Opera News
{{Short description|American classical music magazine}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = Opera News
| image_file = March_2020_Opera_News_Cover_Image.jpg
| image_caption = The cover of the March 2020 issue, featuring soprano Diana Damrau
| editor = M. Ndimande
| editor_title = Editor-in-Chief
| previous_editor =
| staff_writer =
| frequency = monthly
| total_circulation = 51,578{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}
| circulation_year = 2018
| category = Classical music/Opera
| company = Metropolitan Opera Guild
| firstdate = {{start date text|1936}}
| lastdate = 2023
| country = United States
| based = New York City
| language = English
| website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20190825030908/http://operanews.com/|http://operanews.com}}
| issn = 0030-3607
}}
Opera News was an American classical music magazine. It was published from 1936 to 2023 by the Metropolitan Opera Guild—a non-profit organization, located at Lincoln Center, that was founded to promote opera and support the Metropolitan Opera ("the Met") of New York City. Opera News was initially focused almost exclusively on the Met and its activities, providing information for listeners of the Saturday afternoon live Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts.
Over the years, the magazine broadened its scope to include the larger American and international opera scenes. Published monthly, Opera News offered opera-related feature articles; artist interviews; production profiles; musicological pieces; music-business reportage; reviews of performances in the U.S. and Europe; reviews of recordings, videos, books and audio equipment; and listings of opera performances and recitals in the U.S.
The final Editor-in-Chief was F. Paul Driscoll. Regular contributors to the magazine included its former features editor, Brian Kellow, William Ashbrook, Scott Barnes, Jochen Breiholz, Fred Cohn, Erika Davidson, Justin Davidson, Peter G. Davis, Matthew Gurewitsch, Joel Honig, Tim Page, Judith Malafronte, Mark Thomas Ketterson, Martin Bernheimer, Ira Siff, Joanne Sydney Lessner, Anne Midgette, Drew Minter, William R. Braun, Phillip Kennicott, Joshua Rosenblum, Leslie Rubinstein, Alan Wagner, Steven Jude Tietjen, Adam Wasserman, Oussama Zahr, and William Zakariasen.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}
The magazine was also available online.
On August 15, 2023, the Metropolitan Opera announced that Opera News would be discontinued in November and incorporated into the British magazine Opera.{{Cite news |last=Blum|first=Ronald|date=2023-08-15 |title=US-focused Opera News, to cease publication in November after 87 years|publisher=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/opera-news-shutdown-metropolitan-opera-guild-11a2f328e49f03f5e93a56a11dca5d9e |access-date=2023-08-30}}
History
Opera News{{refn|group=note|The Opera News periodical was published by the John Wanamaker department stores, Wanamaker's, in the early 20th century.{{Cite web |title=John Wanamaker collection, 1827–1987 |series=Collection 2188 |access-date=March 16, 2022 |url=https://www2.hsp.org/collections/manuscripts/w/Wanamaker2188.html |website=The Historical Society of Pennsylvania |language=en}}{{cite book |title=The Opera News, Volumes 5–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LWlJAQAAMAAJ|publisher=Wanamaker |year=1913 |via=New York Public Library}} Copies of The Opera News, the predecessor publication.}} was founded in 1936 by the Metropolitan Opera Guild with Mrs. John DeWitt Peltz (Mary Ellis Peltz) serving as the publication's first editor.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |last=Rothstein |first=Edward |title=Mary Peltz, Editor of Opera News |date=1981-10-27 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/27/obituaries/mary-peltz-editor-of-opera-news.html |access-date=2022-03-16 |language=en |url-access=subscription}} She was hired by Eleanor Robson Belmont, who favored the "democratization of opera" and later referred to Peltz as a "gifted walking encyclopedia of opera".{{cite web |last=Plotkin |first=Fred |date=March 4, 2016 |publisher=WQXR |title=The Fabric of Memory: Preserving Met Opera History |url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/fabric-memory/}} When the newsletter was introduced on 7 December 1936, it was a single folded broadsheet.{{cite magazine |date=October 2010 |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2010/10/Departments/Viewpoint__Pioneer_Spirit.html |last=Driscoll |first=F. Paul |magazine=Opera News |archive-date=December 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223182028/http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2010/10/Departments/Viewpoint__Pioneer_Spirit.html |title=Viewpoint: Pioneer Spirit |volume=75 |number=4}} Within a year, it was transformed into a 17-page magazine with advertising; the first magazine appeared on 15 November 1937.
Beginning in December 1940, the magazine began to focus much of its content on the weekly Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. At that point, Opera News offered bi-weekly issues of an expanded size during autumn, winter, and spring, but was on hiatus during summer. As time went on, the magazine began to provide more international coverage, but it still maintained its strong interest in the New York opera scene and the Met in particular. Frank Merkling succeeded Peltz to become second chief editor of Opera News. His first issue appeared on 14 October 1957.{{cite news |title=New Editor |date=1957-04-13 |newspaper=Daily News |place=New York City |page=20 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/455844781 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1972, the magazine added monthly issues in summer while keeping its bi-weekly schedule during the opera season.
In 1974, Robert Jacobson became the magazine's third chief editor.{{cite news |title=Robert M. Jacobson |date=1987-05-11 |newspaper=Daily News |place=New York City |page=35 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/490474825 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} He was succeeded by Patrick O'Connor in 1988, who in turn was succeeded by Patrick J. Smith in 1989. Rudolph S. Rauch was named chief editor in 1998. Under his leadership as well as that of executive editor Brian Kellow, the magazine switched to a year-round monthly frequency starting in July 1999.{{cite web |title=Opera News |location=New York |publisher=Metropolitan Opera Guild |lccn=88662974 |url=https://lccn.loc.gov/88662974}} Library of Congress record of the 88 volumes of Opera News issues, 1936–2023. F. Paul Driscoll, the final editor in chief, was appointed in July 2003.
In the June 2012 issue, the Metropolitan Opera said that Opera News would cease reviewing Met performances, following dissatisfaction among the Met leadership with the magazine's recent critiques of Robert Lepage's production of the Ring Cycle and of the company's direction under Peter Gelb.{{Cite news |last=Wakin |first=Daniel J. |date=2012-05-21 |title=Latest Met Aria: Bad Opera News Is No News |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/arts/music/opera-news-will-stop-reviewing-metropolitan-opera.html |url-status=live |access-date=2022-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314165608/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/arts/music/opera-news-will-stop-reviewing-metropolitan-opera.html |archive-date=2021-03-14 |language=en}} However, reactions from the public led to the decision being reversed.{{Cite news |last=Barton |first=Chris |date=May 22, 2012 |title=The Met reverses policy, will allow Opera News to review productions |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2012-may-22-la-et-cm-met-opera-news-review-20120522-story.html |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Tsioulcas |first=Anastasia |date=May 23, 2012 |title=An Online Debate Of Operatic Intensity: The Met And Its Critics |work=Boise State Public Radio |publisher=National Public Radio |url=https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/2012-05-23/an-online-debate-of-operatic-intensity-the-met-and-its-critics |language=en}}
In 2023, the Metropolitan Opera Guild announced that it was facing financial difficulties and had to wind down its operations.{{cite news |last=Hernández |first=Javier C. |title=The Metropolitan Opera Guild Will Wind Down Amid Financial Woes |date=August 15, 2023 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/15/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-guild-opera-news.html}} This meant ending Opera News as a stand-alone monthly publication—the last issue was volume 88, number 5, November 2023—and merging it into Opera magazine.{{cite magazine |date=September 2023 |url=https://www.opera.co.uk/features/opera-with-opera-news/ |title=Opera with OPERA NEWS |magazine=Opera |quote=Each month will now include a dedicated US-focused section, under the editorship of Rebecca Paller, which will also give detailed information about the Met's HD and radio broadcasts. We know this will be of interest to opera-lovers everywhere.}}
''Opera News'' Awards
From 2006 to 2023, the magazine annually bestowed five Opera News Awards for Distinguished Achievement.
Recipients of the awards included:
- 1st{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2006: James Conlon, Régine Crespin, Plácido Domingo, Susan Graham, Dolora Zajick{{Cite magazine |last=Westphal |first=Matthew |date=2007-01-26 |title=Heppner, Levine, Pape, Scotto and Voigt to Receive 2006 Opera News Awards at Jan. 28 Gala |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/heppner-levine-pape-scotto-and-voigt-to-receive-2006-opera-news-awards-at-jan-28-gala |url-status=live |magazine=Playbill |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316052141/https://www.playbill.com/article/heppner-levine-pape-scotto-and-voigt-to-receive-2006-opera-news-awards-at-jan-28-gala |archive-date=2022-03-16 |access-date=2022-03-16 |lang=en}}
- 2nd{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2007: Ben Heppner, James Levine, René Pape, Renata Scotto, Deborah Voigt
- 3rd{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2008: Stephanie Blythe, Olga Borodina, Thomas Hampson, Leontyne Price, Julius Rudel{{cite news |title=Sigourney at Opera Awards |newspaper=Newsday |date=2007-10-15 |page=A10 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/710877825 |access-date=2022-03-16 |language=en |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite magazine |last=Westphal |first=Matthew |date=2007-10-10 |title=2007 Opera News Awards Go to Blythe, Borodina, Hampson, Price and Rudel |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/2007-opera-news-awards-go-to-blythe-borodina-hampson-price-and-rudel |url-status=live |magazine=Playbill |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508221309/https://www.playbill.com/article/2007-opera-news-awards-go-to-blythe-borodina-hampson-price-and-rudel |archive-date=2021-05-08 |access-date=2022-03-16 |lang=en}}
- 4th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2009: John Adams (composer), Natalie Dessay, Renée Fleming, Marilyn Horne, Sherrill Milnes{{Cite web |date=2008-08-04 |title=John Adams Named Winner of 2008 Opera News Award |url=https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-named-winner-of-2008-opera-news-award |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316053113/https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/john-adams-named-winner-of-2008-opera-news-award |archive-date=2022-03-16 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Nonesuch}}
- 5th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2010: Martina Arroyo, Joyce DiDonato, Shirley Verrett, Gerald Finley, Philip Glass{{Cite web |last=Guerin |first=Richard |date=2009-08-05 |title=2009 Opera News Awards |url=https://philipglass.com/glassnotes/2009-opera-news-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607062603/https://philipglass.com/glassnotes/2009-opera-news-awards/ |archive-date=2018-06-07 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Philip Glass |language=en}}
- 6th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2011: Jonas Kaufmann, Riccardo Muti, Patricia Racette, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel{{Cite web |last=Giovetti |first=Olivia |date=2011-04-18 |title=Working the Room with the 2010 Opera News Awards Recipients |url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/124959-working-room-2011-opera-news-awards-recipients/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512015614/https://www.wqxr.org/story/124959-working-room-2011-opera-news-awards-recipients/ |archive-date=2017-05-12 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=WQXR-FM |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2010-08-04 |title=Sixth Annual Opera News Awards to Honor Jonas Kaufmann, Riccardo Muti, Patricia Racette, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa & Bryn Terfel |url=http://www.operanews.com/operanews/templates/content.aspx?id=16734 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825103907/https://www.operanews.com/operanews/templates/content.aspx?id=16734 |archive-date=2010-08-25 |access-date=2012-02-08 |website=Opera News}}
- 7th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2012: Karita Mattila, Anja Silja, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Peter Mattei, Peter Sellars{{Cite web |last=Sierra |first=Gabrielle |date=2011-08-02 |title=2011 Opera News Awards Honorees Announced |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2011-Opera-News-Awards-Honorees-Announced-20110802 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316055304/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2011-Opera-News-Awards-Honorees-Announced-20110802 |archive-date=2022-03-16 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2011-08-11 |title=2011 Opera News Awards to Honor Karita Mattila, Anja Silja, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Peter Mattei and Peter Sellars |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2011/8/News/2011_Opera_News_Awards_Honorees_Announced.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812142556/https://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2011/8/News/2011_Opera_News_Awards_Honorees_Announced.html |archive-date=2011-08-12 |access-date=2012-02-08 |website=Opera News |language=en}}
- 8th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2013: David Daniels, Simon Keenlyside, Eric Owens, Mirella Freni, Dawn Upshaw{{Cite web |last=Denette |first=Kelsey |date=2012-08-07 |title=2012 Opera News Awards Honorees Announced |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2012-Opera-News-Awards-Honorees-Announced-20120807 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316055846/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2012-Opera-News-Awards-Honorees-Announced-20120807 |archive-date=2022-03-16 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2012-08-07 |title=2012 Opera News Awards Honorees Announced |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2012/8/News/2012_Opera_News_Awards.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811011734/http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2012/8/News/2012_Opera_News_Awards.html |archive-date=2012-08-11 |access-date=2014-05-02 |website=Opera News |language=en}}
- 9th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2014: Patrice Chéreau, Juan Diego Flórez, Christa Ludwig, James Morris, Nina Stemme{{Cite web |last=Ozery |first=Arielle |date=2013-09-11 |title=Honorees Announced for Ninth Annual Opera News Awards |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/Honorees-Announced-for-Ninth-Annual-Opera-News-Awards-20130911 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429131515/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/Honorees-Announced-for-Ninth-Annual-Opera-News-Awards-20130911 |archive-date=2021-04-29 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2013-09-10 |title=Patrice Chéreau, Juan Diego Flórez, Christa Ludwig, James Morris and Nina Stemme to be Honored at the Ninth Annual Opera News Awards |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2013/9/News/ON_Awards.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915041402/http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2013/9/News/ON_Awards.html |archive-date=2013-09-15 |access-date=2014-05-02 |website=Opera News |language=en}}
- 10th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2015: Piotr Beczała, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Sondra Radvanovsky, Samuel Ramey, Teresa Stratas{{Cite web |date=2014-12-09 |title=Tenth Annual Opera News Awards to Honor Piotr Beczala, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Sondra Radvanovsky, Samuel Ramey and Teresa Stratas |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2014/12/News/2015_Opera_News_Awards.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210124532/http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2014/12/News/2015_Opera_News_Awards.html |archive-date=2014-12-10 |access-date=2015-05-04 |website=Opera News |language=en}}
- 11th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2016: Joseph Calleja, Elīna Garanča, Waltraud Meier, Anna Netrebko, José van Dam{{Cite web |date=2014-12-09 |title=2015 Opera News Awards Announces Five Honorees |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2015-Opera-News-Awards-Announces-Five-Honorees-20141209 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103010337/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/2015-Opera-News-Awards-Announces-Five-Honorees-20141209 |archive-date=2015-01-03 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2015-12-10 |title=Joseph Calleja, Elīna Garanča, Waltraud Meier, Anna Netrebko & José van Dam Named as 2016 Opera News Awards Recipients |url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2015/12/News/Opera_News_Awards_Honorees.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151213064918/http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2015/12/News/Opera_News_Awards_Honorees.html |archive-date=2015-12-13 |access-date=2016-07-06 |website=Opera News |language=en}}
- 12th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2017: Robert Carsen, Christine Goerke, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Matthew Polenzani, Frederica von Stade{{Cite web |last=Mancuso |first=Christina |date=2016-10-31 |title=12th Annual Opera News Awards Are Announced! |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/12th-Annual-Opera-News-Awards-Are-Announced-20161031 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715181646/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/12th-Annual-Opera-News-Awards-Are-Announced-20161031 |archive-date=2018-07-15 |access-date=2017-08-30 |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en}}
- 13th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2018: William Christie, Fiorenza Cossotto, Vittorio Grigolo, Hei-Kyung Hong, Sonya Yoncheva{{Cite web |last=Salazar |first=Francisco |date=2017-11-01 |title=Opera News Announces 13th Annual Opera News Awards |url=http://operawire.com/opera-news-announces-13th-annual-opera-news-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308032620/https://operawire.com/opera-news-announces-13th-annual-opera-news-awards/ |archive-date=2022-03-08 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=OperaWire |language=en}}
- 14th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2019: Ramón Vargas, Ailyn Pérez, Luca Pisaroni, Laurent Pelly, Rosalind Elias{{Cite web |date=2018-11-05 |title=Luca Pisaroni Named as Recipient of the 14th Annual Opera News Awards |url=https://lucapisaroni.com/2018/11/05/luca-pisaroni-named-as-recipient-of-the-14th-annual-opera-news-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515061000/https://lucapisaroni.com/2018/11/05/luca-pisaroni-named-as-recipient-of-the-14th-annual-opera-news-awards/ |archive-date=2021-05-15 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=Luca Pisaroni |language=en}}
- 15th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2020: Thomas Allen, Javier Camarena, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Diana Damrau, Ana María Martínez{{Cite magazine |last=McPhee |first=Ryan |date=2019-11-26 |title=Anthony Roth Costanzo, Diana Damrau, More to Receive 2020 Opera News Awards |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/anthony-roth-costanzo-diana-damrau-more-to-receive-2020-opera-news-awards |url-status=live |magazine=Playbill |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510090058/https://www.playbill.com/article/anthony-roth-costanzo-diana-damrau-more-to-receive-2020-opera-news-awards |archive-date=2021-05-10 |access-date=2022-03-16 |lang=en}}
- 16th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2021: Lawrence Brownlee, Janet Baker, Cecilia Bartoli{{Cite web |last=Salazar |first=Francisco |date=2020-12-04 |title=Lawrence Brownlee, Janet Baker & Cecilia Bartoli Lead Opera News Awards |url=https://operawire.com/lawrence-brownlee-janet-baker-cecilia-bartoli-lead-opera-news-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412174319/https://operawire.com/lawrence-brownlee-janet-baker-cecilia-bartoli-lead-opera-news-awards/ |archive-date=2021-04-12 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=OperaWire |language=en}}
- 17th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2022: Denyce Graves, Quinn Kelsey, Elza van den Heever{{Cite web |date=2021-11-09 |title=South Africa's Elza van den Heever Named as Opera News Awards Recipient |url=https://www.sapeople.com/2021/11/09/south-africas-elza-van-den-heever-named-as-opera-news-awards-recipient/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110005003/https://www.sapeople.com/2021/11/09/south-africas-elza-van-den-heever-named-as-opera-news-awards-recipient/ |archive-date=2021-11-10 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=SAPeople |language=en}}
- 18th{{thinsp|{{mdash}}}}2023: Lise Davidsen, Erin Morley, George Shirley{{Cite web |title=The 18th Annual OPERA NEWS Awards |url=https://www.metguild.org/guild/templates/PublicPrograms.aspx?TM=9menuid=19 |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=www.metguild.org}}
Notes and references
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.opera.co.uk/features/opera-with-opera-news/}}
- [https://www.operaamerica.org/membership-directory/17618/Metropolitan_Opera_Guild Metropolitan Opera Guild]
{{Portal bar|Opera}}
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Category:1936 establishments in New York City
Category:Defunct magazines published in the United States
Category:Magazines about opera
Category:Magazines established in 1936
Category:Magazines disestablished in 2023
Category:Magazines published in New York City