Posts Tagged ‘opera’

Sep. 20 2022

A rare chance to see a zarzuela!

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Interviews, WBJC Programs | Comments Off on A rare chance to see a zarzuela!

Zarzuela is a Spanish musical theater genre that isn’t produced in this area very often, so I was thrilled when I had a chance to chat with mezzo Laura Virella and music director David Peralto about the current production of “Revoltosa” at GALA Hispanic Theatre in D.C.. The show runs through October 2; information is […]

Mar. 02 2021

The Fashions of the Opera

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs | Comments Off on The Fashions of the Opera

    My husband and I are outliers in a number of ways, one of which is that we still dress up when we go to the theater or the opera. We’re both vintage enthusiasts as well and enjoy researching the proper attire for a particular era when we attend “period” (usually 1920’s) events. Well, […]

Jul. 10 2018

Topsy-Turvy Summer Fun at Young Vic

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Interviews, WBJC Programs | Comments Off on Topsy-Turvy Summer Fun at Young Vic

It’s probably no surprise to our listeners that all of WBJC’s announcers have off-air performing experience as singers, actors, or instrumentalists.With that in mind, I’m delighted to announce that our evening host, John T.K. Scherch, will be singing the title role in The Mikado at Young Victorian Theatre Company this summer. Earlier this week, I […]

May. 22 2018

Mezzo-to-mezzo with Denyce Graves

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Interviews, WBJC Programs | Comments Off on Mezzo-to-mezzo with Denyce Graves

Leonard Bernstein’s Candide  is onstage at the Kennedy Center through May 26th. Recently, I had the immense honor – and pleasure! – of meeting and interviewing internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, who is playing The Old Woman in this production. She’s as lovely as her voice, both personally and physically, and we had a great […]

Apr. 04 2018

The Art of Crossover: From Classical to Broadway

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Interviews, WBJC Programs | Comments Off on The Art of Crossover: From Classical to Broadway

Many young performers begin their training with their hearts set on working in opera or ballet, but these days, they may find that they have to branch out into other art forms to find gigs. On Saturday, April 14, MedChi and the Baltimore School for the Arts are teaming up to present “The Art of […]

Jan. 19 2018

Opera Goes to the Theater

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Interviews, WBJC Programs | Comments Off on Opera Goes to the Theater

These days, it’s not at all uncommon for symphony orchestras or even opera companies to present musical theater works. However, the reverse – doing an opera – is a daring move for a theater company! Earlier this week, I spoke with Music Director Ben Shaver about Stillpointe Theatre’s current production of Leonard Bernstein’s “Trouble in […]

Nov. 10 2016

Opera Goes to the Movies, 1935-Style

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs, Movie Reviews | 4 Comments

It’s less and less common to see classical music represented in popular culture these days, especially in a positive sense, so imagine my delight when I recently saw that Turner Classic Movies was airing Love Me Forever, a 1935 film starring Metropolitan Opera soprano Grace Moore. I’m rather ashamed to admit I didn’t know Moore’s […]

Feb. 25 2016

A Modern Novelist Goes to the Opera

By Dyana Neal | Posted in Host Blogs | Comments Off on A Modern Novelist Goes to the Opera

I’m always on the lookout for interesting reading material, so when I recently read a New Yorker review of Alexander Chee’s The Queen of the Night, my eyes got a bit wider. A novel that combines several of my passions – opera, history, jewelry, and fashion – sounded like exactly what I’d been seeking. Not many […]

Jul. 15 2015

The timeless star crossed lovers

By Judith Krummeck | Posted in Interviews | Comments Off on The timeless star crossed lovers

  Maryland Lyric Opera is presenting their production of Gounod’s opera inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet from this weekend. The company’s founder and Executive Director, Brad Clark, came into WBJC to talk about it.                        

Feb. 24 2015

A Strauss rarity

By Judith Krummeck | Posted in Host Blogs | Comments Off on A Strauss rarity

Richard Strauss’s Guntram is not to be confused with Saint Guntram, who was the king of Burgundy from 561 to 592. Rather, he was the young Strauss’s own concoction for his first opera, written very much under the influence of Wagner in 1894, and revised in 1940. Richard Strauss’s collaboration with the librettist Hugo von […]

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