All About Opera and Classical Music News in 2013

Classical music and opera is what we love. The Magic Flute Opera (Die Zauberflöte) is one of the most popular operas in the opera classical music repertoire. Bellini opera belongs to some of the best operas. The Bizet opera, more commonly known as Carmen opera, continues to be popular.

For an evening-out or a visit to the opera house, for some, black opera gloves are traditional. Although there might not be an opera house near me, I can always do a virtual tour of the Garnier Opera House and the Lviv Opera House and discover their similarities.

In 2013, Myron Yusypovych continued to conduct opera and some of the best classical music in Ukraine and Poland.

All About Opera and Classical Music in 2013
All About Opera and Classical Music in 2013

Read to Discover News in 2013

December 11, 2013

Famous USA Opera House Soloist Will Perform in Verdi's Opera

Stefan Szkafarowsky who has sung as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera (New York, USA) will perform at the S. Krushelnytska National House of Opera and Ballet in Lviv (Ukraine)…

The performance is planned for December 21. «The famous bass opera soloist of Ukrainian descent Stefan Szkafarowsky, will perform the role of Zaccaria in the opera Nabucco by Guiseppe Verdi. Our first rehearsal is planned for December 18», – said Ms. Trush….

Express LvivNewsOnline

Myron Yusypovych – Stefan Szkafarowski
Myron Yusypovych – Stefan Szkafarowski

November 27, 2013

What Are the Names of Famous Bellini Opera?

Vincenzo Bellini (1801 – 1835) is a famous Italian composer. Bellini is best known for his opera Norma. Between 1825 and 1835, he composed 10 operas.

Bellini is considered one of the founders of the Italian bel canto style of music and opera. Bel canto is often associated with the coloratura soprano voice, which is a very high-pitched female sound.

Vincenzo Bellini lived a short life by today’s standards. Another famous opera composer, who also had a short life is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Read about other interesting similarities between Bellini and Mozart.

The opera world is filled with intrigue. In April, 2012, a fictional hoax about a discovered Bellini opera manuscript was spread. And then, in September, 2013, a Bellini opera manuscript fragment was indeed discovered in Spain.

Continue reading about the performance of a bel canto opera by Bellini from the perspective of opera conductor Myron Yusypovych. But, first, you might want to make yourself a Bellini cocktail.

Famous Bellini Opera - Norma
Famous Bellini Opera - Norma

November 14, 2013

The Faust Opera in the History of the Lviv Opera House – MusicNotes

I have very concrete memories from my childhood and youth that are related to the opera Faust by Charles Gounod (1818-1893). The opera Faust was very popular in the former USSR (1922-1991) and was performed almost in all the opera houses of the empire.

I can vividly recall several interesting reminiscences by former theatre elders about the 1950s and 1960s. Apparently, during that period, there was a separate category of audience members at the Lviv Opera, who would arrive at the theatre, on the evenings when the opera Faust by C. Gounod was playing, at the end of Act 2…

Continue reading MusicNotes about the Faust opera in the history of the Lviv Opera House by Myron Yusypovych.

Ostap Darchuk (1911-1999) in the Opera Faust
Ostap Darchuk (1911-1999) in the Opera Faust

October 24, 2013

The Opera Paris and The Opera Lviv – Intriguing Similarities

The Opera Paris, France and the Opera Lviv, Ukraine compared:

Listen to opera music online - the Grand Triumphal March, Gloria all'Egitto from the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901).

The Paris Opera House & The Lviv Opera House
The Paris Opera House & The Lviv Opera House

September 26, 2013

Interesting Fun Facts About Black Opera Gloves

Black opera gloves are gloves that extend from the fingers and up over the arm. They cover the elbow and at least part of the upper arm.

Contemporary opera gloves come in a variety of colours, materials and styles. At this time, black opera gloves are very popular. A curious way of measuring the length of a glove is the “button”.

If you attend a performance of the operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár (1870-1948), chances are you will see the female soloists and choir members wearing opera gloves during the ballroom scenes.

Listen to opera music online from Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857).

Black Opera Gloves in The Merry Widow
Black Opera Gloves in The Merry Widow

June 21, 2013

Commemorating the Victims of NKVD Executions at the Lontsky Memorial Museum

Today, on June 21, a memorial evening was presented in remembrance of the victims of the June 1941 NKVD executions in the prisons of Western Ukraine. The musical and dramatic event entitled A Night with No Dawn took place at the Lontsky Memorial Museum…

The event took place in the prison yard and consisted of a photography installation entitled Portraits of Halychyna; poetry by Vasyl Symonenko (1935-1963) and Vasyl Stus (1938-1985); fragments from the novel Tango of Death by Yurij Vynnychuk, as well as, excerpts from the research publication 1941: The Western Ukrainian Tragedy by Inna Fedushchak (1937-2008) and Oleh Romaniv (1928-2005) and works for string orchestra by Ukrainian and foreign composers.

The event was conceived by… Myron Yusypovych, who was also the event's artistic director. He engaged actors from the drama-studio Art Space and their stage-director Ulyana Moroz, as well as the Lviv Virtuosos chamber orchestra musicians. Gal-info, Serhij Bobra

A Night with No Dawn – 1941
A Night with No Dawn – 1941

May 24, 2013

Guest Conducting in Lubłin, Poland

On May 24, 2013, Myron Yusypovych (Myron Jusipowicz – as he is known in Poland) conducted the 2012-2013 season finale concert with the Orkiestra Symfoniczna Filharmonii im.H.Wieniawskiego in Lubłin, Poland.

The evening included two young violinists, Anna Malesca and Patrycja Pojenta, who performed as soloists in Tzigane by Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) and Carmen Fantasy by Pablo de Saraste (1844-1908). Additionally, Roman Lasocki entertained the audience with his thoughts on music and his performance of the Violin Concerto №7 by Graźyna Bacewicz (1909-1969), a 20th century Polish composer.

A highlight of the evening was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (1840-1893) final symphony – Symphony №6 in B minor (Pathétique).

Continue reading: Classical MusicNotes on Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his Ukrainian roots.

Guest Conducting, Lublin, Poland
Guest Conducting, Lublin, Poland

April 29, 2013

The Citizens of Lviv Began Holy Week with The Passions of Christ

A Lenten concert of classical music, The Passions of Christ, was presented for the citizens and visitors of Lviv. The Lviv Virtuosos Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Myron Yusypovych performed in the square in front of The Holy Eucharist Church.

«…as people listened to the music, everyone had the opportunity to reflect on their family and friends…», said Andriy Shevtsiv, Head of the Lviv City Administration, Internal Policy Department. «Day», Pavlo Palamarchuk

Photo: Lesya Mezhva

The Passions of Christ in Lviv
The Passions of Christ in Lviv

April 18, 2013

Mozart Again… After 221 Years.

«The Magic Flute is a fairy tale. Nevertheless it is a deeply philosophical work. The main idea in the production is to portray human destiny». We are informed by the production's conductor Myron Yusypovych of the S. Krushelnytska Lviv Opera and Ballet Theatre – «It is not suprising that this work was admired by Beethoven, Schopenhauer…» ZIK-TV, Alina Broda, Andriy Mykytiuk (April 15, 2013).

The Magic Flute… is comprised of two acts and was premiered in Vienna in 1791… the Lviv premiere took place a year after the Vienna one in 1792…. As explained by Nadiya Trush, the Lviv Opera's media liason, «… our performers perform the singing parts in German and the speaking parts in Ukrainian… For this production, they took special German lessons…» «Day», Tetyana Kozyryeva (April 16, 2013).

Expressive and yet emotionally restrained, full of pageantry and colour was the premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera The Magic Flute at the Lviv Opera… In this opera, the focus is on love. But not as a personal drama or tragedy. Instead, the main character must undergo a series of tests. To be led along a virtuous path to a state of enlightenment, he must mislead his true love as to his feelings. The final test the lovers conquer together. «Ratusha», Natalya Dudko (April 18, 2013).

Discover more about The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).

The Magic Flute – A Premiere
The Magic Flute – A Premiere

April 16, 2013

The Blooming Flower – Beautiful!

…last week, I had the good fortune to hear her magical voice at the Lviv Philharmonia during an evening of Ukrainian song – The Unforgettable Kvitka. The atmosphere, the energy, the singing, the music by the Lviv Virtuosos Chamber Orchestra enthralled and, - a standing ovation… Oksana Mukha claims this energy comes from the audience…

«…we were giving everything we had! The first song My love!... was filled with emotions and a powerful energy. This is exactly as it should be on stage. I saw how the audience reacted to all the songs – they liked them and that is what is most important. For me, I think it is wonderful that finally Kasey Cisyk's songs were performed with an orchestra. Myron Yusypovych, the Lviv Virtuosos – we all gave our ultimate best. I'm really happy!

Lvivs'ka Poshta, Iryna Tsytsak

The performance can be viewed (a new window will open).

The Unforgettable Kvitka - Kvitka Cisyk / Kasey Cisyk
The Unforgettable Kvitka - Kvitka Cisyk / Kasey Cisyk

April 9, 2013

A Premiere of Mozart's Opera The Magic Flute at the Lviv Opera

On April 13, 14 and 18 there will be a premiere showing of The Magic Flute, a 2 act opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) in the S. Krushelnytska National Opera and Ballet Theatre of LvivGalinfo (09.04.2013)

Nadiya Trush, press agent for the theatre explained… «In the end, at the height of the drama, the forces of darkness withdraw. The sun rises. The people greet Light, Wisdom and Love which will rule the world for ever and ever.» Lvivski novyny (09.04.2013)

The production director is Zbigniew Chrzanowski, a merited artist of Poland, production stage design is by Tadej Ryndzak, a national artist of Ukraine and production musical direction is by Myron Yusypovych, a merited artist of Ukraine. ZIK (09.04.2013)

The Magic Flute – Premiere Announcement
The Magic Flute – Premiere Announcement

March 19, 2013

Opera and Classical MusicNotes

Opera and Classical MusicNotes provides commentary on various events and happenings in the opera and classical music world. The newest blog postings are available.

What are some of the behind-the-scenes happenings as productions get mounted? What are the difficulties of maintaining a repertoire company where productions remain on the roster but singers, dancers, musicians, stage crews change? What is going on in the world of opera and classical music? Is this a dying art? Or, is it a vibrant and developing cultural phenomenon?

When Myron Yusypovych is

  • working on new productions
  • preparing concerts
  • assessing different projects
    this is the place to find his opinions and views on the ongoing process.

Opera and Classical MusicNotes is a record of opinions, information and analysis produced on a semi-regular basis. When there is a lot of production work (rehearsals, meetings, discussions, plans….) the MusicNotes appear with less frequency. Sorry, but time is taken up with the “real” world of opera and classical music.

Many of the posts that focus on current productions, concerts and projects link

  • to related thematic pages on this site
  • to previous posts on a similar theme.

These links give you, the reader, a chance to immerse yourself in the world of opera and classical music.

All Opera and Classical MusicNotes are arranged in reverse chronological order.

Instead of setting up a system of archives, the Opera and Classical MusicNotes are arranged according to the year in which they were written. When a new year begins, this means that a new page is created. For previous years, you can view a general list of topics below.

Read current and past MusicNotes:

MusicNotes about Opera and Classical Music
MusicNotes about Opera and Classical Music

March 5, 2013

The Most Famous Opera – Opera MusicNotes

…every time I immerse myself into the nuances of a famous opera or symphony and its musical score, after a certain period of time, I catch myself feeling an acute need to perform precisely THIS particular piece. It is at that moment, that I find my life controlled by that specific score. For a limited period of time, it becomes my greatest passion. There is an overwhelming desire to transmit this temporary, but extremely strong, love for this particular music, to the audience – to enthrall and prevail upon them this all-consuming feeling. If successful, I, once again, get a feeling of immense spiritual satisfaction.

Continue reading about the most famous opera and MusicNotes by Myron Yusypovych.

Discover Carmen the opera.

The Most Famous Opera – Carmen
The Most Famous Opera – Carmen

February 4, 2013

Performing a Vincenzo Bellini Opera – MusicNotes

When professional conversations turn to the topic of a Bellini opera, in most cases the focus is on the performance skills of the opera singers. This is not a mere coincidence. It takes great skill to convey the finest nuances and emotional states of the opera characters expressly through “beautiful singing”. For this is the strength and determining factor in the success of a Bellini opera.

Continue reading MusicNotes on performing a Vincenzo Bellini Opera by Myron Yusypovych.

Discover famous Italian operas.

Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)
Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835)

January 8, 2013

Carmen The Opera: Who? What? Where? Why? and How?

Who are the characters in Carmen, the Opera?
What are the main conflicts and themes in Carmen the opera? Where in the world is Carmen the opera?
Why do some People claim that Carmen the opera was not successful?
How did Carmen the opera become so-o-o-o famous?

Explore this and more about Carmen, the opera by Georges Bizet.

Listen to opera music online – the Bohemian Dance from Act 4 of Carmen, the opera by Georges Bizet (1838-1875)...

Escamillio and Carmen at the Lviv Opera
Escamillio and Carmen at the Lviv Opera


Contacts