Dmitri Hvorostovsky Shown Love From Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

"Three months after announcing he had a brain tumor, and still in the midst of treatment, the cherished Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky returned to the Metropolitan Opera on Friday evening as the Count di Luna in Verdi’s Il Trovatore. An ovation greeted his first entrance, loud and long enough that he broke character to smile and pat his heart in appreciation. Three hours later, the curtain calls ended with the orchestra pelting Mr. Hvorostovsky with white roses, as his co-star, the Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, appeared visibly moved." [Source] Watch a video of the curtain call, after the jump.

Verdi's "Il Trovatore" Acts As An Alibi In The Dark Movie "Stoker"

Opera Lovers: Not since Salome and Herod has there been such familial heat. Pictured above is Uncle Charlie
watching out for his dear niece India in the deeply disturbing psycho-drama Stoker.

After a boy has gone missing, the local sheriff stops by the Stoker residence to question India who was the last one out with him. As she becomes more flustered trying to keep to her concocted alibi, her uncle steps in to clarify what time she arrived home. "It was 8:30 when you came home. Il Trovatore was playing on PBS," interjects her uncle. India takes it from there, "Yeah, when I came home my uncle was watching TV, so I watched it with him." The sheriff then stumbles with the title, "Il Tr..o..va..tore.....what is it, a horror movie?" And the uncle smugly replies, "No. It's an opera by Verdi. Would you like me to write it down?" Seeming

Under Investigation: PBS to the rescue

satisfied, the sheriff takes his exit. Watch the clip after the jump. [Note: At the point where the clip ends, the uncle ascends the staircase whistling "Stride la vampa" the aria of Azucena from Il Trovatore.] Also see a video of Dolora Zajick singing "Stride la vampa," and a bonus clip from the film of the incestuously erotic version of Piano Duet #1 by Philip Glass as seen in the movie, after the jump.


"India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) was not prepared to lose her father and best friend Richard

Meet the Stokers: Kidman, Wasikowska, Goode

(Dermot Mulroney) in a tragic auto accident. The solitude of her woodsy family estate, the peace of her tranquil town, and the unspoken somberness of her home life are suddenly upended by not only this mysterious accident, but by the sudden arrival of her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), whom she never knew existed. When Charlie moves in with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evie (Nicole Kidman), India thinks the void left by her father's death is finally being filled by his closest bloodline. Soon after his arrival, India comes to suspect that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives. Yet instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless young woman becomes increasingly infatuated with him." [Source] Learn more about the movie here. Purchase the soundtrack by clicking here. 

Catching Up With Anna Netrebko At The Salzburg Festival 2014

Anna Netrebko with fiancé Yusif Eyvazov at the Salzburg Festival.

More photos of the production can be found by clicking here. See more images of Anna Netrebko with Plácido Domingo after the jump.

Anna Netrebko Says Verdi's Leonora Is "A Damn Difficult Role"

Click on the above photo to launch a video of rehearsal footage and artist interviews from Berlin's new production of Il Trovatore. After the jump, see Plácido Domingo's new official branding.

Daphne Guinness Discusses Her Love (and Hate) of Opera

PETER BRANT II: I’m musically challenged. I love music, but I can’t play . . . When I was little, I wanted to be a child prodigy, but I was awful at the piano.
DAPHNE GUINNESS: I had an accident with my right hand, so I stopped playing. It had to do with a lawn mower. Can you imagine? I’ve still got scars. I’m almost ambidextrous as well. So I’ve always had this kind of left hand-right hand problem anyway, but my writing on this hand is almost calligraphical now. I don’t know why, because I didn’t ever learn it. My hands kind of work separately. But singing was always very, very, very easy for me. I know in the last few months it doesn’t look like I’m afraid of putting myself out there, but I also have terrible nerves. I don’t think I’m going to be performing any time soon, but I might join a choir.
PETER BRANT II: Really?
DAPHNE GUINNESS: Yeah. It would be kind of fun. I always wanted to join the choir up in Harlem. They really know how to sing! That’s really great. I like certain operas. I’m not very keen on Puccini. If I have to see another La Bohème, I’m going to shoot myself. I mean, really. There are certain ones I love like the Ring [cycle], and I love Tristan und Isolde. I love Parsifal. I love Il Trovatore. I love all the Mozart operas. The Magic Flute bothers me because I just don’t like it when there’s no recitative. They start talking in the middle. I don’t like musicals for the same reason. Because when someone suddenly bursts into song in the middle of a sentence, you just think, That’s weird. But I like it when the whole thing is sung.
PETER BRANT II: I love The Marriage of Figaro.
DAPHNE GUINNESS: I can sing that from beginning to end And the Overture . . .

After the jump, an excerpt of Ms. Guinness singing "L'ho perduta, me meschina" from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. [Source]

Maria Callas Electrifying First "Trovatore" Performance in 1950

Listen to this incredible excerpt of "D'amor sull'ali rosee" taken from a performance during the run of Maria Callas's first time singing the role of Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore. The performance took place in Mexico City during June 1950 at the Palacio de Bellas Arte. To listen to the whole aria, including the "Miserere," click here.

Trivia: The performances of Il Trovatore occurred on June 20, 24 and 27. Madame Callas had sung the title roles in Aida on June 15, Tosca on June 10 and Norma on May 27. [Source]

Sharon Sweet in 1986 Excerpts of "Il Trovatore"

"D'amor sull'ali rosee"


"Tacea la notte placida"

Arnold Rawls Makes Unexpected MET Debut

Rawls as Manrico at the Bregenz Festival

Tenor Arnold Rawls stepped in for an indisposed Marcelo Álvarez for the second half of this evening's performance of Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera. He was told at the end of the intermission that he would need to go back stage and get into costume to sing. An announcement was made to the audience that there would be an extra few minutes to allow the transition. For those who know the opera, the music that begins Act II, scene 3 is some of the most difficult for the role of Manrico during the whole evening. He opens with "Ah si, ben mio coll'essere" and quickly moves to "Di quella pira l'orrendo foco," a feat that would test the mettle of the most seasoned tenor who has also had the advantage of Act 1 to warm-up. Mr. Rawls basically went on cold and blew the audience away it what became his Metropolitan Opera debut. Roars of "bravo" thundered the opera house after his arias and the crowd leapt to its feet for his curtain call. Despite the interruption it may have caused the other singers who had to take extra time during the break when they were ready to get back on stage and sing, the cast change proved a thrilling evening for the tenor and the audience. The Louisiana-native has previously sung the role of Manrico in Il Trovatore for Bregenz Festival (Austria), Opera Southwest, Teatro Lirico, Mobile Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Seattle Opera and in concert with the Elmhurst Symphony. For more information about Arnold Rawls visit his website: http://www.arnoldrawls.com/.