A regular on the podium at La Scala, the Met, and San Francisco Opera, Italian conductor Riccardo Frizza makes his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut this month with Bellini’s Norma. Frizza has made a name for himself in the Italian operatic repertoire, and in this Classical Singer exclusive, he shares his thoughts on Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, and some of their greatest arias. He also gives his advice for that first sing-through with a conductor and how to deal with those first-time jitters.
Should singers be asked to list their weight on an application for a Young Artist Program? Programs who do ask the question explain why—including one program that will be removing the question for the 2017 audition season.
A new summer program in Mexico offers singers the opportunity to sing full roles with orchestra and compete for cash prizes. Read about its inaugural year and meet the lone American among the 94 singers who attended.
Welcome to this year’s summer program issue! Each year, as I review programs (the exceptional ones, the mediocre ones, and the sometimes bad ones) and singers’ experiences (also exceptional, mediocre,
Twelve years ago pianist and coach Susan Morton decided to assemble an entire cast of singers to do an opera sing-through to help one of her students learn a role. That moment of inspiration has turned into a full-fledged program helping singers to achieve a more thorough and complete preparation.
During the holidays, with all the season’s extra stress, mindset issues are compounded.’Tis the season for self-flagellation?! Let’s stop beating ourselves up with the negative self-talk! I’m especially interested in antidotes to
“Life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent of how I react to it.” -Charles Swindoll What is the importance of these three words, “Vision, Mission and
From humble and happy beginnings, baritone Michael Chioldi has enjoyed a remarkable career in many of the world’s greatest opera houses. Though initially unsure of his path, he discovered quickly that he was meant for the stage. Thanks to the guidance and care of his early teachers and his personal dedication, his career progressed rapidly. Chioldi continues to deeply inspire and impact audiences. With a performance calendar full through 2019, his future is one to watch.
For 20 years Sylvia McNair captivated audiences in the U.S. and abroad. In the height of her success, however, she made a major turn from classical literature to American standards and jazz. Find out here what inspired this turn of events.
Hearing beautiful music live is a huge perk of this profession. But what if being in so close a proximity to such music could actually damage your hearing? Find out ways to protect your ears, before it’s too late.
A friend convinced me recently to join her in a morning workout for swimmers. The “Masters Swim Team” meets daily with coaches at each session to give swimming tips. They
Discover ways to develop better technique by using athletic performance metrics.
