Kathryn Lee

As a diehard rock and roll fan of groups like the Rolling Stones and the Who, I have been harboring a deep, dark secret. The second album I bought growing up was ABBA's Gold. The quartet, which was Sweden's second largest export next to Volvo, had a knack for producing hum-worthy harmonies and catchy choruses that stick in your subconscious for months and months to come.

The Dallas Opera is delighted to announce the winner of the 2016 'Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year' Award: transcendent American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato.

'I learned to recognize the thorough and primitive duality of man; I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both.'

 The Dallas Opera resumes the 2015-2016 Season in early spring with Jules Massenet's heart-wrenching and seductive tale of love, lust, and spectacularly bad choices: MANON, opening March 4, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House for the first of four performances.

The San Francisco Gate writes that Marc Platt, a dancer who appeared onstage and on-screen in OKLAHOMA! and as the fourth brother in 1954's SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS on Broadway, has passed away. He was 100.

Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO), in conjunction with Florida Grand Opera (FGO), held the 27th edition of YPO Voice Competition, awarding $46,000 in prizes to young singers from around the country. The Finals Concert and Awards Ceremony were held at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on Saturday, April 27, 2013.

Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO), in conjunction with Florida Grand Opera (FGO), has announced the 27th annual YPO Voice Competition. This year, the Finals Concert will be held for the first time at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Offering a program of popular and significant arias as sung by today's brightest young talents, the concert takes place on April 27, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. with tickets available to the public for as low as $10.

... The other impression I got from "Singin'" was the incredible depth of talent required of all the actors. The legendary Gene Kelly was the original choreographer, setting a high bar for anyone to follow (or vault over), to belabour the metaphor. This performance is meant to be extremely high intensity; highly athletic. To pull it off, actors must have a huge vocal range, a powerful voice, be highly gifted dancers in a number of genre's including tap, flamenco, ballet, have the agility of an acrobat, be incredibly funny and posses the ability to act ! They were all so physically beautiful, (or perfectly caste, befitting their role). One imagines a vast pool of players and an extreme vetting process to have achieved so many creme de la creme in one show.

Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl Bramwell Tovey leads the orchestra in a concert version of Bernstein's comic operetta Candide, Thursday, September 2, at 8 p.m. The all-star roster of soloists in the production includes: Alek Shrader, as Candide, Anna Christy, as Cunegonde, Richard Suart as Pangloss/Martin, and Frederica von Stade, as Old Lady.

Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl Bramwell Tovey leads the orchestra in a concert version of Bernstein's comic operetta Candide, Thursday, September 2, at 8 p.m. The all-star roster of soloists in the production includes: Alek Shrader, as Candide, Anna Christy, as Cunegonde, Richard Suart as Pangloss/Martin, and Frederica von Stade, as Old Lady.

Offering up greater variety, including more than 50 debuts from Sting to Wagnerian tenor John Treleaven, Ravinia Festival Chairperson Pamela B. Strobel and President and CEO Welz Kauffman today announced details of the 2010 season, including a Chicago Symphony Orchestra residency that celebrates major anniversaries of Mahler, Chopin, Schumann, Barber, Bernstein and Copland, as well as milestone birthdays of Music Director James Conlon, Christoph Eschenbach and Stephen Sondheim. The season, featuring 117 separate events, runs from June 3 through September 7.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the opening production of the 2010 Spring Festival Season - Rossini's Moses in Egypt (Mosè in Egitto) on April 17, 21, 23 and 25 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the opening production of the 2010 Spring Festival Season - Rossini's Moses in Egypt (Mosè in Egitto) on April 17, 21, 23 and 25 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.

As previously announced, this year's Ravinia Festival includes a new production of the musical Annie Get Your Gun; a gala concert celebrating Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday and featuring highlights from Ravinia's Sondheim productions; Ravinia Music Director James Conlon's 60th birthday celebration taking the Chicago Symphony Orchestra into the Martin Theatre for two Mozart operas, featuring mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade in Così fan tutte and baritone Nathan Gunn in The Marriage of Figaro; Leonard Bernstein's Vocal Suite from Candide; Broadway vocalist Kelli O'Hara and pianist Hershey Felder in intimate solo shows in the Martin Theatre; world premieres with Concert Dance, Inc. and the debut of Delfos Danza Contemporánea; the presentation of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico; and a national radio broadcast of Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. Today, the Ravinia organization revealed that George Hearn has been added to the cast of Annie Get Your Gun as Buffalo Bill Cody, joining Patti LuPone as Annie Oakley and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Frank Butler. Paul Gemignani will conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the show's three performances, Aug. 13-15. Hearn and LuPone also reunite with Michael Cerveris, Audra McDonald and the CSO for an all-Sondheim gala concert on July 31.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Liza Minnelli, 'Billy Elliot,' 'Ragtime,' Christine Ebersole, 'God Of Carnage,' 'It Takes A Village,' more.....

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the opening production of the 2010 Spring Festival Season - Rossini's Moses in Egypt (Mosè in Egitto) on April 17, 21, 23 and 25 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) General Director Brian Dickie has completed casting principal roles for COT's 2010 Spring Festival Season: Gioachino Rossini's Moses in Egypt (Mose in Egitto) starring Andrea Concetti; Francesco Cavalli's Jason (Giasone) starring Franco Fagioli; and Jake Heggie's Three Decembers starring Frederica von Stade in her final opera performances in Chicago before retirement.

Caldwell Theatre Company presents The Voysey Interitance, a drama written over 100 years ago that still resonates heavily today.

Caldwell Theatre Company presents The Voysey Interitance, a drama written over 100 years ago that still resonates heavily today.

Caldwell Theatre Company presents The Voysey Interitance, a drama written over 100 years ago that still resonates heavily today.