Results tagged “giuseppeverdi”

On Saturday night, Washington National Opera opened the second production of its downsized fall season, Verdi's Falstaff. The regrettable postponement of the company's American Ring Cycle led to a hasty but resourceful reconfiguration of this year's programming, quickly putting together a group of operas that could allow the company and the singers to honor their existing contracts. On one hand, these circumstances caused WNO to return to this masterpiece — Verdi's last and perhaps greatest opera — for the first time in over a quarter-century. On the other, it is lamentable to hear it performed in a musically uninspired way, with this magnificent score generally outclassing a cast that was vocally adequate at best.

The Washington National Opera naturally wants to increase the audience for opera in the nation's capital. To that end, its last couple seasons have featured a free simulcast of one of its productions via an immense screen on the National Mall. Large crowds have shown up, with better or worse results depending on the weather. This year, the company has just announced, it will slightly modify this program, by offering its free broadcast to crowds in Nationals Park, in imitation of a similar initiative at San Francisco Opera.

The 2006-07 season of the Washington National Opera comes to a close next week, with a concert appearance by several of its singers at the Music Center at Strathmore (May 31, 8 p.m.) and the last performance of its final production, Macbeth (June 2, 7 p.m.). It is time to take stock of the company's achievements this season and look forward to what it will offer the city next year. Four productions this season were...

>> At the the Guy Mason Recreation Center tonight there will be an open house to discuss DDOT's Glover Park Transportation Study. 6:30 to 8 p.m. [via FreeRide] >> Trippy Japanese instrumentalists Mono stop by the Rock and Roll Hotel with Grails and World’s End Girlfriend. $10/$12, 8 p.m. doors. >> The American City Diner & Cafe hosts a special screening of the still great Mike Nichols film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring...

The Kirov Opera continues its annual residency at the Kennedy Center with Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff. This last opera by the exceptional Italian composer is a mixture of slapstick comedy -- Arrigo Boito based the libretto on portions of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor and the Henry IV plays -- and an exquisite score of Mendelssohnian delicacy and carefully crafted drama. As the twilight work of a revered composer, it holds a special place in the hearts of opera enthusiasts, the present reviewer included. Imagine the disappointment, on Wednesday night, of seeing the Kirov Opera transform Falstaff into a work of acidic black comedy, a commentary on the divide between a wealthy gangster elite and the freakish, marginalized dregs of society.

The magic word this week is opera, and just taking in all of the opera performances on the schedule is going to keep you busy. You will find options other than opera after the jump. PLEASURES OPERATIC: >> After Rossini's Il Viaggio a Reims this weekend, the Kirov Opera will perform Verdi's Falstaff on Wednesday (January 31, 7:30 p.m.), Friday (February 2, 7:30 p.m.), and Saturday (February 3, 7:30 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Concert...

Washington National Opera is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year, at the same time as the National Symphony Orchestra marks its 75th. Last night, WNO inaugurated its golden anniversary year by the premiere of a lesser-known opera, I Vespri Siciliani (The Sicilian Vespers), by a great and justly famous composer, Giuseppe Verdi. As an opera never mounted in the company's history, it was an odd choice, since it is neither an old-guard favorite...

Now that we are almost in October, the fall season of classical music is heating up, and we have put together a list of highlights through December for you over at Ionarts. But, this week, you should give some thought to hearing some of the good music out there (we have a more complete listing at Ionarts). We reiterate our recommendation from last week: the first opera in the 50th anniversary season of the Washington...

Friday, DCist went to the symphony, and we told you about the National Symphony's first concert and the schedule for the rest of their 75th anniversary season. September is also the time when our minds start to turn to thoughts of opera in Washington. Wouldn't it be great if there were some way to hear an opera and at the same time help suffering people? OPERA THIS WEEK: >> This Wednesday (September 14 at 7...