Opera singing songwriter Ashleigh Semkiw goes Underground at The Drake

I know, I know, I've been on summer hiatus. Don't worry, I'll be filling you in on the Art Life and Stilettos summer transcontinental trek in no time. In the meantime why not take a break from the...

Join Opera Atelier for an evening at Versailles, without ever leaving Toronto

Join Opera Atelier for this intoxicating evening of mouth-watering delights, alluring auctions, and bewitching performances. Wednesday, June 6, 2012 * The Evergreen Brickworks 550 Bayview Avenue,...

Laughter is definitely the Best Medicine

Will Arnett, Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Poehler. (CNW Group/Toronto East General Hospital) Every once and a while I try to step out of my box and have a new experience. Attending opera and classical music...

The Space Reveals All: profile on artist Bruno Billio - My latest work for Panoram Italia Magazine

Click the image to see a larger version of the page. Hello lovelies, thanks for stopping by today. Ive been expanding my horizons and have published an article in Panoram Italia Magazine. Its a...

La Bravissima Luciana Serra

Here is a fantastic masterclass for all you coloratura sopranos out there. Serra is a master, and she has a wealth to say...in Italian.

The ALS mystery and Wagner and Puccinis toughest critics

Every once and a while I find myself having to take a small break from writing and maintaining this wonderful site because something has come up in another aspect of my life. If only time were more...

Stephen Colbert reports on Placido Domingo, soaking the snooty crowd and why women find tenors so captivating

Domingo was the special guest on yesterdays Colbert Report. Who knew Colbert knew so much about opera? Canadians can view the clips at the following links:...

Nicole Cabell on taking risks, feeling insecure and the gritty work of singing on stage

Nicole Cabell, the un-diva opera star, returns to Palm Beach for “Romeo et Juliette” By Lawrence A. Johnson Courtesy of the South Florida Classical Review At a time when opera presenters are doing...

Just in time for your Valentines Day hangover: A romantic tryst with Liszt

Concert details and tickets can be found here

Sweet nothings, from me to you

7 Deadly Sins in Toronto

Meryl Streep on vocal stamina, studying opera and "just the breath"

Interview courtesy of NPR Meryl Streep: The Fresh Air Interview Meryl Streep is known for completely enveloping herself in her characters, capturing their nuances, speech patterns and...

Vintage CNN Revealed: Anna Netrebko Russian operas sexy babe

Revisit CNNs three part introspective on the Russian Diva

Seductive Visuals that Make Love From Afar

Photos from the Canadian Opera Companys production of Love From Afar, by Kaija Saariaho. All photos by Michael Cooper and Chris Hutcheson - Copyright Canadian Opera Company "The COC production is...

Danielle de Nieses daily wardrobe choices make headlines in the New York Times...Wait, what?

Danielle de Niese in a teal Vivienne Westwood corseted gown at Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village. c/o NYTimes Yes, I love fashion. Yes, I love opera, but when the New York Times decided to do an...

Fashion and Music Collide This Sunday in Toronto

Sculpted and Shirtless: Guillaume Côté is magnetic in Lost in Motion

National Ballet of Canada, principal dancer Guillaume Côté Directed by Ben Shirinian Choreography by Guillaume Côté Music by James LaValle Produced by Leslie Aimee Gottleib and David Miller for...

Canadian Opera Company 2012-2013 Season, featuring Ben Heppner, Ramon Vargas and Atom Egoyan

[View the story "The Canadian Opera Company Announces 2012/2013 Season" on Storify]

Sh*t Opera Singers Say

Ready, Set, Tosca

A little holiday love

Every girl deserves a holiday, so Im taking a few days off. Thank you for being such a fabulous audience, you mean the world to me. Ill be back after Christmas. Con affetto, Diana

Anna Netrebko on Diamonds, Food and Fashion: Interview with Vogue Russia

Updated!! Check out the new translation of the Anna Netrebko interview with Vogue Russia. Meticulously handled by our fabulous friend Sasha. Thank you Sasha. Now the interview makes much more...

Art Life and Stilettos Live: Interview with Author Gale Martin

Here at Art Life and Stilettos, were always trying out new things. Our latest venture is a series called Art Life and Stilettos Live. Its going to be a series of interviews streamed live, direct to...

The art life and stilettos holiday performance calendar: December 15 - 18, 2011

Photo of Ivars Taurins dressed as Maestro Handel by Gary Beechey - Courtesy of Tafelmusik Tis the season for Handel’s Messiah. The tradition of performing this particular oratorio has become as...

All Tomorrow’s Parties - Andy Warhol, the Factory and the Velvet Underground

Andy Warhol and Lou Reed, 1967, Providence I love it when fresh images of iconic artists make the gallery rounds. When it comes to the Velvet Underground, the Factory and anything Warhol, I am...

How Roberto Alagna learned to sing in bars

Photo (c) Lebrecht Music & Arts By Norman Lebrecht, excerpted from the blog Slipped Disc: Norman Lebrecht on shifting sound worlds The opera tenor Roberto Alagna, who started out signing in a Paris...

The art life and stilettos performance calendar: December 9 - 11, 2011

Jonas Kaufmann really wants you to watch Faust this weekend. How can you say no to that face? THE BIRDS TAKE UP THEIR CHARMING SONGS ONCE MORESpecial guest narrator: Bruce HunterVivaldi - Four...

Getting to know Sasha Djihanian: Canadian Opera Companys Ensemble Studio Competition, grand prize winner

"Sasha Djihanian was born in Montreal and is a graduate of the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal with honours of First Prize and Great Distinction. She is a Jacqueline Desmarais Grant Holder,...

The haute list

Photo by Chris Curreri Gratuitous photos of ripped men covered in pizza dough. It’s art, don’t judge. Exhibition by Chris Curreri. [Daniel Faria Gallery] Don’t know your fachs from your fermatas?...

The Amici Ensemble let the critics program their next performance. Are they crazy or brilliant?

Click image to enlarge Critics and artists are often dependent on each other for their careers, and can blame failure on one another as well. The critic’s job is to analyze and discuss perceived...