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 {…}
The Macerata Opera Festival has announced its 2024 season, which will be dedicated to Giacomo Puccini and will celebrate its 60th anniversary. The season will open with Puccini’s “Turandot” starring Olga Maslova (Turandot), Angelo Villari (Calaf), Ruth Iniesta (Liù), Antonio Di Matteo (Timur), Lodovico Filippo Ravizza (Ping), Paolo Antognetti (Pang), and Francesco Pittari (Pong). The opera will be performed with {…}
The Teatro Regio di Parma is set to present performances on Classica HD from Dec. 8 to 10, 2023. The performances will be shown on Channel 136 on Sky. The first performance will be “Il Trovatore” in a production by Davide Livermore. Franco Vassallo, Francesca Dotto, Clementine Margaine, and Riccardo Massi star with Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducting. Boradcast Date: Dec. {…}
(Credit: Illustrazione di Pierpaolo Gaballo) The Festival Verdi is set to present Verdi’s fourth opera “I Lombardi alla prima Crociata.” After 14 years the work will be presented on Sept 21 through Oct. 15, 2023. The new production will be directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi with lighting design by Massimo Gasparon and choreography by Marco Berriel. Francesco Lanzillotta conducts the Filarmonica {…}
The Teatro Caro Felice has announced its 2023-24 season. Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens the season with a cast that includes Christopher Ainslie, Sydney Mancasola, Matteo Anselmi, Scott Wilde, Kamelia Kader, Peter Kirk, John Chest, Hagar Sharvit, Keri Fuge, David Shipley, David Ireland, Seumas Begg, Sion Goronwy, Robert Burt, and Benjamin Bevan. Donato Renzetti conducts the production by Laurence Dale. Performance Dates: Oct. 13-19, 2023 Dante Ferretti directs Massenet’s “Werther” with Jean-François Borras, Jérôme {…}
The Festival Verdi has announced its 2023 season. Main Stage Productions The season opens with “I Lombardi alla prima Crociata” in a production by Pier Luigi Pizzi. Francesco Lanzillotta conducts a cast that includes Lidia Fridman as Giselda, Antonio Poli as Oronte, Michele Pertusi as Pagano, and Giovanni Sala as Arvino. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 15, 2023 Franco Vassallo leads {…}
Italy’s Teatro Comunale di Sassari has announced its 2022 season. The season opens with Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Sergio Alapont conducts a cast that includes Vincenzo Nizzardo (Don Giovanni), Francesca Pusceddu (Zerlina), Karen Gardeazabal (Donna Anna), Santiago Sanchez (Don Ottavio), Carmen Buendìa (Donna Elvira), Davide Giangregorio (Leporello), Alberto Petricca (Masetto), and Mariano Buccino. Paolo Gavazzeni and Piero Maranghi directs. Performance Dates: {…}
Italy’s Macerata Opera Festival has announced its 2022 season featuring three operatic productions. Here is a look at the season. Donato Renzetti conducts Valentina Carrasco’s production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” Carmen Giannattasio, Antonio Poli, and Claudio Sgura star. Performance Dates: July 24-31, 2022 The company will present the film “The Circus” by Charlie Chaplin alongside “Pagliacci.” The cast for Leoncavallo’s opera {…}
(Credit: Fabrizio Sansoni – Teatro dell’Opera di Roma) The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is set to present Verdi’s “Luisa Miller.” The opera will be showcased between Feb. 8 and 17 in a production by Damiano Michieletto under the baton of the company’s new Music Director Michele Mariotti. It will be the second time the conductor takes on Verdi’s opera after {…}
The Teatro Municipale di Piacenza in Italy has announced its 2022 season which will feature five productions and special events. The season opens with Verdi’s “Aroldo” starring Luciano Ganci in the title role, Vladimir Stoyanov, and Roberta Mantegna. Manlio Benzi conducts the production by Emilio Sala e Edoardo Sanchi. Performance Dates: Jan. 21 & 23, 2022 Donizetti’s “La Favorita” will {…}
On Oct. 2, the Festival Verdi is set to present the Messa da Requiem which will be dedicated to the composer Sylvano Bussotti, who recently died. Daniele Gatti will conduct the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai and the coro del Teatro Regio di Parma. Maria Agresta, Elīna Garanča, and John Relyea will make their Teatro Regio di Parma debuts alongside {…}