Opera – Neil Kurtzman

I’ve been writing a lot about great baritones of the past century, while I’ve mentioned him a few times, this is the first post devoted exclusively to Tito Gobbi (1913-1984). A major figure of 20th-century opera, Gobbi combined vocal distinction with an acting ability rarely equaled among singers of any vocal category. His career, which...

There are several operas in which the organ has a prominent role. It is the reason that many major opera houses have organs built into their architecture. Examples include the Metropolitan Opera House, the Sydney Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Palais Garnier, the Royal Opera House London, and the Rome Opera. Here are several...

I recently wrote that the title role in Verdi’s Otello was unique and so difficult to fully realize that it needed a tenor so gifted that the role might belong to a class of its own – The Otello Tenor. The role requires a tenor with the strength of an offensive tackle and the finesse...

“Ombra mai fu”, also known as “Largo from Xerxes” or “Handel’s Largo”, is the opening aria from the opera Serse (1738) by George Frideric Handel. Serse is an opera seria in three acts. It was first performed at the King’s Theatre, Haymarket on 15 April 1738. It was a complete failure lasting for only five...