The opera of this year’s Spoleto Festival USA is Vanessa, an existential drama that follows its titular character through a harrowing journey of love, longing and loss. It’s historically important to ...

When Samuel Barber’s Vanessa premiered in New York in 1958 it was the first new American work to appear at the Metropolitan Opera in eleven years, and only the twentieth since the house was opened in ...

WILLIAMSTOWN — Joshua Jeremiah leaned in, as if to share a secret. “I’m the troublemaker,” the topknotted baritone told me, eyes flashing. It wasn’t a secret at all. Already he’d hopped up to ...

Ori Marcu as Erika, Roy Hage as Anatol, and Inna Dukach as Vanessa during rehearsals for "Vanessa" at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Inna Dukach as Vanessa during rehearsals for “Vanessa” at ...

The introduction of American composer Samuel Barber’s riveting first opera, “Vanessa,” was marked by uncommon splendor: It had its premiere by the venerable Metropolitan Opera in January 1958, won a ...

NORTH ADAMS — The team behind “Vanessa” said they hoped another character in this underperformed opera by Samuel Barber would come to the fore. With a large expressive sound that came out of nowhere, ...