OPPERA

From the digital opening of "Say Anything" on Oppera's "Violince" CD to the final horn honk on the haunting "Donde Esta Dios (Where Is God)" musical interlude, I was completely mesmerized! The musical genius of Michael Mozart and timeless vocals and rap skills, yes, rap skills of Martika shine on the duos long awaited debut CD "Violince". Michael Mozart's guitar and musical skills throughout Oppera's "Violince" CD showcase the promise of an incredible talent on the verge of super stardom. The radio friendly hooks on "Why", "Say Anything", "Misery", and "My Life", stuck with me from the first listen! Martika turns 'Lyrical Loca' on track 13, "That's Just The Way It Is", spitting and flowing with the best of 'em! I can just see Celia smiling down as Martika raps "a little dash of azuquita sweetened up my flow", no doubt, one of my favorite moments on "Violince". It's hard to categorize the Oppera sound as Rock, Pop, Classical, or Hip Hop, one thing is certain, it's just great music! If
you've never heard of Michael Mozart or Martika, trust, you will remember Oppera. "Viloince" is a must have for music fans across the Globe. The only thing that could've made this CD better would have been a huge slice of Donato's pizza that the duo rave about in the liner notes. On track 6, "Misery", Martika says it best..."living under ground, no one else around, searching for the life I lost, when I fell down. Hiding in the hills, working on my skills, freedom from the rat race, now my $@#%^ is ill!" Let the Oppera commence, enough said!

Jay Quintero


Jay Quintero
Morning Show Host
Z106.7, San Antonio's New # 1 Hit Music Station
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London (Sarah) -Martika is back and this time probably for good, this a good album that has left good taste at our office, with loads of musicianship and lyric maturity. Days of teeny pop are gone. Martika has found herself a good music partner with genuine passion or even handful hintsof meaning.. - Panartist UK

OPPERA - VIOLINCE

Artist: OPPERA
Title: VIOLINCE
Genre: ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Label: DUNDA CHIEF RECORDS
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Compiled Reviews on 'Violince' CD


From the digital opening of "Say Anything" on Oppera's "Violince" CD to the final horn honk on the haunting "Donde Esta Dios (Where Is God)" musical interlude, I was completely mesmerized! The musical genius of Michael Mozart and timeless vocals and rap skills, yes, rap skills of Martika shine on the duos long awaited debut CD "Violince". Michael Mozart's guitar and musical skills throughout Oppera's "Violince" CD showcase the promise of an incredible talent on the verge of super stardom. The radio friendly hooks on "Why", "Say Anything", "Misery", and "My Life", stuck with me from the first listen! Martika turns 'Lyrical Loca' on track 13, "That's Just The Way It Is", spitting and flowing with the best of 'em! I can just see Celia smiling down as Martika raps "a little dash of azuquita sweetened up my flow", no doubt, one of my favorite moments on "Violince". It's hard to categorize the Oppera sound as Rock, Pop, Classical, or Hip Hop, one thing is certain, it's just great music! If you've never heard of Michael Mozart or Martika, trust, you will remember Oppera. "Viloince" is a must have for music fans across the Globe. The only thing that could've made this CD better would have been a huge slice of Donato's pizza that the duo rave about in the liner notes. On track 6, "Misery", Martika says it best..."living under ground, no one else around, searching for the life I lost, when I fell down. Hiding in the hills, working on my skills, freedom from the rat race, now my $@#%^ is ill!" Let the Oppera commence Violince',the Dunda Chief Records debut CD of OPPERA,is a stunningingly intricate journey through a beautifully crafted musical landscape that includes many elements from classic rock,classical music,and a heavy dose of pure radio friendly pop tied together in a way that is extremely fresh and innovative. Singing like an angry angel and looking better than ever is none other than former Columbia Recording Artist 'Martika'. Martika had several hits during the late 80's and early 90's, culminating in the Billboard Charts number one smash 'Toy Soldiers'. 'Violince's heart wrenching ballads and epic rock songs definitely showcase the former 'pop diva' in her full glory! Martika has lost none of her hauntingly pure talent that catapulted her into the spotlight and to the top of the charts. With an army of alt-rock bands goose stepping to the same beat, OPPERA has side-stepped the pitfalls of sounding like everyone else, and created a wonderfully detailed world of their own that you really must hear to believe. At first, I thought this was a classical CD, and then I went to the OPPERA website, and I found out that this was a rock duo with Martika, and then I said to myself, 'Finally, someone with talent has re-emerged'. BUT, then I also saw that Michael Mozart was the other half of the duo, and I bought this CD IMMEDIATELY. I have heard Mozart's work in the past with various artists, and I have always thought that he was one of the most unsung heroes in the music business. I actually saw him perform at Carnegie Hall in 2000, and I was SPEECHLESS!!!! This CD is everything I expected and more. Buy two, because you will wear out your first one, and THAT is hard to do :) This is a must have album!!!! It is resfreshingly unique. There is something for everyone. This album creates a wonderful blend of rock, pop, hip-hop and classical. "Train Comes Around" will bring out your rebelious and fun side. Michael Mozart 's guitar playing ROCKS!!! It is wicked :-)"All Alone" will tear at your hearstrings as Martika's vocals make you feel the heartbreak she sings about. "Destiny" leaves you feeling inspired. Yes everyone, the CD is THAT GOOD. All the tracks are aswome. I can't tell you how aswome it is to hear Martika sing again. Her voice has never sounded better!!!! Michael is such a true musical talent. I can't believe he is playing all the instruments. Both combining thier talents have created a masterpiece. Big Things are instore for this duo!!! The new duo Oppera consists of musician Michael Mozart and pop singer Martika, who had the #1 single Toy Soldiers. It is one of the most interesting and exciting Cd's to come out in years. It truly is a masterpiece, and I have never heard anything like it. The music can best be described as pop rock mixed with classical influences. There are many highlights on the album. The best song on the album is called My Life. Martikas vocals are incredible, and the song will remind most of Queens Bohemian Rhapsody. It's brilliant. Train Comes Round and Misery are the edgier tracks on the album, with Michaels fierce guitar playing taking center stage, and Martika sounding better than ever. All Alone is a gorgeous ballad with a haunting piano arrangement in the background, reminiscent of Evanescences My Immortal. There are a few songs on here that I felt lacked the brilliance of the other tracks, but with so many great songs on this album it certainly makes up for the bad. It's a wonderfully crafted album that deserves to be a huge success. I guarantee you won't be disappointed if you buy this album. The Violince debut album by Oppera is a cleverly crafted record containing many surprising features that keep listeners' attention, and entices them to want to hear more. These songs are unique because they do not seem to follow the tried-and-true music song formula. The duo seems to be able to create its own meaning of what a song can be. Listeners will not know what to expect from song to song because each song sounds unique, yet somehow they all seem to fit together perfectly to make a very well-done album. The main reason for the varying styles of songs is that the band has two talents; Martika and Michael Mozart. Both have been writing music from an early age. Listening to the album, the band's influences come across clearly (Queen, Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin) The way Michael Mozart incorporate string arrangement is brilliant. Despite some low points, the album is a great, and it will be interesting to see what this songwriting duo produces in years to come iolince....Violince...Violince....This is an amazing debut album by a band that really doesn't sound like any other I have heard in the past few years. They are all extremely talented. You have to buy this CD to understand what I am talking about. I think Martika sounds better than ever these days! I love her voice.. she is just so talented...Michael Mozart..What can I say about him? ...He's the best, a brilliant musician, and his mastery is evident on every track of this debut disc. This is an exciting album, full of surprises, you can never predict where the music is going. And that's what makes this duo so exciting. I highly recommend it Skilled female vocalists like a Whitney or Celine may have the vocal gymnastics ability and range but there are very few vocalists I have ever heard that have the kind of beautiful voice Martika is so blessed with. When she sings you literally feel what she is singing about and that is an extremely rare talent. Martika has excellent vocal skill but she has that something special added to it. She demonstrated it in "Toy Soldiers" and "Love..Thy Will Be Done". She brings life to lyrics in a way that sounds genuinely meaningful and real. I still get the chills thinking about the first time I heard "Toy Soldiers" and "Love...Thy Will Be Done". I really hope the best for Martika and her latest work. The music industry is in such an uninspired funk right now. To me the latest fad is actually a new genre based on what used to be more of an underground genre known as hip-hop. Now it's strictly "hip-pop" getting the majority of the air play on the radio. There are certainly many listeners out there who have an open mind to welcome something new like "Oppera" and welcome back Martika with open arms showing the world how she has been deeply missed. The problem is breaking through those industry barriers. After listening to the album, there is no doubt in my mind Martika's still got it. I loved Martika's rapping and would like to see the album lyrics posted on the Oppera site just because at times the words were hard to make out like during the rap parts. All in all I was impressed with how Martika wasn't afraid to reinvent herself the way Madonna has throughout her career. Overall the style of the album is fun and inspiring, and the group shows enormous potential for the future. Now let's see if the music biz can take note. This Cd is aweosme, can't really explain how great it is....All I can say is that I had listened to this CD all day long and I was jamming to it....My 5 and 7 year old nephews were even jamming to the CD......My 5 year old nephew loves the song Train Comes 'Round whenever that song came on he would stop whatever he was doing and jam to the song......The OPPERA duo is fantastic, you will have to buy the CD to hear it yourselves on how awesome it is......OPPERA ROCKS THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!! have been a fan of Martika for nearly 20 years, and every change she makes in her career is better than the last. This time, the collaboration with Michael has brought out the best of both artists, and the result is a CD that I find nearly impossible to stop listening to. Every song is unique, and the CD sounds like nothing I have ever heard. The one drawback is that the lyrics were not included, but hopefully they will be posted on the website soon. Having the lyrics is a neccessity because singing along with this CD is an inevitability. As a Martika fan since the days of Kids Incorporated, I have followed this beautiful diva since the release of her two albums Martika and Martika's kitchen. Now that I have discovered her comeback in the duo Oppera and have pre-purchased and received an advance copy of Violince, Oppera's debut. To all Martika fans, this album is nothing short of brilliance. Martika and Michael are perfect together as Oppera and their chemistry comes through loud and clear in songs like Say Anything, Misery, Train Comes Round. Violince is totally different from anything out there and with songs like Why, one of my personal favorites, Oppera is about to take the music world by storm. It is fantastic to have Martika back on the music scene but with someone like Michael, a force to be reckoned with by her side. We Martika fans now get more from Martika and Michael. I, personally, could not be a better fan of these two talented individuals. Violince is simply mind-blowing and a work of very quality music. I highly recommend this cd because I can see it now, Oppera winning many grammies!!!! OU MUST BY THIS ALBUM.... IT'S THE BEST DEBUT OF THE YEAR! A QUICK SYNOPSIS OF EACH AMAZING SONG: SAY ANYTHING: Exciting 1st rate single perfectly showcasing the amazing gifts of both Martika and Michael! Perfection! WHY: Explosive, high octane rock that begs to be played LOUD! TRAIN COMES ROUND: Grabs you by the balls right out of the gate with incredibly powerful vocals and amazing guitar work! A definite highlight! ALL ALONE: Gorgeous, intimate vocals; spare arrangement builds to a dramatic bridge and ends with a pained confessional. Brilliant. Soars with passion and power. MISERY: Powerful, infectious, can't get it out of your head song that you'll sing for days! A+! One of the best! UPSIDE DOWN: Amazing guitar work from Mr. Mozart and one of Martika's most impassioned vocals on record. This track is at once, lush, orgasmic, powerful and classic! Simply shines! MY LIFE: Amazing production, tempo shifts and soaring vocals highlight this musically dextrous song. Wonderous! LIAR: Potent mix of dramatic lyrics, defiant vocals and splintering musicianship! Amazing vocal arrangement in the bridge! Play it LOUD! FADE AWAY: Searing vocal treatments and dynamic guitars come together to create a fierce, take no prisoners song! DESTINY: Dreamy, lush, wistful, earnest, heart wrenching, powerful. The perfect pop rock confection for the discriminating musical pallette. This song soars and is an instant classic. THE WAY IT IS: Wildly adventurous, humorous, amazing vocal gymnastics will take your breath away! The perfect close to an amazing set of music. BOTTOM LINE: GET YOUR COPY TODAY! THE BEST CD OF THE YEAR!

Track List:
1. Say Anything 2. Why 3. Esperando Tu Turno 4. Train Comes 'Round 5. All Alone 6. Misery 7. Upside Down 8. Demasiadas Notas 9. My Life 10. Liar 11. Fade Away 12. Destiny 13. That's Just The Way It Is 14. Donde Esta Dios?

Credits: Indie Fan, El Mercurio Times, Midwest Entertainer, Panartist UK, Tower Records


Score: 5 of 5 - Indie Fan Reviews

EMINEM adds Martika's 1989 Billboard Number One hit 'Toy Soldiers' to the Interscope Records EMINEM Greatest Hits CD 'Curtain Call'.
'Like Toy Soldiers', the collaboration with Martika, is added to EMINEM's Greatest Hits due to last years number one hit success on the 8 million selling CD,'Encore'.
- Dunda Chief Press Release

Oppera article appearing in this weeks Sun Newspaper, London's largest and most read newspaper!!!

Week of February 14th.

You can find The Sun at any Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Waldenbooks, or any international news stand. - SUN Publishing

Oppera will be featured on Rockwired in an exclusive interview and CD review December 17th,2005.
Go to http://www.rockwired.com.
http://www.oppera.net - Brian Lush/Rockwired

Dunda Chief Records in conjunction with Parker Guitars, will be giving away a brand new Parker Guitar at each live performance on OPPERA's upcoming summer tour. Details for the give-away will be available in the coming months.
- Dunda Chief Records Press Release

OPPERA appeare in Issue 223 of Q Magazine - Tower Publishing

National Radio Guitar Giveaway
Parker Guitars and Dunda Chief Records Join Forces

PARKER GUITARS and DUNDA CHIEF RECORDS are announcing a national radio promotional program in which PARKER GUITARS and DUNDA CHIEF RECORDS recording act OPPERA will be giving away signed PARKER GUITARS as part of OPPERA’s radio campaign for their new single titled ‘SO’. OPPERA will sign and number each PARKER guitar that will be given away at radio stations across the country. This program will coincide with OPPERA’s tour schedule, and lucky winners will be able to meet OPPERA and be VIP’s at OPPERA performances in their area. - Parker Guitars

Benetar gives it her best shot

Interlochen Arts Festival opens with concert Monday

By MARTA HEPLER DRAHOSMARTA HEPLER DRAHOS
Record-Eagle staff writer


Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo open the Interlochen Arts Festival Monday in Kresge Auditorium.
INTERLOCHEN - Behind every successful pop/rock diva is a guitarist/producer husband.
Or so it might seem Monday night, when Pat Benatar and Martika take to the Interlochen stage with husbands Neil Giraldo and Michael Mozart. The 8 p.m. show in Kresge Auditorium opens the nine-week Interlochen Arts Festival.
Known for delivering mainstream pop and rock with the power and attitude of an arena rocker, Benatar shot to fame with her 1979 debut album, "In the Heat of the Night." Boosted by frequent play during MTV's early days, she went on to become one of rock's top female vocalists, churning out such 1980s hits as "I Need a Lover," "Heartbreaker" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," and winning four Grammy awards.
Backed by a band led by Giraldo, she was alternately praised and criticized by Rolling Stone for using her "fiery multi-octave range to project just the right mixture of man-chewing, no-nonsense and tough-girl vulnerability" and taking her "strutting, screaming Joplinesque-rocker role to silly extremes."
Though she all but disappeared from the radar by the 1990s, she began touring again in the middle of the decade and revived her recording career in 2003 with a studio album called "Go." A greatest hits recording - her first official compilation since 1989 - was released earlier this month.
Benatar has been busy in front of the camera, too. In the past few years she has appeared on several hit TV shows including WB's "Charmed," ABC's "Dharma and Greg" and the Fox series "That '80s Show."
Now 52, she lives in Hawaii, where she and the much-tattooed Giraldo married in 1982.
Opening for the pair will be another husband-and-wife duo: former Columbia Recording artist and early '90s teen singer Martika and guitarist and producer Michael Mozart. Appearing as Oppera, they'll perform songs from "So," their just-released album.
Martika scored many top 10 hits including 1989's Billboard number one hit"Toy Soldiers," which made a recent comeback to the top of the charts thanks to rapper Eminem's sampling of the song.
Mozart has recorded and performed with some of the most respected musicians in rock and R&B including Leon Russell, Lenny Kravitz, Whitney Houston, Dave Mason and Steven Tyler. - Traverse City Eagle