Eugene Scribe

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA—A MASKED BALL—certainly makes for a juicy opera, on paper at least. It has a plot filled with passion, jealousy and conspiracies, and a score by Giuseppe Verdi that has some of his most memorable music, including a great duet, plus unforgettable arias for soprano, tenor and baritone, and some first-rate music for secondary characters (Ulrica the fortune teller and Oscar the pants-role page) and chorus. The production at Barcelona’s gorgeous Grand Liceu Theatre didn’t stint on the resources for the cast and Verdi sounded as good as he should under conductor Riccardo Frizza with the company’s orchestra and chorus in fine form.

The 71st Wexford Festival Opera will open on Friday, 21 October, running for 17 consecutive days showcasing over 80 events including three mainstage operas, two pocket operas, a new commission and an Irish premiere, closing on Sunday, 6 November.

Today WFO Artistic Director Rosetta Cucchi announced details of her programme for the 71st Wexford Festival Opera which will run for 17 days from 21 October – 6 November 2022.

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA is coming to National Centre for the Performing Arts in China from April 10 to 14, 2019.

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA is coming to National Centre for the Performing Arts in China from April 10 to 14, 2019.

The Moscow Art Theatre is doing a small scene from GLASS OF WATER on Oct. 5, after premiering in April 2018. 

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) returns to New York Live Arts with its new Uptown/Downtown/Dance series from March 1-4, 2017 at 7:30pm with an additional 2pm matinee on Saturday.

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) returns to New York Live Arts with its new Uptown/Downtown/Dance series from March 1-4, 2017 at 7:30pm with an additional 2pm matinee on Saturday.

New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) returns to New York Live Arts with its new Uptown/Downtown/Dance series from March 1-4, 2017 at 7:30pm with an additional 2pm matinee on Saturday. This year's program features a revival of Nijinsky's L'Apres-Midi d'un Faune staged by the 98-year-old Ann Hutchinson Guest, a new and as-of-yet untitled pas de trois by Pam Tanowitz, Frederick Ashton's La Chatte métamorphoses en femme, and Antonia Franceschi's She Holds Out Her Hand which premiered at Danspace in Fall 2016. All pieces will be performed to live music. A post-show celebration with wine, hors d'oeuvres, and music will be held after the opening night performance for which tickets are $75. Tickets for the performances are $30 ($15 for Students & Seniors) and can be purchased at http://newyorklivearts.org/event/spring-concerts/.

At a time when we're often inundated with yet another TOSCA, BOHEME or CARMEN at major opera houses, the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, NY--a couple of hours north of New York City in summer traffic--manages to bring some relief, thanks to the efforts of its Music Director Will Crutchfield. On July 11, Gaetano Donizetti's LA FAVORITE showed us that the composer of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, L'ELISIR D'AMORE and the Tudor Queens Trilogy, among so many others, had more than a few tricks up his sleeve.