Month: August 2011
Born to the Theater: An Interview with Francesca Zambello
The following interview took place at the 2011 Glimmerglass Festival. [Below: Francesca Zambello at Glimmerglass, New York; edited image, based on a Claire McAdams photograph, courtesy of The Glimmerglass Festival.] Wm: How did you become interested in opera, and in opera production? FZ: Because my mother was an actress, I basically was interested in theater … Read more
Review: Alexandra Deshorties Commanding in Cherubini’s “Medea” – Glimmerglass Festival, August 14, 2011
In 37 seasons, the Glimmerglass Opera Festival has produced a respectable number of 17th and 18th operatic works, with Mozart (represented in 9 season). Handel (7 seasons) and Monteverdi (3 seasons) the best represented composers. (Cavalli and Purcell also represent the “other” 17th century composers, Gluck, Haydn and Cimarosa, those of the 18th century.) For … Read more
Review: The Pittsingers as the O’Neills in Tesori’s “Blizzard on Marblehead Neck” – Glimmerglass Festival, August 13, 2011
Jenine Tesori is a familiar name on Broadway, as composer of such successful theatrical ventures as “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “Shrek, the Musical”. Tesori, in collaboration with other artists with Broadway successes, librettist Tony Kushner, and Stage Director Francesca Zambello, created a one act opera, based on a few hours in the life of playwright … Read more
New from Arthur Bloomfield’s Time Machine: Visiting the Oldtime Conductor Lorenzo Molajoli
Perhaps you readers have heard the term “house conductor.” This translates as a musician who works or worked more or less exclusively in radio or recordings, and likely had administrative duties as well, such as the now-forgotten Piero Coppola who ran the artistic side of French HMV in the Thirties besides presiding over many recordings and good … Read more