By Jacob Stockinger
What is it about opera singers? They always seem to make news, no matter they do.
If they take on a role, it’s news. If they leave a role, it’s news. When they start a career, it’s news. When they end a career, it’s news. The life of many opera starts is … well, operatic.
True, it’s not always about opera stars – conductors also loom large.
Especially opera conductors.
Big egos get big coverage, and I guess opera singers and conductors are the big celebrities of classical music in the commercialized and glamor-hungry culture we live in.
Just take a look at some of the events in this week’s revival:
ITEM: Deborah Voigt (below, as Brunnhilde in Wagner’s “Die Walkure“) backs out of Strauss revival at Lyric Opera of Chicago:
ITEM: After 40 years, Chicago Symphony Orchestra maestro Riccardo Muti (below) will give up doing operas at the annual summer Salzburg Festival:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-muti-salzburg-20110727,0,6530748.story
ITEM: Superstar tenor Placido Domingo (below) joins the fight against music piracy:
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/28/138774838/last-word-in-business
ITEM: Red-hot Finnish conductor John Storgards (below) fills in for James Levine at Tanglewood – and draws raves:
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_18497752?source=most_emailed
ITEM: Metropolitan Opera baritone Cornell MacNeil (below) has died at 88:
http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/cornell-macneil-has-died
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/arts/music/cornell-macneil-operatic-baritone-dies-at-88.html?_r=3
ITEM: Diva Anna Netrebko (below) is turning restaurateur:
ITEM: Schmalzy violin virtuoso and waltz king Andre Rieu gives the world premiere of a waltz by Sir Anthony “Hannibal the Cannibal Lector” Hopkins, who has apparently composed a lot of music:
ITEM: The annual summer rites of Richard Wagner (below) in Bayreuth got started this past week. Here’s an account of opening day: