opera

From stage to sound booth, opera singer Bruce Paulsen brings vocal talent to radio announcing
By Remy Reynolds
November 18, 2015 - 12:50pm
Bruce Paulsen began announcing at WCNY-FM after a diverse career led him both on and off the stage.

“When I was in fourth grade, I wanted to be Johnny Cash,” said Bruce Paulsen, classical music announcer at WCNY-FM. “Back then, I started talking with a fake low voice. But it turned out to be where I live.”

Syracuse Opera's "Porgy and Bess" is a soulful celebration
By Nick Reichert
April 16, 2014 - 7:00pm
On the cusp of its 40th anniversary, the Syracuse Opera's concert performance of the classic American opera brings communal jubilation and joy.

Opera originating on American soil is a rare breed. With the theaters saturated with the tradition of show tunes, vaudeville and musical theater, the European high art of opera has struggled to gain a popular foothold with both artists and audiences. 

But between the beginning of the early 20th century and the end of World War II, the genre lines between popular stage entertainment (theater, vaudeville, musicals and opera) were never more ambiguous and interchangeable. 

'The Gondoliers' an unpleasant ride for audience
By Sarah Desantis
January 29, 2012 - 3:31am
Review: SU Opera Theatre's production suffers from maturation and casting issues.

Decades of practice and patience lead to greatness--at least for some of the world’s most renowned opera singers, who often wait until their 30s, 40s or even 50s, before their voices mature to a perfect timbre.

Going into The Gondoliers, I kept this in mind.

Old World opera meets new media
By Nigel Smith
February 24, 2010 - 10:44pm
Syracuse Opera calls on College of Visual and Performing Arts students to create abstract video backdrops for 'The Flying Dutchman.'

Richard Wagner is considered a god among titans by opera aficionados.

His operas are grand opuses, largely inspired by northern European mythology and legend. Because Wagner operas call for such elaborate sets, staging one is an ambitious endeavor for any company — even one the size of the Metropolitan Opera. Syracuse Opera — the only year-round professional opera company serving upstate New York — has been a successful institution since its first season in 1974, but staging a Wagner opera remains a challenge.

Life and Laughter at the Opera
By Carren Jao
October 24, 2009 - 8:55am
The Syracuse Opera gave patrons something to smile about tonight with its first show of the season, La Boheme.

For non-opera lovers, La Boheme rings no bells until you say the magic words, “It’s Rent set in the late 1800s.”  The Broadway version stays faithful to its inspiration, making La Boheme infinitely more accessible to younger audiences even with Italian operatic singing and English subtitles flashing above the stage.

La Boheme is one of Giacomo Puccini’s most popular operas alongside Madame Butterfly.  With a libretto by Guiseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, it was first performed in Turin, Italy on February 1896.