Anna Netrebko, Joyce El-Khoury, Benjamin Appl, Cecilia Violetta López, Jonathan Tetelman Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week
By David SalazarIt’s happening. As the opera world starts progressing toward live performances, digital offerings are being tailored back a bit. We will continue this series nonetheless, providing our recommendations for some of the exciting upcoming opera events that you can stream from home in the event that you are not yet ready or able to return to a live performance.
This week’s offerings are a splash of classic works (including two productions of the same opera) with some newer works, modern takes on unexpected classics, and some concerts.
(Listed by the date of premiere from eariest to latest)
Obligations – The Crossing (NOW)
The Crossing has released a new short film created by Brett Snodgrass and featuring music by Paul Fowler and text by Layli Long Soldier. The work was was recorded at home by artists in isolation and focuses on “healing… The primary metaphor is above and below, heaven and earth, struggle and transcendence, shown in the black horizon, the X shape or mirrored triangles (symbols for earth/heaven and domicile) and the unfurling braided hair, which spreads to the other suffering forms,” Snodgrass said in a press release.
Prague Spring Closing Concert – Czech Philharmonic (June 3)
The Czech Philharmonic will be presenting a concert featuring tenor Petr Nekoranec as he takes on an arrangement of the second movement from Mahler‘s Symphony No. 3 as well as Britten‘s “Les Illuminations Op. 18 for high voice and string orchestra. The showcase will also feature Beethoven’s famed sixth symphony.
Tosca – Opéra de Lille (June 3)
Tosca – Marble City Opera (June 3-5)
Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda – little OPERA theatre of ny (June 4)
For those seeking out some baroque operatic pleasures, then look no further than little OPERA theatre of ny‘s “Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” by Monteverdi. The performance will also include music by Barbara Strozzi and Dario Costello.
St. John Passion – Théâtre du Châtelet (June 4)
Yes, Calixto Bieito is a controversial director that tends to get under everyone’s skin. However, there is no denying that his productions are quite fascinating and imaginative, even if often off the mark. In any case, seeing him taking on Bach is quite an interesting concept, and the real draw is Benjamin Appl, who headlines a cast that includes Joshua Ellicott, Lenneke Ruiten, Carlos Mena, Robert Murray, and Andreas Wolf, among others.
Strange Trace – Stencils Festival (June 4-6)
And now for something different and far more experimental as Strange Trace presents its first-ever Stencils Festival, which includes three straight days of operatic double bills including “Music of the Goddess” and “Goliath;” “A Single Unbending Curve” and “The Real Me;” and “The Small Competitor” and “October Surprise.”
Macbeth – Metropolitan Opera (June 5)
For those who want some full-blooded star power, then check out Anna Netrebko in one of her most complete performances on the Met stage as the scheming Lady Macbeth. The cast also stars Joseph Calleja, Željko Lučić, and René Pape, under the fantastic baton of Fabio Luisi.
A Night at the Opera – SAS Performing Arts Company and Studios (June 5)
For those who want to watch a concert showcasing up and coming opera stars, then don’t miss this showcase. The concert will feature music by Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, and Strauss.
La Traviata – Pacific Symphony (June 5)
Finally, Pacific Symphony will be featuring a performance of Verdi’s seminal work with Cecilia Violetta Lopez, one of the most exciting rising stars of the opera world, in the role of Violetta. She is joined by John Riesen and Jeffrey Mattsey.
