A Legacy in Harmony: The 2025 Birgit Nilsson Prize Honors Aix-en-Provence & Pierre Audi

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The sudden death of Pierre Audi in May this year lent a moving note to the presentation of the Birgit Nilsson Prize in Stockholm on October 21. The prize, which has been awarded every three years since 2009, now went to the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, where Audi had been artistic director since 2018 – a deeply fitting tribute to a man {…}

News

Obituary: Legendary Director Pierre Audi Dies at 67

https://operawire.com/obituary-legendary-director-pierre-audi-dies-at-67/

Famed director Pierre Audi has died at the age of 67. Born in Beirut, Audi went on to study at Oxford and founded the Almeida Theatre in London in 1979, as well as its International Festival of Contemporary Music, which he directed until 1989. In 1988, he was appointed the Artistic Director of Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam where he {…}

News

Philharmonie de Paris Honors Pierre Boulez With its ‘2025 Boulez Year’ Celebration

https://operawire.com/philharmonie-de-paris-honors-pierre-boulez-with-its-2025-boulez-year-celebration/

(Photo credit: Martin Schalk) The Philharmonie de Paris in collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture presents “2025 Boulez Year.” This selection of events will celebrate the centenary of the birth of composer and conductor Pierre Boulez. Soprano Sarah Aristidou performs in Boulez’s “Pli selon pli, portrait de Mallarmé” with Les Siècles led by conductor Franck Ollu. Performance Dates: January {…}

News

Obituary: Oper Köln Baritone Claudio Nicolai Dies at 91

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Recognized baritone Claudio Nicolai has died at the age of 91. The baritone died on May 11 in his home in the Canary Islands in La Palma. Born March 7, 1929 in Kiel, Germany, Claudio was baptized Claus Hennecke. His father was in the Navy and became an admiral staff officer during World War II. The baritone started his career {…}

News

Obituary: Baritone Claudio Desderi Passes Away

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Italian baritone Claudio Desderi has passed away. The baritone, known for his buffo roles, was the son of Italian composer Ettore Desderi and came to fame after his 1969 debut at the Edinburgh Festival in Rossini’s “Il Signor Bruschino.” From there he became a fixture at Salzburg, Glyndebourne, and Pesaro in Mozart and Rossini roles. However, he would have his biggest breaks {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Deutsche Oper Am Rhein 2017-18 Review – La Cenerentola: Winning Ensemble Cast in Classic Ponnelle Production Remains Pleasing to Audiences

https://operawire.com/deutsche-oper-am-rhein-2017-18-review-la-cenerentola-winning-ensemble-cast-in-classic-ponnelle-production-remains-pleasing-to-audiences/

The story of “Cinderella” is one told in many iterations and for good reasons. It’s a feel-good story that is certainly uplifting during trying times. The well-traveled Jean-Pierre Ponnelle version of Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” made a stop this past Sunday at Deutsche Oper Am Rhein in Dusseldorf and it’s not often you witness as many ovations in the opera house {…}

Business, News

Festival Aix-en-Provence Announces New General Director

https://operawire.com/festival-aix-en-provence-announces-new-general-director/

(Ctedit: © Lea Meienberg, 2023) Ted Huffman has been appointed General Director of the Festival Aix-en-Provence, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The news was announced after it was approved by Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture, Sophie Joissains, Mayor of the City of Aix-en-Provence, Martine Vassal, President of the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence and the Conseil départemental des Bouches-du-Rhône and Renaud Muselier, President of {…}

News, Streaming

Anna Netrebko, Ludovic Tézier, Matthew Polenzani & Martina Serafin Lead Opéra National de Paris’ 2025-26 Cinema Season

https://operawire.com/anna-netrebko-ludovic-tezier-matthew-polenzani-martina-serafin-lead-opera-national-de-paris-2025-26-cinema-season/

The Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2025-26 cinema season. The company will feature five performances in cinemas, including two operatic performances. The first operatic performance will be Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” conducted by Speranza Scapucci in a production by Gilbert Deflo. The cast includes Matthew Polenzani (Riccardo), Anna Netrebko (Amelia), Ludovic Tézier (Renato), Sara Blanch (Oscar), and Elizabeth {…}

Editorials, Reviews

‘Don Giovanni’ Is One of the Greatest Works Ever Written. Why Is It So Hard for Directors to Get Right?

https://operawire.com/don-giovanni-is-one-of-the-greatest-works-ever-written-why-is-it-so-hard-for-directors-to-get-right/

(Photo: © Monika Rittershaus) “Don Giovanni” is an opera of seductions and escapes, moral wreckage and divine retribution, a shimmering mosaic of comedy, tragedy, farce, and existential dread. Yet “the mother of all operas” is also a uniquely treacherous work—at once alluring and intractable, irresistibly open yet elusive. Music’s sublimity rarely fails to connect with audiences, even in a less-than-stellar {…}

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A Legacy in Harmony: The 2025 Birgit Nilsson Prize Honors Aix-en-Provence & Pierre Audi

Obituary: Legendary Director Pierre Audi Dies at 67

Philharmonie de Paris Honors Pierre Boulez With its ‘2025 Boulez Year’ Celebration

Obituary: Oper Köln Baritone Claudio Nicolai Dies at 91

Obituary: Baritone Claudio Desderi Passes Away

Deutsche Oper Am Rhein 2017-18 Review – La Cenerentola: Winning Ensemble Cast in Classic Ponnelle Production Remains Pleasing to Audiences

Festival Aix-en-Provence Announces New General Director

Anna Netrebko, Ludovic Tézier, Matthew Polenzani & Martina Serafin Lead Opéra National de Paris’ 2025-26 Cinema Season

‘Don Giovanni’ Is One of the Greatest Works Ever Written. Why Is It So Hard for Directors to Get Right?