Diana Damrau, Jonas Kaufmann, Sarah Connolly & Juan Diego Flórez Lead Palau de la Música Catalana’s 2024-25 Season

The Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Spain has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Palau 100 Sarah Connolly jons Anima Aeterna Brugge and Pablo Heras-Casado for Mahler’s “Rückert Lieder.” The program also includes music by Bruckner. Performance Date: Oct. 24, 2024 Philippe Herreweghe leads a program that includes pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout, Collegium {…}

Oct 24, 2023

Opéra de Paris Announces Cast Change for ‘Turandot’

The Opéra de Paris has announced a cast change for its production of “Turandot.” The company said that Sondra Radvanovsky has withdrawn from the production due to illness. As a result, Tamara Wilson will perform the title role on Nov. 6, 8, 11, 15, 19, 24, 28, 2023 while Irene Theorin will sing on the ice princess on Nov. 9, 13, 17, {…}

Oct 20, 2023

Gran Teatre del Liceu to Celebrate Victoria de Los Angeles’ Centenary

(Credit: Allan Warren) The Gran Teatre del Liceu is set to celebrate Victoria de Los Angeles’ centenary. The company will hold a gala on Nov. 7, 2023 which will revisit the core repertoire of the undisputed soprano. The gala, which is curated by Marc Busquets, artistic director of LIFE Victoria Barcelona, will feature soloists Maria Agresta, Louise Alder, Dame Sarah {…}

Oct 17, 2023

Staatsoper Stuttgart to Present ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’

(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) The Staatsoper Stuttgart is set to present Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten” directed by David Hermann. The production marks the first new production of the season and will be conducted by Cornelius Meister. The cast includes Benjamin Bruns (as Emperor), Simone Schneider (as Empress), Evelyn Herlitzius (as Nurse), Iréne Theorin (as Barak’s Wife), and {…}

Jul 11, 2023

Iréne Theorin, Clay Hilley & Katharina Kammerloher Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences are in for rarely performed works by unknown composers as well as a complete recording of Wagner’s final installment of the Ring Cycle. Here is a look: Nikolay Myaskovsky: Vocal Works, Volume Two: Complete Songs for Baritone and Piano Ilya Kuzmin and Dzambolat Dulaev perform the works of Nikolay Myaskovsky alongside pianist Olga Solovieva. The new album {…}

Jun 24, 2023

Atalla Ayan, Iréne Theorin & Michael Mayes Lead Staatsoper Stuttgart’s 2023-24 Season

The Staatsoper Stuttgart has announced its 2023-24 season. Premieres The first new production of the season will be Strauss’ “Die frau ohne Schatten” with Benjamin Bruns, Simone Schneider, Evelyn Herlitzius, Martin Gantner, and Iréne Theorin. Cornelius Meister conducts the production by David Hermann. Performance Dates: Oct. 29-Dec. 2, 2023 “La Fest,” featuring music by Vivaldi and Händel, will star Claudia {…}

May 16, 2023

Irene Theorin, Joyce DiDonato, Christian Gerhaher & Maria Callas Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get rereleases of Maria Callas’ legendary performances as well as DVDs of two modern productions. Man Up / Man Down Sono Luminus releases “Man Up / Man Down,” the debut release from Constellation Men’s Ensemble (CME). Featured on the album are two world premiere recordings, both commissioned by the group for their annual new music weekend, {…}

Aug 31, 2022

Irene Theorin Gives Middle Finger to Booing Audience at Bayreuth Festival

The final performance of “Götterdämmerung” at the Bayreuth Festival saw Irene Theorin stick up her middle finger to the audience after boos erupted during her final curtain call. According to reports, “first there were some boos for her and then pointing to people in the audience with a finger. She then raised her middle finger and the whole house booed {…}

Aug 21, 2022

Bayreuth Festival 2022 Review: Götterdämmerung

(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) With “Götterdämmerung,” any chance of Valentin Schwarz giving an understandable meaning to his production went nowhere. For the first time in the tetralogy, Schwarz presented paranormal elements like the three Norns (represented as three faceless woman wearing sparkling costumes and makeup) or the transformation, thanks to the magic helmet, of Siegfried into Gunther for the last scene {…}

Aug 20, 2022

Bayreuth Festival 2022 Review: Die Walküre

(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) Following a truly disappointing “Das Rheingold,” the August 11 “Die Walküre” proved the polar opposite. Schwarz’s realistic human approach seemed a little bit more appropriate in this title where human characters appeared for the first time (all characters from the previous opera are mythological). The Austrian director knew how to develop the feelings of the characters and {…}

May 5, 2022

Jonas Kaufmann, Elīna Garanča & Christian Gerhaher Lead Berliner Philharmoniker’s 2022-23 Season

The Berliner Philharmoniker has announced its 2022-23 season featuring some of the greatest singers in the world. Here is a look at the vocal highlights of the season. Georg Nigl, Dirk Rothbrust and Vilde Frang are the soloists in the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Vladimir Jurowski’s concert. The program includes music by Iannis Xenakis, Béla Bartók, and Gustav Mahler. Performance Date: {…}