Christine Goerke Gives Top Wagnerian Performance In New Zealand

Brünnhilde Ascending: Christine Goerke is quickly climbing to the summit of Valhalla. (Photo: Arielle Doneson)

Concert review for Wagner Gala featuring Christine Goerke (soprano), Simon O'Neill (tenor) with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pietari Inkinen at Michael Fowler Centre on June 12, 2015, in Wellington: "In 2012 we had that thrilling concert performance of the second of Wagner's Ring operas Die Walkure, and two of the outstanding cast were Christine Goerke and Simon O'Neill. Now as a kind of addenda to that extraordinary experience we heard large slices of the last two Ring operas, Siegfried and Gotterdammering [sic]. I suppose there was a hint of frustration in the hour or so of each opera we heard, in that we moved from act to act, missing huge chunks that tie the operas together, and were treated to surtitles that were quaintly absurd in the manner of English translations of Wagner's words. Having said all this, though, the evening was a marvellous experience of Wagner 'writ large'; a huge orchestra with

San Franciso Opera Continues "First Kiss" Series With Stars

San Francisco has a second installment of their video series "First Opera Kiss," asking singers to recall their inaugural stage smooch. This round includes Diana Damrau, Ailyn Pérez, Ellie Dehn, Mary Dunleavy, Simon O'Neill, Nadine Sierra, and Karen Slack. Click here for the first set of videos. Watch the new videos after the jump. 

Opera Singers Give Relief Concert For New Zealand Victims

From left to right: Taddei, O'Neill, Cole, Makisi
(Photo: Marion Dijk/Nelson Mail)

"Soprano Aivale Cole jokes that she usually travels on the bus, so it was nice to be greeted by a couple of gleaming classic cars when she arrived at Nelson Airport yesterday for Opera in the Park tonight. The opera star was on the same flight from Wellington as tenors Ben Makisi and Simon O'Neill and conductor Marc Taddei. The singers, draped with leis in honour of the Samoan tsunami relief fundraiser, travelled in style to their accommodation in a 1958 Buick Special and a 1961 Studebaker Hawk. The performers said it was bittersweet to be singing in Nelson after the devastating Christchurch earthquake, but all were looking forward to providing some relief through song. 'A poignant evening,' was how O'Neill described tonight's show – and everyone agreed. 'I'm really glad that we've come here,' Cole said. 'A lot of Christchurch people are here just to get away and they're probably still thinking about their homes.'" [Source]