Pittsburgh Opera Helps Promote 10-Year Old Jackie Evancho

Jackie: The little "opera singer"
(Photo: Michael Levine)

"Christopher Hahn is the first to admit that when a friend told him about the 10-year-old from Richland who sang classical music, he was a bit skeptical. 'I thought, ‘Yeah, right,' but I was really glad that I watched, because right after her performance, my phone started ringing,' he said. Hahn is the general director of the Pittsburgh Opera, and he is, of course, referring to Jackie Evancho’s appearance last summer on America’s Got Talent. Although Hahn doesn’t typically watch the TV show, he gravitated toward the little singing sensation and followed the rest of her appearances on the show. When he was approached about having Jackie appear with the Pittsburgh Opera, he 'jumped at it.' Jackie will perform with the Pittsburgh Opera at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Benedum Center. Tickets go on sale to the general public July 25 but already are available to Pittsburgh Opera season-ticket subscribers. According to Hahn, the ticket sales have been exceeding his expectations. 'I wasn’t sure how [subscribers] would view the concert as it isn’t one of our typical performances, but we already have about half of the tickets for the performance sold,' he said. Hahn said the fact that Jackie is from Pittsburgh has

Fan of Jackie Evancho:
Christopher Hahn

increased interest with local subscribers, but they also have received calls from as far away as North Carolina about the sales. 'When we throw it open to the general public, [tickets] will sell extremely well,' he said, 'People love the idea that they can see this performance right in their own backyard.' Hahn views Jackie’s appearance as a benefit for the opera, for the area and for Jackie. 'The Pittsburgh Opera is very highly respected. We are the eighth oldest opera in the country, and we are well known in the opera world, but this opportunity allows us to reach people that may not typically attend the opera,” he said. He looks at the upcoming appearance as the opportunity “to remind everyone that we have this wonderful opera in our own backyard.'" [Source]

Calling a Spade a Club: What Defines "Classical" Music

At first glance, classical fans may rejoice at huge increase in album sales. Once you take a closer look at why the numbers soared, it becomes slightly more depressing.

[Source]

Young Metropolitan Opera Singers To Perform With Child Star

Florida-bound: Kooten, Simpson, Holloway

"The Festival of the Arts BOCA ushers in its fifth season March 4 through 12 at the Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts at the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater in Boca Raton with a line-up of international talent. Headlining the festival will be 10-year-old American crossover soprano sensation Jackie Evancho, discovered on America's Got Talent. Evancho will perform in the

Jackie Evancho

festival's A Night at the Opera with young stars of the Metropolitan Opera - Katie Van Kooten (soprano), Jennifer Holloway (mezzo-soprano) and Michael Todd Simpson (baritone) - under the direction of Constantine Kitsopoulos and accompanied by the Boca Raton Symphonia." [Source]

David Foster Defends Andrea Bocelli and Jackie Evancho

Tenor Bocelli & star-maker Foster (Photo: Giovanni De Sandre)

"Pop, opera, it's a moving target, You have to dissect what's going on there, on a daily basis. With Jackie, I wasn't sure about her capabilities in either arena. One of the reasons I love Andrea Bocelli so much is that he truly is the only artist, who I know of, who walks in both worlds. He truly walks in the classical world and the pop world. Classical people don't love him because he doesn't project, but I say, 'Screw that.' He knows the repertoire inside out. To me, he is an opera singer."