I will never die. But when if I do—certainly after 2300—, I want to be mourned with Verdi’s “Requiem.” No discussion. Few musical moments are more rewarding than the first tenor “Kyrie,” breaking into the orchestral mass, abashing any feelings that are not of heroic repentance. I simply love it. However, such strong personal preference creates rigid expectations of how {…}
Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle is set to be presented for Easter. The concert will be held at the Teatro Alighieri Ravenna on March 24, 2024. Paolo Olmi is set to conduct the Young Musicians European Orchestra with soloists Irene Celle, Annalisa Stroppa, Stefano Colucci, and Mirco Palazzi. The Coro della Catedrale di Siena “Guida Chigi Saracini” and the Liatoshynskyi Capella {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week you get albums from two very famous singers, a soundtrack to one of this year’s Oscar contenders, and two complete opera recordings you cannot miss. Maestro Deutsche Grammophon releases the official soundtrack to Bradley Cooper’s new film “Maestro.” The recording features {…}
The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has announced its 2023-24 season. Opera Erika Grimaldi, Luciano Ganci, and Claudio Sgura star in Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut.” Oksana Lyniv conducts the new production by Leo Muscato. Performance Dates: Jan. 26-31, 2024 Davide Livermore directs a new production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” with Roberto Aronica, Marta Torbidoni, Lucas Meachem, and Chiara Mogini. Renato Palumbo conducts. {…}
The Teatro San Carlo di Napoli is set to open a production of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena.” The opera will be directed by Jetske Mijnssen in a co-production with the Dutch National Opera and the Palau de les Arts. Riccardi Frizza conducts a cast that includes Annalisa Stroppa, Maria Agresta, Alexander Vinogradov, and René Barbera. Regarding the opera, Frizza noted, “The score’s elevated, {…}
Belgium’s Opera de Liege has announced its 2023-24 season featuring youth opera, opera, and concerts. Fabio Biondi conducts Mozart’s “Idomeneo” with Giorgio Berrugi, Annalisa Stroppa, Maria Grazia Schiavo, Nino Machaidze, and Riccardo Della Sciucca. Jean-Louis Grinda directs. Performance Dates: Sept. 19-28, 2023 Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” is set to star Ruzil Gatin, Pablo Ruiz, Aya Wakizono, Chiara Tirotta, Vittorio Prato, {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2023-24 season. New Productions The first new production of the season will be Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Stefano Montanari conducts the production by Evgeny Titov. The cast will include Huw Montague Rendall, Mattia Olivieri, Elsa Dreisig, Maria Bengtsson, Louise Alder, Konstantin Krimmel, Avery Amereau, and Dorothea Röschmann. Performance Dates: Oct. 30, 2023-July 17, 2024 {…}
The Teatro San Carlo has announced cast changes for its productions of “La Damnation de Faust” and “Anna Bolena.” For its production of Berlioz’s oratorio, the company said that Charles Castronovo will be replaced by John Osborn in the role of Faust while Anita Rachvelishvili will be replaced by Daniela Barcellona in the role of Marguerite. Finally, Edwin Crossley-Mercer will be {…}
Annalisa Stroppa has signed with GM Art&Music for General Management. The Italian mezzo recently performed at the Donizetti Opera Festival and later performs the role of Suzuki in “Madama Butterfly” at the Bregenz Festival. She will also perform in a production of “La Gioconda” in Las Palmas, Spain. A graduate of the Conservatory of Brescia, she made her debut on {…}
Who could outshine the great Javier Camarena singing “La Favorite” on the stage of the famous Donizetti festival? A consummate master of Bel Canto, singing the role of the head-over-heels-in-love novice, leaving the monastery to meet the woman of his dreams. Ah, we were certainly hooked on it. And yet, this year in Bergamo, the audience had to prepare to {…}
(Credit: Michele Monasta) On Nov. 18, the Donizetti Opera Festival will open its 2022 festival with “La Favorite.” The opera is rarely performed but has been a showcase for many mezzo-sopranos in the history of opera. For this new production, Annalisa Stroppa will return to Bergamo and make her role debut as Léonor. The mezzo, who first sang with the {…}