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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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Highlights of the Met’s 2024-25 Season
Violette Leonard Violette Leonard

Highlights of the Met’s 2024-25 Season

On February 23, the Met Opera announced their 2024-25 season. Notably for nitpicky me, I’m excited for almost everything. It was difficult to choose, but here are the five shows I’m most looking forward to.

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An Interview With Gabriella Reyes
Interview Violette Leonard Interview Violette Leonard

An Interview With Gabriella Reyes

Since the stunning soprano Gabriella Reyes became the first Nicaraguan-American to sing at the Met, her star has only risen, and she's now taking on the Met's first-ever Latino opera, Florencia en el Amazonas. I spoke with Gabriella in between performances, and she could not have been warmer.

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