Michael Fabiano, Anja Kampe, Irene Roberts, Eve Maud Hubeaux, Matthew Polenzani Headline San Francisco Opera’s 2024-25 Season

San Francisco Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. The season opens with the “Opera Ball.” Performance Dates: Sept. 6, 2024 The first opera production is “Un Ballo in Maschera” starring Michael Fabiano, Lianna Haroutounian, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Judit Kutasi, and Meigui Zhang. Eun Sun Kim conducts a production directed by Leo Muscato. Performance Dates: Sept. 6-27, 2024 There will also be an “Opera {…}

Oct 24, 2023

Jessica Pratt, Simon O’Neill & Natalya Romaniw Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. In this edition, a leading Bel Canto interpreter delves into mad scenes with her new alum while a rarely performed opera by a female composer gets a new release. There is also a special Wagner recording out this week. Rheinberger & Mendelssohn Choral {…}

Jun 24, 2023

Teatro La Fenice 2022-23 Review: Der Fliegende Holländer

(Credit: © Michele Crosera) On June 22, the Teatro La Fenice opened a new production of “Die Fliegende Holländer” in a very unconventional way that succeeded musically despite not quite reaching those same heights theatrically. Regie Confusion As he walked onstage to receive his applause, Marcin Lakomicki was received by some boos from the audience. One would imagine that a {…}

May 30, 2023

Royal Opera House 2022-23 Review: Wozzeck

Photo: Tristram Kenton Expectations were high for Deborah Warner’s new production of Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck” at the Royal Opera House. Warner’s acclaimed treatment of “Peter Grimes” saw her in similar territory—indeed, the debt owed to Berg’s score by Britten is considerable—in a pair of twentieth-century operas about alienated outsiders, disturbed by the very society that despises them. Both pieces are {…}

Mar 31, 2023

Anna Netrebko, Marina Rebeka, Sonya Yoncheva & Elīna Garanča Lead Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s 2023-24 Season

Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2023-24 season. The season will showcase numerous revivals and new productions. Premieres Calixto Bieito directs a new production of Verdi’s “Aida” with Grigory Shkarupa, Elīna Garanča, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Marina Rebeka, María José Siri, Yusif Eyvazov, Ivan Magrì, René Pape, Erwin Schrott, Vladislav Sulimsky, and Alfredo Daza. Nicola Luisotti conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}

Dec 9, 2021

Georg Zeppenfeld Replaces René Pape in Wiener Staatsoper’s ‘Parsifal’

(Credit: Georg Zeppenfeld) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that bass René Pape will not be appearing in the role of Gurnemanz in the run of Wagner’s “Parsifal.” As a result, German bass Georg Zeppenfeld will take over the role. Zeppenfeld joins a cast that includes Wolfgang Koch, Anja Kampe, Nikolay Sidorenko, Artyom Wasnetsov, Carlos Osuna, Erik Van Heyningen, Patricia Nolz, {…}

Nov 17, 2021

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Multiple Cast Changes for ‘Der Fliegende Holländer’

(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper official website) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that soprano Anja Kampe will not be appearing in the role of Senta in Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” for the performances on Nov. 21 & 24, 2021. As a result, well-known dramatic soprano Ricarda Merbeth will take over the role. Merbeth has already stepped in for Kampe for the performance {…}

Nov 16, 2021

Ricarda Merbeth Replaces Anja Kampe in Wiener Staatsoper’s ‘Der Fliegende Holländer’

(Credit: Mirko Joerg Kellner) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that soprano Anja Kampe will not be appearing in the role of Senta in Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” for the Nov. 17, 2021 performance. As a result, soprano Ricarda Merbeth will take over the role. Merbeth is a well-known dramatic soprano who has performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Bayerische Staatsoper, {…}

Sep 24, 2021

Nuria Rial, Anja Kampe & Nancy Fabiola Herrera Lead Palau de la Música de Valencia’s 2021-22 Season

Spain’s Palau de la Música de Valencia has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal performances. The Teatro Principal will present Nuria Rial and Martin Mitterrutzner in a program of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and J. Strauss. Alexander Liebreich conducts. Performance Date: Dec. 22, 2021 Anja Kampe, Norbert Ernst and Ain Anger perform {…}

Jul 26, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Anja Harteros, Anna Netrebko, Michael Fabiano, Roberta Mantegna Headline Top Operas to Stream This Week

As July comes to a close we are fortunate to bring you another week of unique opera streams. Three hail from one company in Germany, but all of them are undeniably worth a look. We also have some unique streams from a number of other companies and organizations around the world. So without further ado, here are our top operas {…}

Jul 23, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Elīna Garanča & Nina Stemme Highlight Bayerische Staatsoper’s Farewell Concert for Nikolaus Bachler

(Credit: Markus Jans) The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced a farewell concert in honor of its outgoing Intendant Nikolaus Bachler. The concert will take place on July 30, 2021 at the Nationaltheater. The concert will feature some of the world’s greatest performers, including Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Elīna Garanča, Nina Stemme, Alex Esposito, Christian Gerhaher, Anja Harteros, Ermonela Jaho, {…}