The Staatsoper Berlin has announced conductor changes for upcoming performances. The company said that Bertrand de Billy will conduct the revival of Georges Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ for all performances (Feb. 5 to March 3). Meanwhile, the last three performances of Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Samson et Dalila” in February will be conducted by Thomas Guggeis, who has already rehearsed and conducted the revival {…}
San Francisco Opera’s summer production of Mozart’s dark comedy “Don Giovanni” gives us so much more than we could ever ask for from this operatic gem. From the opening downbeat, conductor Bertrand de Billy led us through the variant plot twists and turns with the only questions being – Will we cheer for the great libertine’s demise? Or will we {…}
(Credit: Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Music Entertainment) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that tenor Juan Diego Flórez will sing the role of Nemorino in Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” on Sept. 21, 2020. The tenor will replace Liparit Avetisyan, who is ill, in the final performance of the run. Flórez is the latest artist in a series of cast changes at the {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its production of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore.” The company announced that Jinxu Xiahou will replace Liparit Avetisyan in the role of Nemorino on Sept. 18 and Bertrand de Billy will replace Giacomo Sagripanti in the pit for the rest of the run. Xiahou made his Wiener Staatsoper debut in 2012 and became {…}
Musikverein Wien has announced its 2019-20 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on vocal performances. Martin Haselböck will lead the Orchester Wiener Akademie in a performance of various works by Franz Schubert as well as Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 4 in D Minor. Baritone Thomas Hampson will be featured. Performance Date: Oct. 13, 2019 Bass Günther Groissböck and {…}
Written in collaboration with David Salazar It’s been years in the making – Anna Netrebko singing “Tosca.” The soprano has been outspoken about her dislike for the character and about her doubts singing the role, but it’s a character that audiences have been dying to see her sing. Afterall, who but Netrebko can be considered the quintessential diva of the {…}
“Luisa Miller” is long considered to mark the beginning of Verdi’s “middle period” with themes of class division and an ill-fated romance that foreshadow the composer’s brilliant “La Traviata.” It also came at a time when Verdi was more open to sourcing from outside of his homeland, with the German playwright Friedrich von Schiller’s Kabale und Liebe the material for {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced replacements for James Levine for “Luisa Miller” and “Il Trovatore.” Macro Armiliato will lead performances of “Il Trovatore” starring Maria Agresta as Leonora, Yonghoon Lee as Manrico, and Anita Rachvelishvili as Azucena. Quinn Kelsey and Luca Salsi will share the role of Count di Luna, with Štefan Kocán and Kwangchul Youn both singing the role {…}
James Levine is now slated to conduct spring performances of the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Tosca.” The music director emeritus will replace the originally scheduled Bertrand de Billy who was scheduled to conduct on April 21 through May 12. There was no official announcement but de Billy is still set to conduct “Cendrillon.” Levine will reunite with Anna Netrebko {…}
Lionel Bringuier has pulled out of Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Opera National de Paris. According to Forum Opera, the conductor pulled out for personal reasons leaving the Opera National de Paris in a mad scramble to find a replacement. As it turns out, audiences will now get three different musical interpretations to look forward to. Bertrand de Billy will conduct on {…}
Verdi’s “Don Carlo” makes its return to La Scala for the first time in decades in its five act version. For many this is the best version of the opera, but the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a real version of the opera with differing versions having different strengths. The work premiered in 1867. Heavy {…}