It’s another busy weekend and many festivals are about to start including the Salzburg Osterfestpiele and the Baden Baden Osterfestpiele. Both these festivals will be headlined by some of the greatest singers in the world. Additionally many acclaimed runs continue.

Austria 

“Medea” kicks off the weekend at the Vienna State Opera followed by Rossini’s “L’Italiana D’Algeri.” To conclude it all will be Wagner’s “Parsifal” with Gerald Finley, Kwangchul Youn, Christopher Ventris, Jochen Schmeckenbecher and Nina Stemme.

The Volksoper will showcase Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” as it continues its run.

Czech Republic

The Prague National Opera showcase Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Julia Novikova in the title role and will also perform Donizetti’s rarely staged work “Viva La Mama.” Puccini’s “La Bohème” concludes the weekend.

Denmark 

The Royal Danish Opera continues its run of Rossini’s “Il Viaggio a Reims” in a production by Damiano Michieletto.

France

Bizet’s “Carmen” takes center stage as the Opera National de Paris with a new cast led by Varduhi Abrahamyan and Bryan Hymel.

Germany 

The Baden-Baden festival opens on Saturday with a new production of Puccini’s ‘Tosca” with Kristine Opolais in the title role and Marcelo Alvarez as Cavaradossi. Evgeny Nikitin rounds out the cast led by sir Simon Rattle.

Menotti’s “The Consul” leads the weekend at the Bayerische Staatsoper with Selene Zanetti leading the cast in two performances.

The Staatsoper Berlin revives Wagner’s “Parsifal” starring Andreas Schager, Anna Larsson, René Pape, Lauri Vasar and Tómas Tómasson and Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten” with Burkhard Fritz, Camilla Nylund, Iréne Theorin, Wolfgang Koch and Michaela Schuster.

The Semperoper will join forces with the Salzburg Osterfestpiele which opens its production of Wagner’s “Die Walkure.”

Valentina Nafornita continues her run of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” at the Hamburg State Opera. Elena Zhidkova takes on the role of Bizet’s “Carmen” with Pavel Cernoch as Don Jose.

The Deutsche Oper Berlin ends its Ring Cycle with “Gotterdammerung” this weekend starring Evelyn Herlitzius as Brundhilde.

Italy 

“Anna Bolena” is the only performance at the Teatro alla Scala starring Hibla Gerzmava in the title role with Sonia Ganassi as Giovanna Seymour.

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna opens a new production of Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine” with Anna Caterina Antonacci who OperaWire recently interviewed for her portrayal in the opera. Additionally OperaWire will be at the opening night gala so stay tuned for a review. The opera is paired with Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana starring Marco Berti.

The Teatro di San Carlo opens a new production of Strauss’ “Elektra” with Elena Pankratova

Russia 

The Bolshoi Opera presents four performances of Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” with an all Russian cast.

Meanwhile, Mariinsky theater will present Strauss’ “Die Frau Ohne Schatten” and Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” as well as Borodin’s “Prince Igor” with legendary bass  Nikolai Putilin.

Spain 

The Palau de les Arts en Valencia will end its run of Donizetti’s “Lucrezia Borgia” with Mariella Devia in the title role.

Switzerland 

The Grand Théâtre de Genève continues a concert run of Tchiakovsky’s “The Maid of Orleans” with Ksenia Dudnikova in the lead role.

The Zürich Opera continues its run of Massenet’s “Werther” with Juan Diego Flórez while the company also begins a run of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” with Pavol Breslik.

United Kingdom 

Ermonela Jaho takes on the titular role in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” The soprano is joined by Antonio Pappano in the pit.