Anna Netrebko, Joyce DiDonato, Sondra Radvanovsky, Julia Bullock, Juan Diego Flórez, & Ermonela Jaho Lead Teatro Real’s 2024-25 Season

The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Nicola Luisotti and Andrés Salado conduct Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” in David McVicar’s production. The production will star Ermonela Jaho, Maria Agresta, Brian Jagde, Matthew Polenzani, Elīna Garanča, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Nicola Alaimo, and Manel Esteve. Performance Dates: Sept. 23-Oct. 11, 2024 Charpentier’s “David et Jonathas” will be performed in concert with Petr Nekoranec, Gwendoline Blondeel, Jean-Christophe {…}

Mar 22, 2024

Marion Cotillard, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez & Sabine Devieilhe Lead Philharmonie de Paris’ 2024-25 Season

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Orchestre de Paris Klaus Mäkelä conducts music by Beethoven, Peteris Vasks, and Tchaikovsky. Lisa Batiashvili is the soloist. Performance Date: Sept. 11, 2024 Stanislav Kochanovsky conducts a program of music by Tchaikovsky, Ravel, and Alexandre Tcherepnine. Golda Schultz stars. Performance Date: Oct. 9, {…}

Mar 22, 2024

Joyce El-Khoury, Lea Desandre, Anne-Catherine Gillet & Jarrett Ott Lead Opéra Comique’s 2024-25 Season

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 {…}

Oct 20, 2023

Juan Diego Flórez, Magdalena Kožená, Benjamin Appl & Lea Desandre Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. For this edition, audiences will get to hear new recordings from three famed stars as well as a new opera designed for the 3D space. Folk Songs Magdalena Kožená releases her fourth Pentatone album “Folk Songs” which brings together folk-inspired song cycles from {…}

Aug 6, 2023

Salzburg Festival 2023 Review: Le Nozze di Figaro

(Photo Credit: SF/Matthias Horn) “Le Nozze di Figaro” in Salzburg is always a big challenge; it is Mozart’s city. The festival public is not conservative per se, but it does have high standards for Mozart, and will not willingly countenance simplistic approaches to the opera that would diminish Mozart and Da Ponte’s powerful message in name of some moralism. But {…}

May 29, 2023

Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča, Sonya Yoncheva, Jonas Kaufmann & Luca Salsi Lead Teatro alla Scala’s 2023-24 Season

The Teatro alla Scala has announced ts 2023-24 season. The season opens with Verdi’s “Don Carlo” which will star René Pape, Francesco Meli, Luca Salsi, Ain Anger, Anna Netrebko, and Elīna Garanča. Riccardo Chailly conducts a production by Lluis Pasqual. Maria Jose Siri and Ekaterina Semenchuk perform the final two performances. Performance Dates: Dec. 7, 2023-Jan. 2, 2024 Sonya Yoncheva {…}

May 28, 2023

Lea Desandre, Sinead Campbell Wallace, Catherine Foster & Jean-François Borras Lead Opéra de Dijon’s 2023-24 Season

France’s Opéra de Dijon has announced its 2023-24 season. Here are the operatic and vocal concerts. Opera Händel’s “Ariodante” is set to star Lea Desandre, Ana Maria Labin, Ana Vieira Leite, Hugh Cutting, Kresimir Spicer, Moritz Kallenberg, and Renato Dolcini. William Christie conducts. Performance Date: Oct. 15, 2023 Beethoven’s “Fidelio” will star Sinead Campbell Wallace, Maximilian Schmitt, Martina Russomanno, Mischa {…}

Apr 6, 2023

Opernhaus Zürich 2022-23 Review: Lakmé

By the end of the first act, I knew it: to watch Sabine Devieilhe singing “Lakmé” is one of the greatest privileges of my life. Sopranos who can undertake Leo Delibes’ most cultivated operatic role are so rare that generations could be named after them: from Mady Mesplé to Natalie Dessay, Joan Sutherland to Christiane Eda-Pierre, Mado Robin to {…}

Apr 3, 2023

Anna Netrebko, Peter Mattei, Juan Diego Flórez, Regula Mühlemann & Rolando Villazón Lead Philharmonie de Paris’ 2023-24 Season

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights of the season. Klaus Mäkelä conducts Orchestre de Paris with soloists Bertrand Chamayou, Olga Peretyatko, Pavel Petrov, Alexey Markov, and Bertrand Mandico. The program includes music by Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. Performance Dates: Sept. 6 & 7, 2023 Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Mass in {…}

Mar 29, 2023

Marianne Crebassa, Brian Jagde, Christian Van Horn & Franco Fagioli Lead Théâtre des Champs-Elysées’ 2023-24 Season

The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has announced its 2023-24 season featuring opera, opera in concert, and recitals. Here is a look at the vocal performances of the season. Opera Thomas Hengelbrock conducts Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” in a production by Damiano Michieletto. Marina Viotti, Levy Sekgapane, Edward Nelson, and Peter Kálmán. Performance Dates: Oct. 9-19, 2023 Mozary’s “Die Zauberflöte” will be conducted {…}

Mar 12, 2023

Opera Meets Film: Florian Sigl’s ‘The Magic Flute’ (Review)

Photo: ShoutPR (Shout Factory) This review was written jointly by Chris and Finn Ruel. Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” directed by Florian Sigl, hit the silver screen nationwide on Mar. 10, 2023. It’s a fantasy film that captures the essence of Mozart’s stunning operatic fairy tale and does it well. There is much to commend about Sigl’s film. It’s well put {…}