ARTICLES
Ezio Pinza: From Opera Legend to Broadway Star
When we think of musical legends, some names are simply unforgettable. One such name is Ezio Pinza, the celebrated Italian bass whose powerful voice an remarkable versatility transcended opera and Broadway. Born in Rome in 1892, Ezio Pinza’s early life was a far cry from the glamorous world of opera. He was actually studying to become a civil engineer. But as many great stories go, fate had other plans. Encouraged by his father to pursue singing, Pinza enrolled at the Conservatorio Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna. It didn’t take long for his extraordinary voice to catch attention. By 1914, he made his operatic debut as Oroveso in Norma by Bellini, and from there, his career skyrocketed. Pinza’s career in opera was nothing short of legendary. After World War 1, he performed with some of the most prestigious opera companies in the world, including Teatro alla Scala. His true breakthrough came
Alice Lechner
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos: Lisbon’s Grand Cultural Gem
When you think of Lisbon, the first images that come to mind might be the sun-drenched streets, the iconic trams, or the stunning views ofer the Tagus River. But there’s another treasure in this vibrant city that has been captivating audiences for centuries: the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon’s premier opera house. Located in the heart of the Portuguese capital, this historic venue has been a cultural cornerstone since it opened its doors in 1793. Over the years, it has seen some of the most iconic opera performances in history, from world premiers to breathtaking productions featuring world-class talent. From Royalty to Public Venue The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos was born out of the ashes of the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which destroyed the city’s original opera house. For nearly four decades, Lisbon’s cultural elite longed for a new venue worthy of the city’s operatic tradition. Their wishes
Alice Lechner
Jussi Björling: A voice of Perfection, A life of Struggle
Known as the „Swedish Caruso”, was born in Stora Tuna, Borlänge, Dalarna, Sweden, in February 1911. He came from a musically gifted family. His father, David Björling, was a trained singer and vocal coach who quickly realized that Jussi and his brothers, Olaf and Gösta, had a natural gift for singing. Under their father’s guidance, the three brothers formed the Björling Quartet, a vocal ensemble that performed across Sweden and even toured the United States in the 1920s. Their father was a strict teacher, ensuring that Jussi developed a solid vocal technique from an early age. In 1926, Jussi’s father passed away, leaving the 15-year-old with a promising voice but an uncertain future. However, that same year, he was into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm, where he studied under the renowned baritone John Forsell. By 1928, he was already performing professionally, and at just 19 years old,
March 2025
Alice Lechner
Ezio Pinza: From Opera Legend to Broadway Star
When we think of musical legends, some names are simply unforgettable. One such name is Ezio Pinza, the celebrated Italian bass whose powerful voice an remarkable versatility transcended opera and Broadway. Born in Rome in 1892, Ezio Pinza’s early life was a far cry from the glamorous world of opera. He was actually studying to become a civil engineer. But as many great stories go, fate had other plans. Encouraged by his father to pursue singing, Pinza enrolled at the Conservatorio Giovanni Battista Martini in Bologna. It didn’t take long for his extraordinary voice to catch attention. By 1914, he made his operatic debut as Oroveso in Norma by Bellini, and from there, his career skyrocketed. Pinza’s career in opera was nothing short of legendary. After World War 1, he performed with some of the most prestigious opera companies in the world, including Teatro alla Scala. His true breakthrough came
Alice Lechner
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos: Lisbon’s Grand Cultural Gem
When you think of Lisbon, the first images that come to mind might be the sun-drenched streets, the iconic trams, or the stunning views ofer the Tagus River. But there’s another treasure in this vibrant city that has been captivating audiences for centuries: the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisbon’s premier opera house. Located in the heart of the Portuguese capital, this historic venue has been a cultural cornerstone since it opened its doors in 1793. Over the years, it has seen some of the most iconic opera performances in history, from world premiers to breathtaking productions featuring world-class talent. From Royalty to Public Venue The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos was born out of the ashes of the devastating 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which destroyed the city’s original opera house. For nearly four decades, Lisbon’s cultural elite longed for a new venue worthy of the city’s operatic tradition. Their wishes
Alice Lechner
Jussi Björling: A voice of Perfection, A life of Struggle
Known as the „Swedish Caruso”, was born in Stora Tuna, Borlänge, Dalarna, Sweden, in February 1911. He came from a musically gifted family. His father, David Björling, was a trained singer and vocal coach who quickly realized that Jussi and his brothers, Olaf and Gösta, had a natural gift for singing. Under their father’s guidance, the three brothers formed the Björling Quartet, a vocal ensemble that performed across Sweden and even toured the United States in the 1920s. Their father was a strict teacher, ensuring that Jussi developed a solid vocal technique from an early age. In 1926, Jussi’s father passed away, leaving the 15-year-old with a promising voice but an uncertain future. However, that same year, he was into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm, where he studied under the renowned baritone John Forsell. By 1928, he was already performing professionally, and at just 19 years old,
March 2025
Alice Lechner
Part II: You cannot starve yourself and expect yourself to sing well
So, what was the turning point for me? I stumbled across this concept called intuitive eating and after following a few certified dietitians on Instagram (such as Colleen Christensen and Bonnie Roney) trying to implement the intuitive eating principles, I knew that I had to dig deeper and find the founder of this concept and do it properly because dabbling in healing was not going to cut it this time. I found the book “Intuitive eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch and to say that it changed my life is the biggest understatement. After reading it, there was no going back. I decided to rebel against diet culture because I refused to be told how I should feel about my body and refused to keep putting my body through relentless, unnecessary challenges that not only ruined my metabolism, my enjoyment of life but also made what I love most,
March 2025
Daria Rybak
Grand Théâtre de Genève: A Masterpiece of Architecture and Elegance
The Grand Théâtre de Genève is one of Switzerland’s most prestigious cultural landmarks, renowned for its rich history and contribution to the world of opera, ballet, and classical music. This historic venue is the beating heart of the city’s opera scene, and whether you’re a seasoned art lover or just curious about the cultural vibe, it’s worth a visit. For much of the 17th and early 18th centuries, Geneva’s strict Calvinist orthodoxy limited theatrical performances. It wasn’t until the 1760s that the city allowed its first opera house, the Théâtre de Rosimond. Thanks to Voltaire’s influence, opera flourished at La Grange aux Étrangers and later at the Théâtre de Neuve, both located outside the city walls. As Geneva’s prestige grew, the need for a larger, more refined theatre became evident. In 1870, architects Émile Reverdin and Gaspard André and Gaspard André were commissioned to design the Grand Théâtre de Genève,
March 2025
Alice Lechner
When Numbers Don’t Add Up: Reflections on Marketing, Transparency, and Misleading Advertising on Social Media
In the past few days, I have received several questions about the stories I posted on my profile, referencing a situation that particularly struck me for its superficiality and, in some aspects, its lack of integrity in online communication.I would like to collect all the facts here — not to attack anyone, but to encourage serious reflection on important issues such as transparency, credibility, and the thin line between marketing and misleading advertising. The facts: questionable claims and unrealistic numbers On Instagram, a person recently claimed to have a “community” of over 22 million people.An impressive figure… if only it were realistic. As I already explained in my stories (which are saved in the highlights for those who wish to review), this claim is objectively impossible.A simple analysis of publicly available data — combined with basic industry knowledge — shows that:• Official Instagram accounts of the world’s most important opera
Bianca L. Nica
Quando i numeri non tornano: riflessioni su marketing, trasparenza e pubblicità ingannevole nel mondo dei social
Negli ultimi giorni ho ricevuto diverse domande su alcune storie pubblicate sul mio profilo, in cui facevo riferimento a un caso che mi ha colpita particolarmente per la superficialità e, in alcuni aspetti, la scorrettezza nella comunicazione online.Vorrei raccogliere qui, in modo dettagliato, il quadro della situazione — non per attaccare qualcuno, ma per riflettere seriamente su temi importanti come la trasparenza, la credibilità e i limiti tra marketing e pubblicità ingannevole. I fatti: dichiarazioni dubbie e numeri irreali Su Instagram, una persona ha recentemente dichiarato di avere una community di oltre 22 milioni di persone.Una cifra impressionante… se solo fosse realistica. Come ho già spiegato nelle mie storie (che trovate salvate in evidenza), l’affermazione appare oggettivamente impossibile.Una semplice analisi dei dati pubblici disponibili — combinata con la conoscenza del settore lirico — mostra infatti che:• Gli account Instagram ufficiali dei principali teatri d’opera mondiali contano tra i 300.000 e
Bianca L. Nica
Part I: You cannot starve yourself and expect yourself to sing well
Unfortunately, this industry has not been left untouched by the nauseating consequences of diet culture and the diet industry. Just like athletes, actors and models we are constantly looked at and inevitably judged. We are constantly in the public eye and of course that makes us the perfect victims for body judgement and shaming. We can never be perfect, we’re always either too slim or too curvy. People often don’t care to ask themselves what might be going on in a person’s life, but somehow, they care about what their body looks like. Having healed from the diet culture oppression, I thought that this subject would no longer trigger me until I realised that this toxic diet culture inspired behaviour is all around me. Diet culture is so ingrained into our being and everyday life that it seems to have seamlessly and obnoxiously found its way into so many of
Daria Rybak
Ileana Cotrubas
Ileana Cotrubaș is a romanian soprano. Her career developed between 1960-1990. She was admired for her beautiful light voice, for her dramatic talent and for her adaptation of singing in a lot of languages. She was born on 9 June 1939 in Romania in a family where the traditions of music already existed, so she grew up in a space where the music was always present, her father being a tenor in an amateur choir. Ileana’s musical career started at an early age when she started being a member of the children choir of Romanian Radio, a big thing back in those times. She was nine years old back then, and when she was eleven years old she already sung as a soloist. All these contexts and her abilities were an important point of decision for her family because they took her to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, to study
Sonia Ilincăi
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) in Mexico City is a prominent cultural and architectural landmark. „Bellas Artes” for short, has been called the „art cathedral of Mexico”, and is located on the western side of the historic center of Mexico City. Bellas Artes replaced the original National Theatre, built in the late 19th century. The building was demolished later as part of urban redesign of Mexico City, and a more opulent building was planned to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican War of Independence in 1910. The project for the Palacio de Bellas Artes began under President Porfirio Díaz in 1904. The building’s design was initially created by Italian architect Adamo Boari, who combined Art Nouveau and Neoclassical styles. But complications arising from the soft subsoil and the political problem both before and during the Mexican Revolution, hindered then stopped construction completely by 1913. History The
Alice Lechner
TCHAIKOVSKY'S EUGENE ONEGIN
The opera Eugene Onegin is one of the most famous and loved work of the greatest Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This 1955 staging featured some of the leading artists of the operatic stage – Galina Vishnevskaya as Tatyana, Sergey Lemeshev as Lensky, Evgeny Belov as Onegin, Ivan Petrov as Prince Gremlin, and also the soloists, choir and orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre conducted by Boris Khaikin. This is one of the most emblematic recordings of Tchaivosky’s opera. The composer turned to the story of Alexander Pushkin’s novel in verse of the same name in 1877, and it took him less than a year to compose the opera. Tchaikovsky somehow reconsidered the plot of the novel focusing on its lyrical component, its heroine Tatyana, and her love for Onegin. Tatyana confesses her feelings to Onegin, but he discards her. After awhile, he sees her in a ballroom and realizes he is in love with her, but it is too late – she is already another
Opera Charm Team
