Brandon Jovanovich, Elena Stikhina, Anna Bonitatibus & Christian Gerhaher Lead Opernhaus Zürich’s 2024-25 Season

Opernhaus Zürich has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Samuel Penderbayne’s “Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig” will be conducted by Thomas Barthel and Ann-Katrin Stöcker. Claudia Blersch directs the production which will star Liliana Nikiteanu, Sylwia Salamonska, Irène Friedli, Philipp Mayer, Stanislav Vorobyov, Valeriy Murga, Gary Martin, Martin Zysset, Carl Hieger, Christian Sturm, Indyana Schneider, Céline Akçağ, Sylwia Salamonska, and Rebeca {…}

Mar 22, 2024

Opéra de Paris 2024 Review: Simon Boccanegra

(Photo credit: Vincent Pontet-OnP) A few years ago, when Bieito’s staging of “Simon Boccanegra” premiered at the Paris Opera, the reviews were abysmal. Few things are as catchy in the opera world as negative consensus. I got to see the same production with a very similar cast last weekend, and, somehow, I think it was one of the most emotional {…}

Mar 19, 2024

Pretty Yende, Anna Netrebko, Philippe Jaroussky, Natalie Dessay & Benjamin Bernheim Lead Théâtre des Champs-Élysées’ 2024-25 Season

The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the vocal performances. Opera in Production Bach’s “Passion selon Saint” will be conducted by Leonardo García Alarcón and directed by Sasha Waltz. The cast will include Sophie Junker, Georg Nigl, Christian Immler, Benno Schachtner, Valerio Contaldo, and Mark Milhofer. Performance Dates: Nov. 4 & 5, 2024 Poulenc’s “Dialogues des {…}

Feb 14, 2024

Teatro alla Scala to Stream ‘Simon Boccanegra’ with Luca Salsi

The Teatro alla Scala TV is set to livestream Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra on Feb. 14, 2024. The performance will star Luca Salsi in the title role alongside Ain Anger, Roberto De Candia, Andrea Pellegrini, Eleonora Buratto, and Charles Castronovo. Lorenzo Viotti will conduct the new production by Daniele Abbado. “Simon Boccanegra” was presented in its final form at La Scala {…}

Jan 5, 2024

Charles Castronovo, Benjamin Britten & Galina Vishnevskaya Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Happy New Year! For the first edition of the year, we look at the first releases of 2024. This week we get a new album by a leading tenor and a remastering of a legendary recording conducted by the composer himself. Out of the Ashes Navona releases the USD Chamber Singers and Dr. David Holdhusen’s new album. The CD will {…}

Oct 25, 2023

Metropolitan Opera 2023-24 Review: Un Ballo in Maschera

(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is in the midst of reviving “Un Ballo in Maschera” for the first time since 2015. Considered one of Verdi’s masterpieces, the work has some of the greatest arias and ensembles the composer ever wrote. For this revival, the Met brought a solid cast in an unfortunate production that should have {…}

Oct 18, 2023

Charles Castronovo Leads Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Un Ballo in Maschera’

(Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera) Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time since 2015. The opera will be presented in David Alden with Italian maestro Carlo Rizzi leading the orchestra. The cast will include Charles Castronovo, Angela Meade, Quinn Kelsey, Liv Redpath, and Olesya Petrova. Alden’s production was first performed at the {…}

Jun 2, 2023

Francesco Meli, Kate Lindsey & Charles Castronovo Lead Orchestra Rai’s 2023-24 Season

Torino’s Orchestra Rai has announced its 2023-24 season. Here are the vocal highlights. Philippe Jordan conducts Kate Lindsey in a program of music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Ernest Chausson, Benjamin Britten, and Claude Debussy. Performance Dates: Dec 14 & 15, 2023 Michele Gamba conducts Francesco Meli and Markus Werba in a Puccini concert. Performance Date: March 20, 2024 Andres Orozco-Estrada conducts {…}

May 29, 2023

Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča, Sonya Yoncheva, Jonas Kaufmann & Luca Salsi Lead Teatro alla Scala’s 2023-24 Season

The Teatro alla Scala has announced ts 2023-24 season. The season opens with Verdi’s “Don Carlo” which will star René Pape, Francesco Meli, Luca Salsi, Ain Anger, Anna Netrebko, and Elīna Garanča. Riccardo Chailly conducts a production by Lluis Pasqual. Maria Jose Siri and Ekaterina Semenchuk perform the final two performances. Performance Dates: Dec. 7, 2023-Jan. 2, 2024 Sonya Yoncheva {…}

May 23, 2023

Charles Castronovo, Elsa Dreisig, Maria Bengtsson, Lawrence Brownlee, Aleksandra Kurzak Headline 2023-24 Season at Grand Théâtre Genève

The Grand Théâtre Genève has announced its 2023-24 season. First up is “Don Carlo” in a production by Lydia Steier starring Charles Castronovo, Leonardo Capalbo, Dmitry Ulyanov, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Stéphane Degout, and Êve-Maud Hubeaux. Marc Minkowski conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 15 – 28, 2023 Lea Desandre, Ana María Labin, Ana Vieira Leite, Hugh Cutting, Kresimir Spicer, Moritz Kallenberg, and Renato {…}

Apr 8, 2023

Eleonora Buratto & Charles Castronovo Lead Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ At the Metropolitan Opera

Puccini’s “La Bohème” returns to the Met with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the work for the first time at the company. The opera which is set to open on April 21 will be performed 14-performance with two casts. Soprano Eleonora Buratto, who reprises her role from last season as the tragic heroine Mimì, and tenor Stephen Costello Rodolfo, lead the first cast. {…}

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