News for December 2001: Vaness, a southern California native who has won fame internationally as a singer, has appeared numerous times with Los Angeles Opera since her debut with the company as Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte. She recently sang at the Met in Idomeneo, Tosca and Die Fledermaus. A guest artist of Los Angeles Opera, Gilfry has appeared in eighteen different productions since his 1990 debut in the title role of The Marriage of Figaro. Gilfry and Suzanna Guzman co-host Los Angeles Opera's weekly radio program, "Opera Notes on the Air" for KMZT-FM and will be heard in a cabaret evening at El Portal Center for the Arts on Dec. 10. Los Angeles Opera also announced its redesigned and renamed website, www.losangelesopera.com. The site features an events calendar, a production photo gallery, convenient online tickets and profiles of artistic director Placido Domingo and Principal Conductor Kent Nagano. "More than 40,000 visitors hit our house page every day," said marketing director Todd Schultz. "The internet is our most important marketing tool that now serves both as an informationalal resource as well as the point of purchase for many subscribers and single ticket buyers." HARTFORD, CT-- Connecticut Opera recently celebrated its 60th anniversary season with a gala concert headed by Denyce Graves. The company's new season includes such popular shows as La Boheme, Die Fledermaus and The Tales of Hoffman. Music and general director Willie Anthony Waters is one of the rare African-Americans in such a prestigious post. When asked about the difficulty black artists faced in securing leading roles in opera, he said, "Throughout the years, in music and films and everything else, there's been a perceived reluctance of audiences to accept a black man in a leading, dominant role, especially opposite a white woman. I think the real problem comes when a black man is the love interest. When he's the antagonistic interest, there isn't a problem."

News for November 2001

News for October 2001

News for September 2001