Many of you know that I like to write for my friends around the interwebz. Recently, I had the opportunity to review Washington National Opera’s production of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena for OperaPulse. In a totally different vein, I interviewed some fantastisch sopranos about singing in Germany for Operagasm. Please take a moment to check out my articles and peruse their sites which are chock-full of awesome singerly things.
Washington National Opera’s “Anna Bolena” – a Fitful Fairy-Tale
Oscar Wilde writes, “When one is in love, one always begins by deceiving one’s self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance.” Washington National Opera’s current production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Anna Bolena is steeped in this same deceptive world of storybook fantasies of love and power. The ill-fated second wife of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, was England’s queen for a mere three years before she was executed for treason and adultery in 1536. Boleyn is an extremely popular historical figure for the fact that she further proves the rift between the Anglican Church and the Vatican and her daughter became the formidable Queen Elisabeth I. By eschewing certain historical facts, the production pushes the audience to suspend disbelief for the sake of the fairy-tale and immerse oneself in the emotional intensity and vocal virtuosity of the characters.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW HERE
Nächste Haltestelle: Singing in Germany
by Megan Ihnen
There are some things that you learn best when in the calm. Some things are learned well when the studio is small and quiet and your significant others are just on the other side of the door or down the street. However, other things are learned best in the storm of life – when we travel far from our comforts and take a chance on our passions. Many American singers have taken that leap of faith; traveling to Europe to sing on their professional stages. Each has a different experience. To reflect on those experiences and some of the details of singing professional in Germany, a few friends were gracious enough to “virtually” sit down with me and give me their perspectives. Hopefully a few of their thoughts will help other singers looking to take that leap.
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