Throwback Thursday
Operalia Winners, and now much sought-after singers in the operatic world, Angel Blue, Maria Mudryak and Giordano Lucà have all performed at the NCPA to much acclaim. We take a look at the career trajectories of these artistes. Giordano Lucà, tenor – Italy La Bohème Revisited – SOI Spring 2017 Season Winner
Throwback Thursday
Frances Alda was born as Fanny Jane Davis on 31st May 1879 in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was her famous teacher Mathilde Marchesi who evolved “Alda” as the soprano’s last name. Her mother, Leonora Simonsen, was a professional singer. As a child, Alda was taken to Australia to live
Throwback Thursday
Rated as one of the most accomplished singers of her time, Toti Dal Monte was born in Venice on 27th June 1893. Her ambition was to become a concert pianist and she entered the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice while still a child. A strained tendon in her left hand
Throwback Thursday
Classical music’s timeless allure has transcended generations, leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of pop culture. From its earliest appearances on the silver screen to its contemporary prominence in the digital age, classical compositions have continuously resonated with audiences, shaping and enhancing various facets of popular culture. Cinematic
Throwback Thursday
Luisa Tetrazzini was one of the most famous Italian sopranos of the 19th-20th centuries. She began singing at the age of three, which is perhaps why her father compared her to one of the great coloratura singers of the 19th century, Adelina Patti, who had also begun performing as a
Throwback Thursday
Mattia Battistini, the great Italian baritone, was born in Rome on 27th February 1856. After completing his studies, his debut came about as follows: It is 1878. The leading baritone of the Teatro Argentina is indisposed, the opera La Favoritahas been announced and the director is in despair when someone
Throwback Thursday
Zane Dalal shares personal reflections on the repertoire and his 46-year association with Zubin Mehta, ahead of the Maestro’s eagerly awaited concerts with the Symphony Orchestra of India on 19th and 21st August. It is my great pleasure to write once more for the readership of ON Stage, this
Throwback Thursday
In a new series, Jimmy Bilimoria discusses a work from the Stuart-Liff Collection he oversees at the NCPA. This month, he writes about the distinctive talent of Italian opera singer Beniamino Gigli “I was born with a voice and very little else; no money, no influence, no other talents. Had
Throwback Thursday
In its original Greek form, “pedagogy” means “to lead a child,” from the roots pais: child and ago: to lead. This suggests that education is inherently directive and necessarily transformative, but the question is what “leadership” and “transformation” mean and ought to entail. Philosophically speaking, pedagogy is a “thick” concept,
Throwback Thursday
As the SOI prepares to present André Previn’s music for Tom Stoppard’s play Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, we take a look at the extraordinary musicality of the man who was a prolific composer, an acclaimed conductor and an inventive jazz pianist. When he died on 28th February
Throwback Thursday
Onay Zhumabayeva, cellist and Orchestra Manager, looks back on the SOI’s journey from the first-ever season in 2006 to the 29th, beginning this month. The thrill and challenge of moving in uncharted waters are inseparable. The pioneers of the Symphony Orchestra of India, in creating the country’s first
Throwback Thursday
A chance encounter can sometimes become a memory one preserves for a lifetime. In 1982, on his way to America, Dr. Cavas Bilimoria—the NCPA physician and an amateur violinist with a deep adoration and sound knowledge of Western classical music—had a brief sojourn in Amsterdam. A spontaneous walk