10 Must See Operas For The Fall Season 2019 [International Edition]

Piotr Beczala, Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann Among Major Attractions

By Francisco Salazar

The 2019-20 season is about to start with numerous new productions, revivals and world premieres.

With a ton of selections throughout many of the world’s greatest houses, we whittled it down to the 10 Must-See productions that you cannot miss this fall.

10. Tosca – Teatro alla Scala, Italy

Anna Netrebko returns to the legendary Milan theater to open the season for the fourth time. The soprano sings the title role in Puccini’s masterpiece in a new production by Davide Livermore.

The soprano is joined by Francesco Meli and Luca Salsi, two of her frequent collaborators and La Scala favorites. The production will also star Saioa Hernandez, one of the most exciting sopranos of our time.

9. Il Pirata – Teatro Real, Madrid

Sonya Yoncheva returns to the stage to sing the lead role in Bellini’s rarely staged work with Javier Camarena and George Petean. The production by Emilio Sagi is set to be conducted by Maurizio Benini.

The company has also assembled two other casts that include Yolanda Auyanet and Davinia Rodríguez in the lead role, Dmitry Korchak and Celso Albelo and Simone Piazzola and Vladimir Stoyanov.

Dates: Nov. 30-Dec. 20, 2019

8. Dittico: Pagliacci/Noi, due, quattro… – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Italy

The Maggio Musicale opens its season with a new intriguing double bill with Leoncavallo’s beloved classic and a new world premiere by Panfili.
“Pagliacci” is set to star Valeria Sepe, Angelo Villari, Devid Cecconi, Matteo Mezzaro, and Leon Kim while the new world premiere is set to star Paolo Antognetti and Federica Giansanti. Vallerio Galli conducts the new productions by Luigi Di Gangi, Ugo Giacomazzi, and Elisa Fuksas.
Dates: Sept. 13-25, 2019

7. Penelope – Oper Frankfurt, Germany

Fuare’s rarely performed work gets a new production at the Frankfurt house with acclaimed mezzo Paula Murrihy. The cast also includes Eric Laporte, Joanna Motulewicz, Božidar Smiljanić, Peter Marsh, and Sebastian Geyer.

Joana Mallwitz conducts the masterpiece with Corinna Tetzel directing the new production.

Dates: Dec. 1-Jan. 23, 2019

6. L’Ange di Nisida – Donizetti Opera Festival, Italy 

The acclaimed Donizetti festival is set to present the first ever production of the composer’s lost work. Starring Salome Jicia, Florian Sempey, Roberto Lorenzi, Konu Kim, and Paul Gay, the opera will be directed by Francesco Micheli and will be conducted by Jean-Luc Tingaud.

Dates: Nov. 16-21, 2019

5. Orlando – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria

Olga Neuworth’s opera makes its world premiere with a libretto by Catherine Filloux. The new work is set to be directed by Karoline Gruber and will feature acclaimed British actress Fiona Shaw as a narrator. The work will also star Kate Lindsey, Constance Hauman in her Vienna debut, Eric Jurenas, Agneta Eichenholz, Leigh Melrose, and Justin Vivian Bond.

Dates: Dec. 8-20, 2019

4. Doña Franciscquita – Gran Teatre del Liceu, Spain 

Lluís Pasqual directs a new production of Vives’ reknown Zarzuela in a rare staging at the Liceu. Oliver Díaz conducts the production that is set to star María José Moreno and Elena Sancho Pereg sharing the role of Franciscquita Ana Ibarra, María José Suárez, Celso Albelo, Antonio Lozano, Miguel Sola, Alejandro del Cerro, Isaac Galán, and Gonzalo de Castro.

Dates: Nov. 10-17, 2019

3. Die Tote Stadt – Bayerische Staatsoper, Germany 

Jonas Kaufmann and Marlis Petersen bring Korngold’s rarely performed work to life in a new production by Simon Stone. The highly anticipated production also stars Andrzej Filonczyk, Jennifer Johnston, Mirjam Mesak, Corinna Scheurle, Manuel Günther, Manuel Günther, and Dean Power. Kirill Petrenko conducts the masterpiece.

Dates: Nov. 19-Dec. 11, 2019

2. Macbeth Underworld – La Monnaie, Belgium 

Pascal Dusapin’s latest work gets its world premiere at La Monnaie, which commissioned the new opera. Magdalena Kozena and Sophie Marilley share the role of Lady Macbeth while Georg Nigl takes on the role of Macbeth.

The production also stars Ekaterina Lekhina, Lilly Jorstad and Christel Loetzsch as the weird sisters and Kristinn Sigmundsson as the Ghost. Alain Altinoglu conducts the new production by Thomas Jolly.

Dates: Sept. 20-Oct. 5, 2019

1. Halka – Theater an der Wien, Austria 

Moniuszko’s rarely staged masterpiece gets a new production at the Theater an der Wien. The new production will be headlined by star tenor Piotr Beczala and rising star Corinne Winters, who makes her role debut in the title role.

The work is also set to star Alexey Tikhomirov, Natalia Kawałek, and Tomasz Konieczny. Acclaimed director Mariusz Treliński directs and Łukasz Borowicz conducts.

Dates: Dec. 15-31, 2019

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