May 10 Watch 7:12 Saying farewell to some opera roles, Renée Fleming has career high notes ahead of her By PBS NewsHour Despite reports that renowned soprano Renée Fleming is taking a bow from singing, this diva is not departing. Fleming, 58, plans to perform in concerts on stages around the world, and to take roles offstage as well. Fleming joins Jeffrey… Continue watching
Jan 02 Watch 2:42 How sports gave way to singing for this rising star By PBS News Hour In our NewsHour Shares moment of the day, J’Nai Bridges dreamed of playing professional basketball, but when she chose choir as her senior year elective, her teachers immediately recognized her gift. Now she’s a rising opera star. Continue watching
Oct 06 The rising opera star who traded layups for librettos By Claudia Escobar and Chloe Veltman, KQED When J’Nai Bridges’ pro sports ambitions suddenly fell apart, she started focusing intently on developing her voice. Now, at the age of 29, the American mezzo-soprano is performing major roles for some of the world’s most renowned opera companies. Continue reading
Jun 09 Watch 7:50 New rendition of classic opera 'Porgy and Bess' offers a 'greater truth' By PBS News Hour Since its first performance in 1935, “Porgy and Bess” has earned acclaim as one of American history’s best pieces of musical theater. But over time, many have come to view the opera’s black characters as stereotypes. Now, a new production… Continue watching
May 10 Opera Colorado sings about sin in 'The Scarlet Letter' By Brad Turner, Colorado Public Radio Hester Prynne is one of the great feminist characters in all of literature, says librettist David Mason: full of dignity and courage, in a story that is as relevant today as when it was written. Continue reading
Aug 07 How opera helped a young singer from Ferguson succeed By Nine Network As the anniversary of Michael Brown's death approaches this weekend, young opera singer Melvin Bozeman reflected on his experience with the police in Ferguson and how the arts drove him to succeed. Continue reading
Aug 05 Watch 8:23 Civil War tragedy 'Cold Mountain' inspires opera By PBS News Hour "Cold Mountain," the bestselling Civil War novel by Charles Frazier, tells the story of a Confederate soldier who decides he has had enough and walks away in search of the woman he left behind. Now that epic has been distilled… Continue watching
Aug 05 Opera singer takes 'bathroom break' to a whole new level By artsdesk Jay Hunter Morris, an operatic tenor who appears in the world premiere of the Santa Fe Opera's "Cold Mountain," showed the NewsHour's Jeff Brown his favorite location to prepare before going on stage. Continue reading
Aug 05 Watch 1:29 'Cold Mountain' opera singer finds creative place to warm up By Corinne Segal Continue watching