By Hannah Wing-Bonica Clowns can be traced back to 2500 BCE in ancient Egypt, but these were not the “clowns” that we know of today. They were known for their sharp insights and humor. In Verdi’s Falstaff, some might see… Read More ›
Matthew Soibelman
Pittsburgh Opera Wraps Its Season, and General Director Christopher Hahn’s Tenure, with Verdi’s Final Opera “Falstaff” April 28th – May 3rd
As Giuseppe Verdi approached the end of his storied career, he turned not to tragedy but to comedy—crafting Falstaff, a buoyant, fast-moving opera drawn from The Merry Wives of Windsor. Widely regarded as one of the finest comic operas ever written, the work distills… Read More ›
Review: A Spiritual and Vulnerable Experience at Pittsburgh Opera’s ‘Curlew River’
By MINGSI MA The Traveler (Yazid Gray) and the Ferryman (Erik Nordstrom) and The Madwoman (Logan Wagner, middle). (Image Credit: David Bachman Photography) In the Director’s Notes for Pittsburgh Opera’s Curlew River, the Stage Director Dana Kinney writes that “…[Curlew River]… Read More ›
Review: Pittsburgh Opera Premieres ‘Woman With Eyes Closed’
Season Closes with 1st Performances of Jennifer Higdon & Jerre Dye’s Take on a Real-life Art Heist, with three Alternate Endings By GEORGE B. PAROUS Saturday evening, the crowd that filled Pittsburgh Opera’s Bitz Studio in the Strip heard the… Read More ›
Pittsburgh Opera Announces its 2025-2026 Line-Up
Company’s 87th Season Will Be an Eclectic Array of Works and Venues It’s never too early to plan operas on the horizon, and Pittsburgh Opera today announced its offerings for the 2025-26 line-up, the company’s 87th season. Five works will… Read More ›
Pittsburgh Opera – Joseph Haydn’s “Armida”
“Baroque” Rarity is Being Presented With Powerful Vocal Cast in Effective Staging By George B. Parous Pittsburgh Opera gave the second performance of Joseph Hadyn’s Armida last evening, at the CAPA auditorium, and it was an outstanding example of the… Read More ›
Pittsburgh Opera Launches 2024-25 Season With a Production of ‘Tosca’
Outstanding Performance of Tried and True Standard by Giacomo Puccini Shows the Composer and Company at Their Best By GEORGE B. PAROUS Pittsburgh Opera opened their new season last night at the Benedum, with a performance of Puccini’s Tosca that… Read More ›
Pittsburgh Opera Announces 2024-25 Lineup
86th Season Slightly Curtailed But Attractive Pittsburgh Opera today announced the lineup for their upcoming 2024-25 season, one that differs in some respects from recent offerings, but one that includes four tried and trues – one of which is a… Read More ›