Contributor: Maria-Cristina Necula

Maria-Cristina Necula's published work includes the books "The Voice Beneath the Quince Tree: A Memoir of Growing Up in Communist Romania", "The Don Carlos Enigma: Variations of Historical Fictions" and "Life in Opera: Truth, Tempo and Soul", two translations: "Europe à la carte" and Molière’s "The School for Wives," and the collection of poems "Evanescent." Her articles and interviews have been featured in "Classical Singer" Magazine, "Opera America," "Das Opernglas," "Studies in European Cinema," and "Opera News." As a classically trained singer she has performed in the New York City area at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Florence Gould Hall, and the Westchester Broadway Theatre, and has presented on opera at The Graduate Center, Baruch, The City College of New York, and UCLA Southland. She speaks six languages, two of which she honed at the Sorbonne University in Paris and the University of Vienna, and she holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from The Graduate Center, CUNY. In 2022, Maria-Cristina was awarded a New York Press Club Award in the Critical Arts Review category for her review of Matthew Aucoin's "Eurydice" at the Metropolitan Opera, published on Woman Around Town. She was a 2022-24 Fellow of The Writers' Institute at The Graduate Center. Currently, Maria-Cristina serves as the Director of Alumni Engagement at Lehman College. https://mariacristinanecula.com/

On April 17 at Carnegie Hall, MasterVoices will present a revised concert version of The Grapes of Wrath, the opera by composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Michael Korie based on John Steinbeck’s novel. The story is set during the Great Depression of…

The New Place Players, the innovative actors-and-musicians ensemble that performs Shakespeare with music and without a fourth wall, presented a condensed version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Brilliantly directed by Craig Bacon and Janina Picard, the…

Staging Verdi’s La forza del destino is an act of directorial prowess. This tragic tale of implacable fate, doomed love, extraordinary and devastating coincidences, and the relentless pursuit of revenge unfolds over many years. Its…

Beginning on March 8th, American Repertory Ballet (ARB) will present Classic Beauty, an all-Tchaikovsky program of excerpts from two beloved ballet masterpieces—Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty—at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. Rehearsal Director Harriet Clark brings…

On March 2 at 7:30 p.m., EnsembleNYC will present a very special concert at West End Collegiate Church located at 245 W. 77th Street (between Broadway and West End Avenue). The versatile soprano and writer…

La Suspendida, the opera in jazz and metal produced by Laurent David, with music by Kilter and a libretto by William Berger, will be performed in full at Nublu on March 12. The opera tells…

Last October, On Site Opera (OSO) announced the appointment of Sarah Meyers as its next Artistic Director, succeeding the company’s co-founder, Eric Einhorn. Meyers has vast experience as an opera stage director at prestigious institutions like…

On Friday evening, soprano Julia Bullock presented an appealing and intelligently crafted recital in Zankel Hall. She took the time in between groupings of songs to address the audience and provide insights into the pieces…