Table Of Contents: April 2013

THE EIGTH ANNUAL OPERA NEWS AWARDS, HONORING DAVID DANIELS, MIRELLA FRENI, SIMON KEENLYSIDE, ERIC OWENS & DAWN UPSHAW

Vol. 77, No. 10

• The Eighth Annual OPERA NEWS Awards
• The View from Pompey's Head: Garry Wills on Giulio Cesare
• Direct Connection: Patrick Summers
• A Lifetime Seduction: James Toback on Classical Music
• Sound Bites: David Portillo

Features

The OPERA NEWS Awards

OPERA NEWS salutes the distinguished achievements of five of opera's best.
This year's honorees are …

David Daniels

ADAM WASSERMAN salutes the distinguished achievement of the OPERA NEWS Awards winner.

Mirella Freni

F. PAUL DRISCOLL salutes the distinguished achievement of the OPERA NEWS Awards winner.

Simon Keenlyside

BRIAN KELLOW salutes the distinguished achievement of the OPERA NEWS Awards winner.

Eric Owens

OUSSAMA ZAHR salutes the distinguished achievement of the OPERA NEWS Awards winner.

Dawn Upshaw

LOUISE T. GUINTHER salutes the distinguished achievement of the OPERA NEWS Awards winner.

The View from Pompey's Head

One of the most important characters in Giulio Cesare — the murdered Roman general Pompey — never appears onstage. GARRY WILLS takes a look at three of the Cesare characters affected by Pompey, and at the three great singers who created the roles for Handel.

Direct Connection

In 1986, a young pianist named Patrick Summers arrived at San Francisco Opera's Merola Program, armed with a bachelor's degree from Indiana University and ambitions to be a conductor. Today, Summers is the artistic director of Houston Grand Opera, where he conducts Verdi and Wagner this month; principal guest conductor of San Francisco Opera — and one of the most in-demand maestros in the business. He sits down for a conversation with F. PAUL DRISCOLL.

A Lifetime Seduction

Screenwriter and director James Toback has long been regarded as one of the most original and exciting talents in American film. He's been a lover of classical music all his life. BRIAN KELLOW reports.

Departments

Recordings

CRITIC'S CHOICE: Kaufmann sings Wagner. New recordings of Vivaldi's Orlando and L'Oracolo; Mohammed Fairouz's Sumeida's Song; Gerhaher takes on Romantic arias; Castronovo sings Neapolitan songs. VIDEO: Fleming, Scholl and Blythe head the cast in the Met's Rodelinda; Domingo and Castronovo star in Catán's Postino; Moshinsky's Dolce Vita take on Rigoletto from Australia; a double bill from Teatro Pergolesi; Sellars directs Iolanta and Perséphone in Madrid.

In Review