Opera Now

Opera Now captures the drama, colour and vitality of one of the most powerful of all the performing arts, showcasing the creative spirit of opera both on stage and behind the scenes. In addition, our 32-year magazine archive is now available to subscribers to our ‘digital’ and ‘print & digital’ packages, allowing you to explore more than 270 issues of opera history.

Opera Now

Verdi’s pact with his public

READERS’ LETTERS

British political leaders clash over Mozart opera

News in brief

Remembering Peter Brook – from the sidelines of opera

NEXT ISSUE SEPTEMBER 2022

At home with Verdi • The city of Parma, south of Milan, is the heart of ‘Verdi country’, home to a major annual festival that bears the composer’s name and celebrates his work. Verdi aficionado Karyl Charna Lynn has been a frequent visitor to the region as part of an annual pilgrimage to the ‘Festival Verdi’ on behalf of Opera Now. She introduces our special focus on Verdi and his operas in the pages that follow

Celebrating the life, work and legacy of Franz Liszt

Seriously entertaining • Where does Verdi sit in Italian opera’s development through the 19th century? Starting with the desire to entertain and astound audiences with thrilling vocal pyrotechnics to exploring more narrative-driven, dramatic impulses, Michael Tanner assess the innovative role that Verdi played in modernising the art form

A theatrical love affair • Verdi wrote three operas based on Shakespeare, and they are all masterpieces – the latter two being among the greatest operas ever written. Each had its own very particular genesis, allowing us to follow the trajectory of Verdi’s creative genius from the ground-breaking darkness of Macbeth through to a final, joyous flowering in Falstaff

In so many words… • Verdi’s transcendental qualities have been distilled over the years in the words of the artists who perform his music. Here, we recollect the thoughts of 10 legendary figures who had a special affinity with Verdi, and we revisit some classic recordings and anthologies that give a vivid illustration of their approach to Verdi’s music

Making the case for Simon Boccanegra • Originally premiered between the ever-popular La traviata and Un ballo in maschera, Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra remains one of the least performed of his mature operas. With a score that is one of Verdi’s most distinctive and finely wrought, the opera deserves our attention. Robert Hartford explains why

By royal decree • The Baroque specialist George Petrou will be conducting and directing Vivaldi’s Giustino this summer, the first time an opera by the composer has been performed at the unique theatre at the palace of Drottningholm in Sweden

Travels with my pera glasses • Professor Anthony Ogus heads to Germany in search of rare operatic treats. In a world where instability is rife, his expectations are at times fulfilled but more often confounded…

‘The Da Ponte Trilogy’ Le nozze di Figaro/ Così fan tutte/ Don Giovanni • San Fransisco Opera’s presentation of the Mozart/Da Ponte trio of operas as a cycle has surprising coherence as it follows the disintegration of the American Dream through history

SUBSCRIBE TODAY • Never miss an issue of Opera Now – the opera lover’s essential guide. There are three fantastic subscription options to choose from!

Siegfried

Giulio Cesare in Egitto

I Puritani

Orlando

Germany

Salome

New releases

Opera Now CHOICE

Tales of pain and pleasure • Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński takes us on an extraordinary musical journey introducing the sights, sounds and songs of his homeland

Spotlight August-September 2022 • Production Highlights • World Premieres • Exceptional...