This week audiences will get to see two rarely performed works on DVD and a new album of PSALMS. Here is a look: La finta giardiniera Naxos releases Mozart’s early work “La finta giardiniera” from the Teatro alla Scala with a cast that includes Krešimir Špicer, Julie Martin du Theil, Bernard Richter, Anett Fritsch, Giulia Semenzato, Lucia Cirillo, and Mattia {…}
(Credit: Michele Crosera) The director for Teatro La Fenice’s production of Vivaldi’s “Farnace,” Christophe Gayral observed in his program notes that “the music for some of the arias is strangely sometimes not completely related to the narrative, the music is light while the situation is dark.” While this is undoubtedly true, it does not act against the work as a {…}
(Credit: EPV / Christian Millet) Opéra Royal de Versailles has announced its 2021-22 season, featuring number of rarely performed operas and vocal works. Here is the full slate. Opera André Grétry’s opera “Richard Cœur de Lion” features Rémy Mathieu as Blondel and Pierre Derhet in the title role. The cast will be rounded out by Melody Louledjian, Marie Perbost Antonio, {…}
The Teatro La Fenice has announced programming for June 2 through Oct. 31, 2021. The company will present five productions and six concerts featuring some of the world’s greatest artists. All events will be open to the public and will follow all rigorous COVID-19 protocols. Gounod’s “Faust“ will open the theater in a new production by Joan Anton Rechi. Frédéric {…}
Opéra de Lausanne has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look. Mozart‘s “Le Nozze di Figaro” opens the season. The opera stars Phillip Addis as Count Almaviva, Valentina Naforniţa as Countess Almaviva, Arianna Vendittelli as Susanna, and Robert Gleadow in the title role. The cast also includes Lucia Cirillo, Ruben Amoretti, Léa Desandre, Pablo Garcia Lopez, François Piolino, Sophie {…}
(Credits: Sony Classical / Chris Gloag / Todd Rosenberg / Elena Cherkashyna) Italian television channel Rai5 has announced broadcasts for the week of Feb. 7 – Feb. 13, 2021. The opera broadcasts will be dedicated to composer Gioachino Rossini. The stream on Feb. 7 will be dedicated to the late soprano Mirella Freni. Operas The broadcast of Cilea’s opera “Adriana {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Four months after La Fenice closed its doors, opera has once again returned to its stage, albeit not necessarily in a form that one normally associates with a traditional opera house. The regulations aimed at containing the spread of COVID 19 mean that Italian theatres, cinemas, and other public performance spaces must comply with stringent restrictions, which {…}
The Händel International Festival in Göttingen will open its doors on May 20 and it is set to run through June 1. Here is a look at what is on offer. “Rodelinda” HWV 19 will feature Christina Gansch, Christopher Lowrey, Thomas Cooley, Franziska Gottwald, William Berger, and Owen Willetts, with Laurence Cummings conducting. Performance Dates: May 20, 22, 23, 26, 31, June 1, {…}
As part of its 2017 programme, the Festival della Valle D’Itria presented a staging of Vivaldi’s opera “Orlando Furioso.” Embracing the performance traditions of the baroque period and resisting the temptation to make the work “relevant,” its director, Fabio Ceresa and his production team produced a splendid reading of the work, full of color, spectacle, and beauty. The musical direction, {…}
