's with a new yacht charter aboard late Greek shipping tycoon Arisotle Onassis' legendary 325-ft. Christina O. One of the world's most luxurious yachts, it has played host to the likes of Jackie Kennedy (later Onassis), Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Greta Garbo and Grace Kelly. John F. Kennedy first met Winston Churchill on board in 1957, and more recently Sean "Diddy" Combs chartered the craft; and it was also the setting for of the most glamorous, chronicled and ill-fated romances of the 20th century, between Onassis and the world's most famous opera diva, Maria Callas. The yacht's owners are now offering a special Maria Callas Experience charter this spring and summer, featuring a memorable voyage along the Cote d'Azur from Monte Carlo to Cannes, luxurious appointments, exquisite personal service from the attentive crew, superb dining, fine wines, and a bespoke recital of operatic classics with a storyline of Callas' life by some of Europe's most renowned sopranos.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Aristotle Onassis, AristotleOnassis, Christina O, ChristinaO, Jackie O, JackieO, JFK, Maria Callas, MariaCallas, opera, yacht

Ring Cycle Prompts Opera Loan

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

Wagner's Ring Cycle has strained many an opera company's budget. Last year the Washinton National Opera postponed its performances of "Der Ring des Nibelungen" due to the economic climate. This year, a $32-million production of Richard Wagner's "Ring" Cycle is being cited as a cause for the financial problems that have befallen the Los Angeles Opera. The opera company recently received a $14-million emergency loan from Los Angeles County designed to keep it going until the middle of next year. The LA Times reports that the opera company is $20 million in debt and needed the money in order to keep going. County supervisors voted to approve the loan partially over a concern that the failure of the L.A. Opera could hurt the county-owned Music Center. The Los Angeles Opera uses the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for its performances.

According to the LA Times article a group of opera trustees have pledged $30 million to keep the company going and so the loan will gradually be repaid as the money comes in. The four-part Ring cycle will be staged in its entirety May 29 to June 26 as part of a regional arts festival. So far about a third of the 9,000 four-opera subscriptions for the cycle have been sold. The opera can take around 15 hours to perform and the epic style and heavy tone can some put off some opera neophytes but for dedicated fans the Ring cycle is a must-attend event. Other operas may sell more tickets but for many opera houses the Ring cycle is a defining performance even if it is a budget buster.

Source

Tags: dorothy chandler pavilion, DorothyChandlerPavilion, los angeles, los angeles opera, LosAngeles, LosAngelesOpera, opera, ring cycle, RingCycle, wagner

Etiquette at the Opera

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

The opera is a wonderful expression of art and music and storytelling, but attending a show can be intimidating if you've never been before. Here are a few basics:

Attire Although traditionally a very formal and glamorous event, operas have become more casual over the years and attire varies to include all levels. Business attire is common but if you're not sure what to wear feel free to call the opera house beforehand to see what they recommend.

Arrive Early Once the performance starts the ushers will not admit you until after the overture or, in some cases, after the first act is over. Allow at least 30-45 minutes to find parking, get your tickets, and be seated.

Stay Quiet Be courteous and refrain from talking, whispering, and eating during the show. Also be sure to turn off your cell phone, PDA, or anything else that might ring or beep.

No Cameras Most opera houses prohibit the use of photography, video, and recording devices of any kind during performances.

Applause Operas are live so of course it's courteous to show your appreciation by clapping at appropriate moments. Follow the lead of the rest of the audience if you're not sure but generally people will applaud when the conductor takes the podium, at the end of the overture, at the end of each act, and when the performers come out to take a bow.

Source
Source
Source

Tags: entertainment-pedia, etiquette, luxist-awards, main-pedia, opera

Orlando Opera Seeks To Avoid Being The Latest Opera Casualty

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

As I mentioned last month, opera companies across the U.S. are facing hard times. The latest is the Orlando Opera in Orlando, Florida which is facing a huge deficit caused by the recession. The company has launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign and that outcome of that campaign may determine the future health of the organization.

The company has enough money to produce Suor Angelica and Cavalleria Rusticana, a double bill planned for April 3-7. The Orlando Sentinel reports that if the organization can't raise $500,000 by the end of May it may have to find other means of survival including partnering with another arts group or shifting focus to opera training. The decision could also have an impact on the Orlando Philharmonic, which plays for the opera's full-scale productions and the plans for Orlando's performing-arts center. Orlando Opera's 2009-2010 season promises a trio of audience favorites: La Bohème, Carmen and La Traviata.

At stake here is not just opera but the message that having an opera company represents, that a city is culturally rich and cosmopolitan. It is also about keeping opera alive as an art form across the U.S. As the recession bites into people's personal budgets supporting the arts can seem almost frivolous but this is a time when arts groups are fighting for their survival.

Source

Tags: arts, culture, music, opera, orlando, orlando florida, OrlandoFlorida

Opera In Trouble

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

We've been watching trouble brewing in the opera world for a few months now as some companies have closed and others have scaled back elaborate productions. A recent piece on NPR's "All Things Considered" indicated that the problem is widespread partly because opera is one of the most expensive performing arts. Marc Scorca, the president and CEO of OPERA America, says many opera companies started making cuts as soon as last October. Even New York's Metropolitan Opera, the big daddy of the U.S. opera world, is trying to find ways to trim a budget said to top $280 million by postponing big ticket productions and instituting pay cuts. The Los Angeles Opera has also cut staff members and taken a quarter off its budget. While tickets sales for the pricey performances are still strong, it is the donations that are causing opera companies to feel the squeeze. One company that might not make it is the Baltimore Opera, which has debts of over $1 million. It declared bankruptcy last December and canceled the final two productions of the season. They are fighting to stay afloat but indications are that the company may not be able to regroup.

Source

Tags: metropolitan opera, MetropolitanOpera, opera

More Tough Times For Opera: Ring Cycle Deemed Too Expensive

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

It's a tough time to be an opera company. I recently mentioned the closing of Opera Pacific in California's Orange County, now the Washington Post reports that the Washington National Opera has postponed its performances of Wagner's "Ring" cycle until the economic climate improves. Famed opera singer Plácido Domingo, the company's general director, released a statement announcing that the decision was motivated by "the dramatic changes in the nation's economy." The Ring cycle consists of four long operas and was to be a highlight of the 2009-10 season. The cost of showing the four different operas on four consecutive nights often keeps companies away from performing Wagner's mighty work. Often opera companies put on one of the operas per season before doing the whole cycle. The Washington National Opera has already put on the first two and the third was postponed for a year due to budget cuts and will debut in May 2009. The final opera, "Götterdämmerung" will be offered in two performances with sets or costumes which should help the opera company save between $5 million and $6 million.

The Washington Post article revealed that some other arts organizations in the area are also considering trimming back their schedules. Others are trying to cut expenses at the same time they are also cutting ticket prices to lure in customers. Arts organizations in general get much of their attendance and donations from the older generations, the same people who might now be too worried about their retirement funds to support the arts.

Source

Tags: opera, placido domingo, PlacidoDomingo, ring cycle, RingCycle, wagner

More Hard Times In The O.C., Opera Pacific Closes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Charity

Another casualty of tough times in Southern California's Orange County appears to be opera. The recent staging of "The Barber of Seville" may have been the swan song for Opera Pacific, the area's professional opera company. The company was founded in 1986 and has been going strong for years but currently a limited circle of patrons has been unable to swing the $4 million to $5 million in donations needed to fund a season's budget of about $7 million to $8 million. The LA Times reports that the company has canceled its two remaining operas "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Salome" and has put its its office, set-storage and rehearsal building in Santa Ana up for sale and laid off all but two members of the staff. Donations to the arts are often first hit when people scale back their philanthropy in tough times.

Source

Tags: arts, california, opera, orange county, OrangeCounty