Ailyn Pérez, J’Nai Bridges, Juan Diego Flórez, Marina Rebeka, Isabel Leonard Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week
By David SalazarIf you’re looking for some classic operas, this week has quite a few of them in store. If new operas are more your thing, then get ready for a couple of world premieres. But if all you want is some concerts featuring operatic superstars, then you can be content with some of the offerings this week as well. So without further ado, here are our top 10 operas to stream this week!
(***Some of these performances may be region-blocked (only accessible to people connected to a network in a specific country). But you can gain access by using a VPN. For find out more, click here. )
Donizetti Queens in Concert (Now)
Bel Canto lovers will be thrilled by this concert which streamed on May 16, but will be available until May 18. The concert features highlights from Donizetti’s three Tudor Queens operas, “Anna Bolena,” “Maria Stuarda,” and “Roberto Devereux” with Italian bel canto specialist Enrique Mazzola conducting. Marina Rebeka takes on the roles of Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Elisabetta while J’Nai Bridges portrays Giovanna Seymour, Elisabetta, and Sara. Ismael Jordi sings the male lovers and Roberto Tagliavini sings Henry VIII. Maya Gour, Frederik Bergman, and Maksym Nazarenko round out the cast.
The concert will open with “Roberto Devereux’s” overture and will conclude with “Anna Bolena’s” finale.
Faust – Vienna State Opera (May 17)
For those seeking out a classic opera gem, then look no further than this recording of “Faust” conducted by Bertrand de Billy and starring Juan Diego Flórez, Nicole Car, Adam Palka, Étienne Dupuis, and Kate Lindsey.
The Crown – Bampton Opera (May 18)
Early Music Specialist Robert Howarth will lead a previously postponed production of this Gluck opera with a cast that includes Lucy Anderson, winner of the Bampton Young Singers Competition 2019 award, as Asteria. Other cast members include Harriet Eyley as Meleagro, Samantha Louis-Jean as Atalanta, Lisa Howarth as Climene, and Rosa French as the narrator. The opera will be directed by Robert Howarth.
Her Legacy in Concert – Melba Opera Trust – May 19
The Melba Opera Trust will celebrate the 160th birthday of iconic soprano Dame Nellie Melba with artists trained by the organization including Katherine Allen, Emilia Bertolini, Nathan Bryon, Su Choung, Chloe Harris, Louis Hurley, Georgia Melville, Emily Edmonds, Samuel Sakker, and Rebecca Gulinello.
Death by Life – White Snakes Projects (May 20-25)
Librettist and producer Cerise Jacobs is one of the most exciting artists working in the opera world, her operas spotlighting major social issues going on around the world. That is no different with her latest work, a virtual opera called “Death By Life,” which supports the Black Lives Matter movement.
The virtual opera explores systemic racism and the mass imprisonment of blacks through the music of five Black composers including Jacinth Greywoode, Leila Adu-Gilmore, Jonathan Bailey Holland, David Sanford, and Mary D. Watkins.
Hometown to the World – Hawai’i Opera Theatre (May 21)
The Hawai’i Opera Theatre will showcase the digital world premiere of this unique new opera by Laura Kaminsky and Kimberly Reed with a cast that includes mezzo-sopranos Sarah Lambert Connelly and Maya Hoover, and baritone Ian McGuffin. Benjamin Makino will lead the 16-musician ensemble from the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra in the production by Karen Tiller.
Three Divas – Metropolitan Opera (May 22)
The Met Opera will continue its concert series of notable stars in notable places by showcasing a concert showcasing the talents of Ailyn Pérez, Isabel Leonard, and Nadine Sierra from the Chateau de Versailles.
A Tribute to Langston Hughes – Opera Saratoga (May 21)
Opera Saratoga will showcase a special concert event honoring the legacy of Langston Hughes through music by Margaret Bonds, Robert Owens, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Damien Sneed. Leading the way will be baritone Justin Austin and pianist / composer Damien Sneed.
The Cunning Little Vixen – Glyndebourne Festival (May 23)
Glyndebourne returns to its streaming slate with a 2012 production of “The Cunning Little Vixen” starring Lucy Crowe, Emma Bell, Mischa Schelomianski, and Sergei Leiferkus. Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
L’Elisir d’Amore – OperaVision (May 23)
For those seeking out some Bel Canto sparks, then this production of Donizetti’s famed comedy is perfect for you. Julietta Aleksanyan, José Romero, Martin Mkhize, Sam Carl, and Bibi Ortjens headline the cast, which is conducted by Enrico Delamboye. As an added bonus, this production modernizes the opera, bringing it to a contemporary setting that allows us to recontextualize the famed comedy.
