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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Pint-Size Singers Hoping to Be Opera Stars
The Metropolitan Opera's stage door, a plain entrance hidden in the tunnels of Lincoln Center, routinely welcomes star singers, orchestra musicians, stagehands, costumers and ushers. But a different bunch of visitors arrived there on a recent afternoon, carrying stuffed toy rabbits and 'Frozen' backpacks. They were children, ages 7 to 10, dressed in patent leather shoes, frilly socks and jackets decorated with dinosaurs. They were united in a common mission: to win a spot in the Met children's chorus, a rigorous, elite training ground for young singers. 'This might be the biggest day of my life,' said Naomi Lu, 9, who admires pop singers like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. She was knitting a lilac friendship necklace to stay calm as she waited in the lobby. 'I feel nervous and excited at the same time,' she said. 'You could say I'm nerv-cited.' Singing in the shower or in a school choir is one thing. But these students, who came from across New York City and its suburbs, were vying for the chance to perform at the Met, one of the world's grandest stages, a temple of opera that presents nearly 200 performances each year. Chorus members have a chance at roles like the angelic boys in Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'; the Parisian kids in Puccini's 'La Bohème'; or the street urchins in Bizet's 'Carmen,' to name a few. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Dandy Attire for a Night at the Opera
You don't need a ticket to experience some of the romance of Lincoln Center's operas and ballets. Arrive about an hour before showtime on a spring evening and you can freely observe people in varied finery making their way up the plaza's steps and past its fountain. Amid the parade of evening wear and cocktail attire on a Friday in early May, James R. Palmisano emerged from stage right — more precisely, from the northern edge of the performing arts complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Mr. Palmisano, 32, who was on his way to see 'Salome' at the Metropolitan Opera, looked dashing in his ensemble of double-breasted jacket, pleated trousers and blue shirt and tie. He had bought the jacket secondhand a few years ago in Brighton, England, he said. He noted that his appreciation for clothes had been shaped by his job as a tailor at the Met Opera, where he had worked on productions including, yes, 'Salome.' 'Our head tailors are very skilled and they're good at getting the fit right,' Mr. Palmisano said. 'They're quite particular at the opera about that, so it's really enjoyable to see them work and to learn why certain things are done to get a shape for a particular person. You have to start somewhere, and you have to start with it on your body.' When asked if there was any styling advice he would give to men in today's trend-forward era, Mr. Palmisano had three suggestions: Groom regularly, dress classically and stay away from synthetic fabrics. 'They don't feel nice,' he said. 'They don't last long.' Tap to see more looks
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Met Opera Husband-And-Wife Stars Jack Swanson And Katherine Henly Talk Travel And Opera
Husband-and-wife Jack Swanson and Katherine Henly. It's a family affair at the Met Opera for Jack Swanson and Katherine Henly, husband and wife duo hailing from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Both opera stars have made their Met debuts this season, with soprano Katherine as a Niña in Golijov's Grammy Award-winning 'Ainadamar,' which premiered in October, and tenor Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva in 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia,' who picked up the role on May 16 from Lawrence Brownlee. Barbiere di Siviglia will stream Live in HD to cinemas around the world on Saturday, May 31, at 1PM ET. In addition to Jack and Katherine, a third special member of the family also made their Met debut. Katherine was 8 months pregnant with their son (and first child) when she debuted, and 9 months (just 12 days away from giving birth!) when she performed in the final performance of 'Ainadamar.' The couple, who has performed around the world together (they met at LA Opera during a production of 'Candide'), spoke to me about their favorite spots in New York, where they love to travel together (for work and for pleasure), their favorite pieces of career advice, and more. Jack Swanson, Katherine Henly, and their son. favorite opera that's not my own is: Jack: My favorite opera is Puccini's 'Fanciulla del West!' Katherine: Puccini's 'La Bohème' is one of my favorites of all time. There is so much subtle beauty woven into it, down to the placement of every rest, and I love playing Musetta—she has so much fun but also has such a caring heart, and her music is a real joy to sing. My pre-performance ritual is: Jack: I start the day with the same vocal exercise, making sure I'm free, relaxed, and that my technique is lined up and in a good place. On a performance day, I like to do some mild cardio, sometimes just a long walk, and I spend most of the day resting. When singing Rossini, I always make sure to sing the most difficult, florid passages as part of my pre-show warm-up! Katherine: It's changed a bit now that my son is here! I always make sure to move my body, so that it's warmed up and feels connected and able to support making the music and storytelling happen. I eat a good meal early in the day so that by performance time I'm fueled up but not too full, and I'm big on hydrating in advance. I still do those things, but my schedule also revolves around when my son needs to eat and sleep! I get performance ready early so that the last thing I can do before I go onstage is feed him and hopefully get him to sleep. I Katherine, what was your experience like being pregnant at the Met and making your debut? Katherine: The Met was so accommodating, and it was an experience I will forever cherish. The costume department was so kind to me and made all of my costumes expandable as I grew into the final month of my pregnancy, and the cast and creative teams truly looked out for me and felt like family. So often we are led to believe that pregnancy and motherhood are limiting to women, but in fact the opposite is true; becoming a mother has been the most strengthening, heart-bursting and expansive experience, in every way. After a performance I: Jack: EAT! I tend to eat very little before a performance, as I don't love the feeling of singing or moving around on stage with a full stomach. So, I usually do my most serious and ferocious eating after the show. Katherine: I am always wide awake and fired up after a performance, it takes me a long time to wind down. I love going out for a bite with my fellow performers or family and friends and celebrating in some way. One of my favorite aspects of performing is how it brings us all together. The next day I try to work in as much rest and resetting as possible so that I am fresh and ready to do it all again! My must-have travel item is: Jack: My Bose headphones. You'd think I'd always be listening to tenors, which of course happens occasionally, but most of the time I just use them to decompress. Noise-cancel and meditate!Katherine: A comfortable travel pillow! Great for adults and babies alike! The destination I love to travel to most for work with my significant other is: Jack: This is a tough one, but last year we had the opportunity to travel all over Spain, and for the two of us, it was really a perfect fit. Luckily, we have more travel and work in Spain soon. Katherine:Tough to pick! We first met working at LA Opera together on a production of Candide, so LA will always be a special place for us! We left a lock with our names on it in Cologne, Germany on the Hohenzollern Bridge when we performed in Street Scene together for Oper Köln. We've since spent a lot of time working together in Norway, which we've loved, and last year we had the chance to travel in Spain and we absolutely fell in love with it. We are looking forward to more time there in the future! My favorite travel destination for vacation (not work) with my significant other is: Jack: When not working, we really love to camp. One of my favorite trips was our adventure to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with our rooftop tent. Katherine: Also tough to pick, but we have really loved our time in Ireland and Italy and are always looking forward to returning for work or vacation! We also love to camp and one of our first big vacations together was a road trip with our rooftop tent that took us from Utah, through Wyoming and on to Minnesota. We love any excuse to get out in nature! My favorite restaurant in New York is: Jack: I've discovered that the BEST New York pizza slice is from Upside Pizza on Broadway and 112th. Don't skip the garlic knots. Katherine: Victor's Cafe on W 52nd. The most amazing food. My father played lead trumpet on Miss Saigon at the Broadway Theatre nearby for the 10 year run until I was 12 years old and Victor's became my family's go-to place for celebrating. I have a lot of great memories there. My favorite spot near the Met opera is: Jack: Too many to count, but you'll often find me with a coffee, sitting in Richard Tucker Park, just trying to soak in the inspiration and understand how he got his high notes to sound the way he did. Katherine: There are so many, but I love to sit under the trees across from The Performing Arts Library and Lincoln Center Theater, it's so peaceful and inspiring to be near so much incredible art happening.
Forbes
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Met Opera's 'Le Nozze di Figaro' Star Federica Lombardi Talks Travel and Opera
'Le Nozze di Figaro' Star Federica Lombardi Evan Zimmerman/ Met Opera Italian soprano Federica Lombardi stars as Countess Almaviva in the Metropolitan Opera's 'Le Nozze di Figaro' , streaming Live in HD to cinemas around the world on Saturday, April 26 at 1PM ET. Hailing from Cesena, Italy, located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, Federica made her Met debut as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni in 2019. Currently praised as one of the most sought-after Mozartians, she is right at home singing in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Met. At the Met, Federica has also performed as Musetta and Mimì in La Bohème, Elettra in Idomeneo, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. In February of 2025, Federica took on the title role in Vienna's new production of Norma. Next season at the Met, she will return to again sing the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. I interviewed the Mozart-pro recently about her favorite spot in Rome, her pre-performance ritual, and more, below. My favorite opera that's not my own is… 'Tosca.' It has everything! Drama, passion, and Puccini's music is glorious! 'Not my own' for now…I would love to be Tosca one day! My pre-performance ritual is… I need a few minutes completely alone. I breathe, I focus, and I remind myself why I love this so much. After a performance, I… Take off my makeup as fast as I can, change into something cozy, and eat something good! My favorite kind of operagoer (does what)… Listens with their heart. You can feel when someone is really, truly present—it gives you energy on stage. The best piece of career advice I've gotten is… 'Never settle.' Always keep growing, and remember to keep learning. Remind yourself that there is no finish line in this career. Get the most out of an opera by… Listening with your ears and your eyes. Watch the singers' faces, the small gestures, the atmosphere —opera is theatre, just get completely involved. My must-have travel item is… My humidifier! It saves my voice when it's too dry. My preferred way to destress is to… Take a long walk, ideally in nature or a quiet city street, with good music in my ears. The destination I love to travel to most for work is… Vienna! There is a special magic in the air there. Vienna has such tradition and beauty. Also New York of course! The Met is something unique to me, I love the atmosphere in the theater. It's an extremely professional experience and the audience is amazing! My favorite travel destination for vacation, not work is… Anywhere by the sea in Italy. I need sun, good food, and the sound of waves. My favorite restaurant is…where I can find a good pizza! My favorite spot in Rome is… The Orange Garden, located on the Aventine Hill. It has amazing views, and that silence—pure magic.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Look inside Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost's $13 million penthouse
Actress Scarlett Johansson and comedian Colin Jost scored a massive bargain when buying a Park Avenue penthouse, the Wall Street Journal reported. Johansson, 40, and Jost, 42, paid $13 million for the six-bedroom, 6,000-square-foot Carnegie Hill co-op, which was first built in the 1930s. The previous owners, Craig and Deborah Cogut, bought the property for $13 million in 2006 and originally listed it for $27.5 million in 2018. The steep discount is in keeping with recent high-end Manhattan real estate trends: young, affluent buyers are increasingly disinterested in classic pre-war co-ops. Industry experts say wealthy buyers are prioritizing more youthful neighborhoods and condos with less stringent rules. 'It's no longer, 'I have to be on Sutton Place in a pre-war co-op and belong to the Met Opera,'' UrbanDigs co-founder, John Walkup, told the Wall Street Journal. 'It's, 'I live in this 32nd-floor Tribeca penthouse with a sweeping view of the harbor.'' While other New York neighborhoods might be cooler, it's hard to match the elegance of Jost and Johansson's new two-floor, 14-room apartment. 'The residence boasts grand proportions, beautiful outdoor spaces off all main rooms, including five terraces and eight balconies, six wood-burning fireplaces, and exceptional light from 65 windows across all four exposures,' the real estate listing reads. 'A private elevator landing opens to an elegant center gallery with lacquered walls and open south city views through floor-to-ceiling French doors.' The penthouse's amenities also include an oak-paneled library, a chef's kitchen, a media room, and soaking tubs. The apartment is 2.5 miles away from 30 Rockefeller Plaza (CMCSA), where Jost works as a writer and cast member on 'Saturday Night Live.' Johansson, a frequent guest on the sketch comedy show, met Jost on its set. The pair married in 2020 and have one child together;Johanasson has another child from a previous marriage. Click through to see Johansson and Jost's new Manhattan penthouse. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
