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Opera Onscreen: Crying and Renée Fleming in Margaret (2011)
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

Opera Onscreen: Crying and Renée Fleming in Margaret (2011)

My favorite opera scene in film is perhaps the obscurest: Margaret (2011), when Anna Paquin and J. Smith-Cameron attend Les Contes d’Hoffmann starring Renée Fleming and Susan Graham. By the end of the Barcarolle, Paquin’s character has burst in tears and reconciled with her estranged mother.

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Opera Is Cool: Debunking Myths
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

Opera Is Cool: Debunking Myths

Let’s face it: opera has gotten a bad rap. In reality, opera is one of the most glorious art forms in the world. Come debunk some myths with me! (Hint: it involves Beyoncé.)

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An Interview With Kathryn Lewek
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

An Interview With Kathryn Lewek

Though Kathryn Lewek is undoubtedly best known as the definitive Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, she has far more roles and range up her sleeve than just Mozart’s imperious monarch.

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My Favorites from the Met’s 2022-23 Season
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

My Favorites from the Met’s 2022-23 Season

I found the Met’s 2022-23 season beautiful and enriching beyond measure, having attended seven operas (and listened to nearly everything over the radio). Here are eight of my favorite performances and moments. What are yours?

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An Interview With Christine Goerke
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

An Interview With Christine Goerke

I so enjoyed getting to interview Christine Goerke, dramatic soprano and Brünnhilde extraordinaire! On top of that, she's the polar opposite of a "diva," down-to-earth and easily one of the funniest people in opera.

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