Lise Davidsen, Aigul Akhmetshina, Jeanine de Bique, Sandrine Piau, Michael Chance, Julie Roset, Andrea Bocelli Lead New CD/DVD Releases

https://operawire.com/lise-davidsen-aigul-akhmetshina-jeanine-de-bique-sandrine-piau-michael-chance-julie-roset-andrea-bocelli-lead-new-cd-dvd-releases/

Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week audiences get to hear a Verdi album from a leading soprano as well as a “Carmen” from one of the great interpreters of today. There is also a re-release by one of the foremost popera tenors of our time. Bizet: Carmen Aigul {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: I Puritani

https://operawire.com/royal-ballet-and-opera-2025-26-review-i-puritani/

(Credit: ©2026 Tristram Kenton) The death of Vincenzo Bellini at just 33 years of age was unequivocally a tragic loss to the world of opera. The libretto for his final work…not so much. After a 35 year absence, Bellini’s “I Puritani” has made a return to Covent Garden. The opera is rarely performed in any house, and the reason is {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: Rigoletto

https://operawire.com/royal-ballet-and-opera-2025-26-review-rigoletto/

(Credit: ©2026 Marc Brenner) “There’s a storm brewing…it’s going to get darker,” observes assassin Sparafucile. How right he is! Moments later, he’s stuffing the pure and innocent, murdered Gilda into a body bag downstairs while his sister is gyrating on top of the dastardly Duke of Mantua upstairs; pretty much as dark as it gets. ‘Manosphere’ and ‘Toxic Masculinity’ are the {…}

News, Season Announcement

John Brancy, Leonardo Sánchez, Jasmine Habersham, Christine Rice & Wendy Bryn Harmer Lead Opera North’s 2026-27 Season

https://operawire.com/john-brancy-leonardo-sanchez-jasmine-habersham-christine-rice-wendy-bryn-harmer-lead-opera-norths-2026-27-season/

Opera North has announced its 2026-27 season. The season opens with Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” featuring John Brancy, Verity Wingate, Caspar Singh, Jingwen Cai, Hannah Mason, Claire Pascoe, and Joshua Bloom. Garry Walker conducts the production by Patrick Nolan. Performance Dates: Oct. 9–Nov. 21, 2026 Leonardo Sánchez, Blake Denson and Jasmine Habersham lead Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” The cast also includes Callum Thorpe and Sir Willard {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: The Sicilian Vespers

https://operawire.com/royal-ballet-opera-2025-26-review-the-sicilian-vespers/

(Credit: Tristram Kenton) It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors. No, really. Director Stefan Herheim employs a combination of both smoke and mirrors on a seemingly ever-revolving, ever-evolving stage setting of grandiose balconies, monumental set pieces, and athletic ballerinas, whose inclusion is frequent enough to make the casual observer question whether this is an opera or a ballet. In fact, {…}

News, Season Announcement

Hera Hyesang Park, Gabriella Reyes, Isabela Díaz & John Findon Lead Opera North’s 2025-26 Season

https://operawire.com/hera-hyesang-park-gabriella-reyes-isabela-diaz-john-findon-lead-opera-norths-2025-26-season/

Opera North has announced its 2025-26 season. Judith Weier’s “The Secret of the Black Spider” will be conducted by Nicholas Shaw and directed by Rosie Kat. Performance Dates: Sept. 26 & 27, 2025 Handel’s “Susanna” will star Anna Dennis, Matthew Brook, and Claire Lees. Johanna Soller conducts the production by Olivia Fuchs. Performance Dates: Oct. 4 – Nov. 21, 2025 Isabela Díaz and {…}

News

Opera Holland Park Announces 2025 Season

https://operawire.com/opera-holland-park-announces-2025-season/

Opera Holland Park has announced its 2025 season. The season will open with a new production of The “Flying Dutchman,” the company’s first staging of a work by Richard Wagner. Directed by Julia Burbach and conducted by Peter Selwyn, the production will star Paul Carey Jones, and Eleanor Dennis as the Dutchman and Senta with Neal Cooper as Erik. Premiere {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Royal Opera House 2023-24 Review: Carmen

https://operawire.com/royal-opera-house-2023-24-review-carmen/

(Credit: Camilla Greenwell) At the very opening of Damiano Michieletto’s new production of “Carmen,” I was struck by a very vivid sense of déjà vu! Before the curtain rises, a very sombre, spectral lady enters the stage, dressed in black with lace mantilla. For a brief instant, I thought I was back, four days PREVIOUSLY in the same house, where {…}

News

Aigul Akhmentshina Headlines the Royal Opera House’s ‘Carmen’ in Cinemas

https://operawire.com/aigul-akhmentshina-headlines-the-royal-opera-houses-carmen-in-cinemas/

The Royal Opera House is set to present Bizet’s “Carmen” in cinemas on May 1, 2024. The company will showcase the new production by Damiano Michieletto and will star Aigul Akhmentshina in the title role. She will be joined by Piotr Beczala as Don José, Kostas Smoriginas as Escamillo, and Olga Kulchynska as Micaëla. The cast will be rounded out by Blaise {…}

36 search results for…

Lise Davidsen, Aigul Akhmetshina, Jeanine de Bique, Sandrine Piau, Michael Chance, Julie Roset, Andrea Bocelli Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: I Puritani

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: Rigoletto

John Brancy, Leonardo Sánchez, Jasmine Habersham, Christine Rice & Wendy Bryn Harmer Lead Opera North’s 2026-27 Season

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025-26 Review: The Sicilian Vespers

Hera Hyesang Park, Gabriella Reyes, Isabela Díaz & John Findon Lead Opera North’s 2025-26 Season

Opera Holland Park Announces 2025 Season

Royal Opera House 2023-24 Review: Carmen

Aigul Akhmentshina Headlines the Royal Opera House’s ‘Carmen’ in Cinemas