(Credit: © Dario Acosta) The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Evgeny Nikitin will not be appearing in the role of Scarpia in Puccini’s “Tosca” for the performances between Dec. 2 – 18, 2021 due to illness. As a result, George Gagnidze will take over the role. Gagnidze joins a cast that includes Brian Jagde as Mario Cavaradossi and Sondra Radvanovsky {…}
(Credit: Hans van der Woerd) The Metropolitan Opera House has announced that its Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will not be conducting a run of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in January 2022. Per a press release, Nézet-Séguin will be taking a brief, almost four-week sabbatical from all conducting duties commencing Dec. 19, 2021. “This short break will allow time for {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) Let’s cut to the chase. The Orpheus story is one of the most famous in all of Greek mythology. A musician loses his wife, creates glorious music that moves the gods, and gets a chance to win her back. In the world of opera, this particular story has unsurprisingly been the inspiration for many {…}
PBS has announced that it will start broadcasting two Great Performances at the Met this December and January. First up will “Bryn Terfel & Friends in Concert,” which will premiere on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021 at 12 p.m. on New York’s THIRTEEN. The concert, which was recorded in December 2020 will feature the famed bass-baritone as he performs holiday favorites {…}
The Grammy nominations have been announced with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Metropolitan Opera leading the opera nominations. The nominees for Best Opera Recording included Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” starring Susanna Mälkki, Mika Kares and Szilvia Vörös; Glass’s “Akhnaten” with Karen Kamensek, J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Zachary James, and Dísella Lárusdóttir; and Janáček’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” with Simon Rattle, Sophia Burgos, Lucy {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is eyeing some operatic rarities for future seasons. In an interview with the New York Times, Yannick Nézet-Séguin talked about potential repertoire he is looking at for the future. He said, “he has his eye on little-done corners of the repertory, he mentioned Gluck, Weber’s ‘Der Freischütz,’ Korngold’s ‘Die Tote Stadt,’ and Ponchielli’s ‘La Gioconda.’ However, the {…}
On Nov. 17, 2021, the Metropolitan Opera presented the third performance of its 2021-22 run of Puccini’s seminal “La Bohème.” Franco Zeffirelli’s production is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is arguably the company’s most iconic. There was something quite uplifting about seeing the curtain rise on this expansive set, brimming with life and energy, especially after the time period we {…}
(Credit: Metropolitan Opera official website) The Metropolitan Opera House will stage Wagner’s epic tetralogy “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in a brand new production by the British theatre and opera director Richard Jones. Per an article from the New York Times, the Metropolitan Opera House will begin presenting Jones’ production in 2025, and will produce full cycles by the end of {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) On Nov. 9, 2021, the Metropolitan Opera will revive Franco Zeffirelli’s classic staging of Puccini’s “La Bohème.” The production is the all-time most-performed staging and will celebrate its 40th anniversary of its 1981 premiere. This season the Met will feature South Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim, who became music director of San Francisco Opera {…}
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra has announced the death of former Principal Horn, Howard T. Howard. Howard died on Oct. 30, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. The horn player began his music studies at the age of five playing piano and began playing French horn at the age of 14. He went on to receive a bachelor’s in music {…}
(Credit: Evan Zimmerman) On Nov. 2, 2021 the Metropolitan Opera presented the sixth performance of this season’s production of Puccini’s classic “Turandot.” Zeffirelli’s 1987 production continues to delight audiences with its sumptuous and immersive set. Tuesday’s show saw the opera’s leading roles reprised by Christine Goerke and Yusif Eyvazov, with artists and orchestra under the baton of conductor Marco Armiliato. {…}