On a bend in the River Vltava in southern Bohemia, perched on a high rocky outcrop, stands the impressive castle of Česky Krumlov. It was founded in the first half of the 13th century by the Lords of Krumlov. Although the dynasty died out, the castle continued to develop under a series of new owners, along with the small town {…}
With the proposal to reconstruct the world’s first public opera house, Venice’s Teatro San Cassiano, developing apace, OperaWire took the opportunity to meet up with its artistic director, Andrea Marcon, to discuss his aims, justifications, expectations, and hopes for the project. Marcon is one of the world’s leading exponents of baroque repertoire and has conducted performances across the globe, from {…}
Photo: Victoria Cadisch On Mar. 19, 2023, soprano Mary Bevan will make her Bayerische Staatsoper debut, singing the role of Calisto in Cavalli’s “La Calisto.” The opera’s libretto, written by Giovanni Faustini, is based on Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” (book two) and retells the myth of Calisto and Jupiter. Bevan’s repertoire is loaded with baroque, from Monteverdi to Gluck, with lots of Handel {…}
(Photo: Martynas Aleksa) On a cold rainy day, we attended an operatic event taking place outside the ArtVilnius fair pavilion. Though there were some performances before, people still came to the Opera Truck in dozens. The interest was high, and now, the well-proven production set on tour around Lithuania. The events were free of charge and supposed to pave the {…}
Les Arts Florissants’ 2020 “Dans Les Jardins de William Christie” Festival opened in Thiré, France on August 22 with a performance of Handel’s “L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato,” the composer’s pastoral based on the poetry of John Milton. The production kicked off the annual event that combines the thrilling beauty of Baroque music and the art of gardens. The {…}
(Credit: Tim Dunk Photography) The Vache Baroque Festival will present Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” on September 4 & 6, 2020. Katie Bray, winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at Cardiff Singer of the World 2019, will headline the cast as Dido. Bray’s recent roles include Zerlina in Mozart and Da Ponte’s “Don Giovanni,” title role in Vivaldi’s “La Griselda,” Dorabella in {…}
Early music enthusiasts in Seattle showed up in full force for a single concert performance of a Baroque pastiche of the Orpheus story featuring world-class early music specialists. How could they resist the intriguing concept and such a stellar line up? Philippe Jaroussky is a major international star (a “rockstar countertenor” as the Seattle Symphony marketing department awkwardly posits) {…}
(Credit: Brescia/Amisano – Teatro alla Scala) It is surprising that G.F. Handel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto” has had only one previous outing (back in 1956) at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, as it is perhaps a work rich in veins of Italian national pride: a heroic tale based upon the valor and moral fortitude of one of Rome’s most glorious emperors, {…}
Boston Baroque has announced its 2019-20 season, which will include five concerts. The season will open with two Classical symphonies: Mozart’s “Linz” Symphony No. 36 in C major, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 in B flat. Soprano Amanda Forsythe will perform a set of virtuosic arias including “Barbaro, o Dio, mi vedi” from Mozart’s “Il re pastore,” “Ruhe sanft, mein holdes {…}
The 4th Annual Toronto Bach Festival will take place May 24 – 26, 2019 in celebration of one of the world’s most beloved composers – J. S. Bach. Music lovers “will be treated to back-to-back Bach, from the three main categories of his work – vocal music, solo keyboard music, and instrumental music,” according to the press release. John Abberger, founder and {…}
Henry Purcell’s “King Arthur” arrives at the Berlin Staatsoper on Sunday Jan. 15 in a run that has already reportedly sold out. According to the official website of the Staatsoper, all five runs of the production have no remaining tickets for those interested in witnessing the performance. The opera, written by librettist John Dryden, is rather unique in its construction. {…}
