The Opernhaus Zürich presents a new production of a French Baroque masterpiece: “Platée,” a ballet-bouffon composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau in 1745. The premiere took place in Versailles as part of the festivities for the wedding of Louis XV with María Teresa Rafaela of Spain. The libretto, by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d’Orville, draws inspiration from Greek mythology. It narrates the tale {…}
(Photo credits: Chris Sorensen, Victoria Cadisch, Andrew Staples) The English Concert has announced its 2023-24 season. This article features vocal works only. Countertenor Iestyn Davies returns to the BBC Proms to perform “Late Night Bach.” Davies will perform two of Bach’s solo cantatas, “Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust” and “Geist und Seele wird verdwirret” at the Royal Albert Hall. Performance Date: {…}
The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2023-24 Season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Iván Fischer conducts Michael Nagy in works by Jörg Widmann and Gustav Mahler. Performance Date: August 26, 2023 Alexander Rudin, Alexander Melnikov, Nadezhda Pavlova, and Olga Pashchenko perform works by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performance Date: August 27, 2023 Robin Ticciati conducts Wu Wei Sheng, Karen {…}
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has announced its 2023-24 season. With the announcement, the company also revealed that it had extended the contract of Maxim Emelyaychev, it’s Principal Conductor, through 2028. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal performances. First up is Bach’s “Mass in B minor.” Richard Egarr conducts such soloists as Rowan Pierce, Mary {…}
The Wigmore Hall has announced its 2023-24 season headlining some of the greatest recitalists and vocalist in the world. Opera Rara: present Donizetti and Friends with Lawrence Brownlee, Etienne Dupuis, and Carlo Rizzi. Performance Date: Sept. 9, 2023 Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas perform Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Performance Date: Sept. 9, 2023 Ensemble Modern and George Benjamin perform music by {…}
Photo: Victoria Cadisch On Mar. 19, 2023, soprano Mary Bevan will make her Bayerische Staatsoper debut, singing the role of Calisto in Cavalli’s “La Calisto.” The opera’s libretto, written by Giovanni Faustini, is based on Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” (book two) and retells the myth of Calisto and Jupiter. Bevan’s repertoire is loaded with baroque, from Monteverdi to Gluck, with lots of Handel {…}
Leeds Lieder is set to present “A Marvellous Party” starring soprano Mary Bevan, tenor Nicky Spence, and pianist Joseph Middleton. The three will present an evening of songs by Noël Coward, Poulenc, Satie, Quilter, Gershwin, and Rachmaninov. The show is set in the fictional salon of Coward while a colorful party is being held. Closing the concert are two of {…}
This week audiences will get to hear several recital albums with great song cycles and songs. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Schubert’s Schwanengesang & Beethoven Tenor Mark Padmore and Pianist Mitsuko Uchida appear on record for the first time in this live recording from London’s Wigmore Hall. They perform Schubert’s “Schwanengesang” and Beethoven’s only major song {…}
This week audiences will get a chance to hear songs by Enrico Caruso, a rare Mascagni opera, Verdi choruses, and Spanish songs, among others things. Here is a look at the new releases of the week. 1915: A Trip to Granada The new album features American mezzo Anna Tonna and American pianist Mac McClure taking a journey undertaken back in April of {…}
(Credit: © Marc Brenner/Royal Opera House) In “Alcina” seeing isn’t believing. Handel’s tale of an enchanted island, which sees the titular sorceress’ captives transfigured into birds, beasts, and shrubbery, speaks of the pleasures and dangers of illusion. First premiered on the current site of the Royal Opera House back in 1735, the opera speaks to a host of 18th-century preoccupations {…}
The Teatro La Fenice has announced its 2022-23 season. Opera Nicola Alaimo leads Verdi’s “Falstaff” alongside Vladimir Stoyanov, René Barbera, Selene Zanetti, Caterina Sala, Sara Mingardo, and Veronica Simeoni. Myung-Whun Chung conducts the production by Adrian Noble. Performance Dates: Nov. 18-26, 2022 Bruno Maderna’s “Satyricon” will star Francesca Gerbasi, Matteo Ferrara, Manuela Custer, Christopher Lemmings, William Corrò, and Marcello Nardis. Alessandro {…}