Opéra Comique has announced its schedule for the 2024-25 season. Auber’s “Le Domino noir” is set to be conducted by Louis Langrée and will be directed by Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq. The cast includes Anne-Catherine Gillet, Cyrille Dubois, and Victoire Bunel. Performance Date: Sept. 20-28, 2024 George Benjamin & Martin Crimp’s “Picture a Day Like This” is set to {…}
This is the second major opera based on the writings of British neurologist Oliver Sacks, whose case study “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat” was adapted by Michael Nyman in 1986. “Awakenings,” by American composer Tobias Picker, is inspired by Sacks’ 1973 account of treating victims of encephalitis lethargica. Nicknamed the “sleeping sickness,” this coma-like condition is {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. For this edition, we will spotlight audiences will get a chance to learn about a number of world premiere pieces and recordings as well as solo albums by young artists in the industry. We Have Tomorrow American tenor Eric Ferring releases his latest {…}
(Credit: Tom Volf) Joyce El-Khoury is set to make her role debut as Bellini’s “Norma” on August 28 in Athens, Greece. The production by Tom Volf will be under the auspices of the Paris-based Maria Callas Foundation, which was co-founded in 2017 by her close friends as well as Tom Volf and is the largest international organization aiming to protect {…}
Liszt’s unfinished one-act opera “Sardanapalo” is set to have its Hungarian premiere on Oct. 22, 2023. The performance will take place at the LisztFest and will star Joyce El Khoury in the role of Mirra alongside tenor Airam Hernandez in the title role of Sardanapalo and Bass-baritone Olecsandr Pushniak as Beleso. Kirill Karabits conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar and the Hungarian {…}
This week Oper Im Steinbruch will open a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The production will feature a soprano in the title role, something that is rarely heard today. And the soprano in question will be Joyce El-Khoury, who is making her role debut. Throughout the past years, El-Khoury has performed a variety of operas that have included the works {…}
Joyce El-Khoury will sing the title role of “Carmen” at Oper im Steinbruch, replacing Kristine Opolais who withdrew from the production. El-Khoury took to social media and said, “This summer I will be making my professional stage debut in the title role of Carmen at Oper im Steunbruch. This might come as a surprise to some of you, but this {…}
The Finnish National Opera and Ballet has announced its 2023-24 season. First up is “Das Lied von der Erde” with mezzo-soprano Tuija Knihtilä and tenor Tuomas Katajala as the soloists. Ville Matvejeff conducts. Performance Date: August 3, 2023 Hannu Lintu conducts Verdi’s “Requiem” with soprano Silja Aalto, tenor Mika Pohjonen, mezzo Maiju Vaahtoluoto, and bass Matti Turunen as the soloists. {…}
The New National Theatre Tokyo has announced the programming for its 2023-24 season. The season will open with a new production of Puccini’s “Suor Angelica” presented with Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les Sortileges.” This double bill will be led by conductor Numajiri Ryusuke and director Aguni Jun, with a cast featuring Chiara Isotton, Marianna Pizzolato, Chloe Briot, and Saito Junko. Performance {…}
The International May Festival has announced its 2023 season at the Staaststhater Wiesbaden. Opera Uwe Eric Laufenberg stars in “Flieg, Gedanke, auf goldenen Schwingen.” Performance Date: April 30, 2023 Elissa Huber, Aaron Cawley, Erik Biegel, and Fleuranne Brockway Leoš Janáček’s “Die Sache Makropulos” while Christopher Bolduc, Julian Habermann, Aaron Cawley, Ralf Rachbauer, and Darcy Carroll star in Janáček’s “Aus einem {…}
(Photo by: Heather Elizabeth Media) Soprano Joyce El-Khoury has been nominated for the 2022 Paul de Hueck & Norman Walford Career Achievement Award. The soprano is nominated for her achievements in classical singing. Past recipients in classical singing include Gerald Finley and Judith Forst. The soprano has performed all the over world at such companies as The Royal Opera House {…}