The Invention of Opera
Who invented opera? Around 1580, scholars met in Florence and created a new art form with the opera. However, there was a misunderstanding...
Buffo bass: the opera character to love
The bass buffo is a funny, sometimes tragicomic character in opera that you just have to love. Read about the roles of a bass buffo in opera and who the most famous performers are.
Who was the first Don Giovanni?
Mozart's premieres often featured the stars of his day. There was one exception, however: Don Giovanni.
Bayreuth Festival 2021: all operas, all stars
The Bayreuth Festival 2021 starts on July 25, 2021 and delights all opera fans with the works of German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) until August 25. So here on the StarkConductor blog I'm giving an overview of the Bayreuth Festival 2021. In the course of this you can read here which pieces will be performed this year and who is in the cast.
Papageno, who are you?
Papageno is half man and half bird, loves wine, women and music and is the secret star of Mozart's Magic Flute. In this blog post you will learn more about Papageno and his role in perhaps Mozart's most famous opera.
Singspiel – what is that?
Singspiele were extremely popular in the opera houses of the 18th century. But what is a Singspiel anyway? Find out in this blog post. You can also read why the middle class of the 18th century preferred to go to the Singspiel instead of the court opera, how Joseph II set up what was perhaps the first cultural funding pot of all time, and which Singspiele you absolutely have to know.
Three Facts About Opera
I keep saying that opera is an incredibly versatile art form. Accordingly, there is a lot to tell about the world of opera. Today, I present three facts that you might not immediately think of when you hear the word "opera".
