Fred Plotkin appears in the following:
The Diva (Part Three): Aretha Franklin, Soul Survivor
Friday, March 23, 2012
Aretha Franklin, who will turn 70 on Sunday, "is as exciting, surprising and compelling as when I first heard her in 1967," reports Fred Plotkin, who heard the singer on February 18 at Radio City Music Hall.
Planet Opera: Torino, Italy's 'Other' Opera Capital
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Turin, or Torino, is the only city in Italy right now that rivals Milan when it comes to opera and symphonic music, writes Fred Plotkin. Its food, wine and feeling of sophistication make it worth a visit.
Planet Opera: Spinning Words into Music in Ireland
Friday, March 16, 2012
"The Irish are the best conversationalists I know," writes blogger Fred Plotkin. "They do not simply banter, but spin out words and phrases in whirling musical arcs that beguile the listener."
Opera Competitions: How Do Judges Judge?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
As this post was being written, nine young singers are preparing for one of the most important days of their careers. Read on to find out why.
Planet Opera: Unlocking the Operatic Potential of South Africa
Thursday, March 08, 2012
South Africa has produced some extraordinary singers but it has yet generate a major homegrown opera. Fred Plotkin considers the potential of an opera "flavored with the cadences of Afrikaans, Zulu and Xhosa."
A Role of One’s Own: Kiri Te Kanawa
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Te Kanawa, who turns 68 on Tuesday, is an example of a singer who knew how to pick roles that perfectly suited her, writes Operavore blogger Fred Plotkin.
For Patricia Racette, Life is (also) a Cabaret
Friday, March 02, 2012
With the Met New Season, Hope Springs Eternal
Monday, February 27, 2012
Even while absent from the conductor's podium, Music Director James Levine's presence is nonetheless still felt in The Metropolitan Opera's upcoming programs. Blogger Fred Plotkin shares his highlights.
Kaija Saariaho Takes Manhattan
Friday, February 24, 2012
Opera and Tea Prove a Strong Brew
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sipping a flavorful tea and enjoying an opera are mutually compatible activities, writes blogger Fred Plotkin. One composer has even written an opera on the subject.
Ferruccio Furlanetto and Luca Pisaroni: Lessons of Youth and Experience
Friday, February 17, 2012
One is a veteran artist who gets better all the time; the other is a young singer whose immense gifts and potential suggest he might achieve comparable things, writes Fred Plotkin.
Everybody Loves Marco
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Marco Armiliato will set a Metropolitan Opera record this week by leading six operas in six days, the highest number ever in a single week by one conductor. Blogger Fred Plotkin considers the feat.
The Shoulders On Which They Stand
Friday, February 10, 2012
The trailblazing African-American tenor George Shirley recently wrote an essay on race in opera that serves as a reminder of the opera field's past inequities and potential for progress, writes Fred Plotkin.
Realism vs. Racism: Opera's Casting Call
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
What Do Opera Audiences Want? (Part Two)
Friday, February 03, 2012
Opera company managers must decide how to balance the wishes of audiences with the larger goal of moving the artform forward. Those two priorities are not always in sync, writes Fred Plotkin.
What Do Opera Audiences Want?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
"When outstanding singers appear in unfamiliar works, many current operagoers won’t buy tickets," observes Fred Plotkin. "This is a serious problem."
Nannerl Mozart: Born Too Soon
Friday, January 27, 2012
Today is the 256th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But who remembers his sister, Nannerl, who was an aspiring musician who lived in her brother's shadow?
'The Last of the Toscaninis'
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
It is one thing to be a famous, historical figure and quite another to be that person's relative. Inevitably, their own destinies are affected by their association with their famous relations.
Frederick Delius: Apostle of Romance, Emotion and Beauty
Friday, January 20, 2012
Met Creates a Perfect Storm in Enchanted Island
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Many producers believe they have to give an opera a spin or a concept to make it “relevant.” That's what makes The Enchanted Island so different, writes blogger Fred Plotkin.