The bacchanalia were rites originally held in ancient Greece to honor the god Dionysus. By the time these festivals spread to southern Italy, though banned by the Senate, they were held in secret and attended only by women. The historian Livy described the shenanigans that took place at these raucus girl-power celebrations. These wild women danced around with “hair disheveled” and reveled in such a manner that partygoers who refused to get into the spirit were “sacrificed as a victims,” as “there was no crime, no deed of shame, wanting. [...]

Michael Sakir is the assistant conductor that will be helping to bring both Otello and Carmen to life this season at the Sarasota Opera House. Sakir is a dynamic and innovative musician whose collaborations with living composers have yielded pieces that challenge conceptions and conventions about age and contemporary relevance in classical music.   Dining Diva: Where are you from? Michael Sakir: North Bay, Santa Rosa.   DD: What is your favorite food from home? MS: I love adventurous California cuisine and places that use local ingredients. I am half [...]

Martha Collins is the Stage Director for the performance of Georges Bizet’s Carmen for the Sarasota Opera House opening on February 11, 2012. They have chosen to do the original, more traditional version of this beloved and controversial opera and appear to be relishing the challenge. I sat down with Martha Collins to learn more about her life off-stage.   Dining Diva: Where are you from? Martha Collins: Aylmer, Quebec which is a suburb of Ottawa.   DD: What is your favorite food from home? MC: I loved my mother’s [...]