Photo credit: Elisa Haberer / Opéra national de Paris Paris Opera’s production of Charpentier’s “Médée” is not bad, but throughout the performance, operagoers will be filled with a sensation of uneasiness. It is not necessarily because of its murderous plot, but because the production feels unsuited to its musicians. It leaves one with the feeling of wearing a garment lent {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Verdi’s “Falstaff” opens the season with a cast that includes Ambrogio Maestri, Olivia Boen, Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, Andrei Kymach, Gregory Bonfatti, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Iván Ayón-Rivas, and Federica Guida. Michael Schønwandt conducts the production by Dominique Pitoiset. Performance Dates: Sept. 10-30, 2024 Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will star Eleonora Buratto, Elena Stikhina, Aude {…}
(Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera will continue its holiday season with a new installment in its series of abridged, English-language opera adaptations with Massenet’s “Cinderella.” The opera, which will be performed eight times between Dec. 17, 2021 and Jan. 3, 2022, is directed by Laurent Pelly. The 90-minute abridged version with an English translation, based on the {…}
This week audiences are in for a treat with numerous new releases of world premieres, full operas, solo albums, and classic productions. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Il Pirata Prima Classic releases Bellini’s rarely performed work with Javier Camarena, Marina Rebeka, and Franco Vassallo performing the leading roles. The album was recorded at Bellini’s homeland, Catania, {…}
The New National Theatre, Tokyo has announced its 2021-22 season The new season will include 45 performances of 10 operas, including three new productions. The season is the fourth under Artistic Director Kazushi Ono. New Productions Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” will be directed by Jun Aguni and conducted by Maurizio Benini. René Barbera headlines the cast, which will include Aya Wakizono, {…}
(Credits: Opéra National de Paris official website / © Fazil Berisha / Simon Pauly) La Monnaie has announced an updated 2020-21 season that is expected to begin in February. Here is the look. Opera A semi-staged version of Mozart’s Opera “Der Schauspieldirektor” will feature Mieke de Groote, Achille Ridolfi, Dietrich Henschel, Marie-Aurore D’Awans, Nadine Baboy, Hervé Loka Sombo, Lenneke Ruiten, {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the next month of nightly streams which focus on a number of unique themes including operas in English, holiday works, and even an entire work dedicated to one of the most iconic artists of all time. Week 39– In Plain English Monday, December 7 – Thomas Adès’s The Tempest Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies, Alek Shrader, {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the HD schedule for its 2021-22 season, which will feature 10 performances. Here is a full breakdown. Oct. 9, 2021 – Boris Godunov René Pape headlines a cast that includes Alexey Markov, Stanislav Trofimov, David Butt Philip, Ain Anger, and Maxim Paster. Sebastian Weigle conducts. The opera will be presented in its original 1869 version. {…}
(Credit: Met Opera / Ken Howard / Marty Sohl) The Met Opera has unveiled its 25 and 26th weeks of streaming, continuing its theme-based streaming options. For week 25, the company will focus on 20th-century classics, while the ensuing week of streams will place an emphasis on French operas. Monday, August 31 – R. Strauss’s Elektra Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud {…}
The Opéra National de Bordeaux in France has announced its 2020-21 season featuring five operas and several recitals and concerts. Opera Paul Daniel conducts a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” by Pierre Rambert. Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Elbenita Kajtazi alternate the role of Violetta with Benjamin Bernheim and Kevin Amiel as Alfredo and Lionel Lhote and Anthony Clark-Evans as Germont. {…}
The New York Philharmonic has announced its new 2020-21 season, featuring number of orchestral and vocal works. For the purpose of this article we will focus only on vocal works. Here is a look: In time for the holiday season, Fabio Biondi conducts concert performances of Händel’s “Messiah” with soloists soprano Liv Redpath, mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, tenor John Matthew Myers {…}
