Ravenna Festival Review 2025: Alcina

https://operawire.com/ravenna-festival-review-2025-alcina/

(Photo: Zani-Casadio) Is it a wise decision to perform two independent works by the same composer on consecutive nights, using a very similar cast, the same stage director, the same basic set, similar or in some cases the same costumes with the same musical director and orchestra? Well, this is exactly what the Ravenna Festival decided to do for its stagings {…}

News, Season Announcement

Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik Unveils 50th Anniversary Programming

https://operawire.com/innsbrucker-festwochen-der-alten-musik-unveils-50th-anniversary-programming/

Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik announces its program for the 2026 season. This article only features opera events. Opening the festival is the workshop concert which features a sneak peak into Ottavio Dantone’s reconstruction of Pietro Antonio Cesti’s “Il pomo d’oro.” This event is presented in a a hybrid format combining elements of concert and rehearsal. The Accademia Bizantina Ensemble {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Ravenna Festival 2025 Review: Orlando

https://operawire.com/ravenna-festival-2025-review-orlando/

(Photo: Zani-Casadi) For the November installment of the Ravenna Festival, it was decided to present a Händel trilogy, comprising two fully staged operas, “Orlando” and “Alcina,” and a concert performance of his oratorio “The Messiah.” First up was the composer’s 1733 composition, “Orlando,” written to a libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece, which premiered at London’s King’s Theatre and ran for {…}

DVD and CD Releases, News

Nicky Spence, Ausrine Stundyte, Bogdan Volkov & Sara Swietlicki Lead New CD/DVD Releases

https://operawire.com/nicky-spence-ausrine-stundyte-bogdan-volkov-sara-swietlicki-lead-new-cd-dvd-releases/

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will be able to listen to the world premiere of a new work, a DVD of Weinberg’s opera from Salzburg, and a rarely performed opera by Giacomelli. Adoration Bright Shiny Things releases “Adoration,” the world premiere live recording of an {…}

DVD and CD Reviews, Reviews

CD Review: Innsbruck Early Music Festival’s ‘Il trionfo della Fama’

https://operawire.com/cd-review-innsbruck-early-music-festivals-il-trionfo-della-fama/

As usual, the 2024 Innsbruck Early Music Festival brought a rare work to the stage: Francesco Bartolomeo Conti’s “Il trionfo della Fama,” a one-act serenata composed in 1723 for the coronation of Emperor Charles VI and Empress Elisabeth Christine in Prague. Conceived as court propaganda, the serenata was commissioned to glorify imperial virtues and Habsburgs’ claims to the divine favor {…}

DVD and CD Releases, News

Sidney Outlaw Tomasz Konieczny, Camilla Nylund, Carlos Álvarez & Piotr Beczała Lead New CD/DVD Releases

https://operawire.com/sidney-outlaw-tomasz-konieczny-camilla-nylund-carlos-alvarez-piotr-beczala-lead-new-cd-dvd-releases/

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get a chance to see a new production of the Ring Cycle, a classic recording of a Verdi staple, and two solo albums. Here is a look at this week’s releases. Black Pierrot Lexicon Classics releases “Black Pierrot,” a {…}

News

Asmik Grigorian, Sonya Yoncheva, Judit Kutasi, Maximilian Schmitt, & Soloman Howard Star in George Enescu International Festival 2025

https://operawire.com/asmik-grigorian-sonya-yoncheva-judit-kutasi-maximilian-schmitt-soloman-howard-star-in-george-enescu-international-festival-2025/

(Photo credits: Vedinaș, Behrmann, & Adjahoe) The George Enescu International Festival 2025 announces its star-studded lineup. This article only features vocal works. The opening concert features the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Iosef Ion Prunner and Cristian Măcelaru conduct. Performance Date: August 24, 2025 Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen performs with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra under the direction of Keri-lynn Wilson. {…}

News

Monteverdi Festival Reveals 2025 Slate

https://operawire.com/monteverdi-festival-reveals-2025-slate/

The Monteverdi Festival has announced its 2025 edition. First up is “Madrigali allo Specchio,” featuring music by Monteverdi, Stradella, and Marini. Antonio Greco conducts the Soloists and Orchestra Monteverdi Festival – Cremona Antiqua. The showcase is presented in collaovration with the Trame Sonore and Chamber Music Festival in Mantua. Performance Date: June 1, 2025 Next up is “Vespro della Beata Vergine” {…}