“We met on the job around 10 years ago, for a few projects over some years. The first time not a word, the second a few, the third ‘Hey, would you like to do a concert program together’ and the fourth… was the last and here we are! It took me many hours in the kitchen, but I got him {…}
Valencia’s Palau de les Arts’ 2023-24 season featuring opera, recitals, concerts, and zarzuela. Opera Dima Orsho and Carla Nahadi Babelegoto star in “Women at Point Zero.” Performance Date: Sept. 15, 2023 James Gaffigan conducts Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” in Richard Jones’ production. The cast includes Arsen Soghomonyan, Doris Soffel, Ekaterina Guseva, Elena Maximova, Roman Burdenko, and Nikolay Zemlianskikh. Performance {…}
The Château de Versailles Spectacles has announced its 2023-24 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. John Eliot Gardiner will lead the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique in Berlioz’s “Les Troyens.” The opera stars Michael Spyres, Paula Murrihy, and Alice Coote, among others. Performance Dates: August 29, 2023 Soprano Marie Perbost will join {…}
A recorded speech before the performance of “Aquiles en Esciros,” explained to the audience that this opera production reached its final stage rehearsals when the pandemic closed down the theatre for months. Not knowing how the situation would develop, the theater kept the sets on the stage for weeks before dismantling them. The opera composed by Francesco Corselli premiered in Madrid {…}
(Credit: Ribalta Studio) MITO SettembreMusica has announced its 16th edition, which will feature 116 concerts. For the purposes of this article, we will focus solely on the vocal performances, which will take place in Milan and/or Torino. Francesca Aspromonte will team up with violinist and conductor Boris Begelman and the Academia Montis Regalis for music by Scarlatti and Händel. Performance {…}
The Festival de Pâques has announced a unique new format for its 2022 edition. Taking place between April 8 and 24, the festival will feature four masterclasses and 31 concerts featuring over 800 artists. The festival will present live performances as well as develop an online presence with 17 streamed concerts. For the purposes of this article, our focus will {…}
(Photo: Nicola Dal Maso, RibaltaLuce Studio) Back in 2018 OperaWire interviewed Italian soprano and baroque specialist Francesca Aspromonte to talk to her about her newly released CD “Maria & Maddalena,” her love for the baroque repertoire and her desire to expand her repertoire into other areas. Since then she has gone on to cement her reputation with a string of {…}
As part of this week’s CD / DVD releases, audiences will get an early Christmas, solo albums, a world premiere recording, and a classic recording. Here is a look at what audiences can watch or listen to this week. Anima Aeterna Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński brings his latest album to Erato, showcasing an adventurous album of sacred arias and motets {…}
Insula Orchestra has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances. First up will be a performance of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” with Julian Prégardien, Núria Rial, Samuel Hasselhorn, and Kristina Hammarström. Performances are set to take place in Paris, Budapest, and Aix-en-Provence. Performance Dates: Dec. 9-14, 2021 The company {…}
The Teatro La Fenice is set to present Handel’s “Rinaldo” to kick off the fall season. The theater will revive the legendary staging by Pier Luigi Pizzi from 1985. The staging has been performed at 20 major opera houses and this time the production will star Teresa Iervolino in the title role. The cast will also include Leonardo Cortellazzi, Francesca Aspromonte, {…}
The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced its 2021-22 season which will include nine operas. First up will be Sven-Eric Bechtolf’s production of “Così fan tutte,” which will be conducted by Zubin Mehta. The opera will star Valentina Nafornita, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Matthew Swensen, Mattia Olivieri, Benedetta Torre, and Thomas Hampson. Performance Dates: August 30– Sept. 4, 2021 Next up {…}