And of his Cavaradossi audiences couldn’t get enough noting that, “Baek’s voice reveals itself to be in a completely new ballpark of colors and dynamics. Baek’s Act one aria, ‘Recondita armonia,’ is full of life and high energy. His voice dances among the notes with grace and ease that catapults the audience’s attention towards him as a beautifully portrayed Cavaradossi in his youth.” And what about the “Vittoria, Vittoria” which he held out for what felt like a whole 30 seconds and received Rousing ovations for it?

And of course, there was Pinkerton which he “mercilessly digs into with real gusto” and captures submile colors.

Baek also showcased his Verdi roles including Ismaele in “Nabucco” at the Met where he headlined his first HD and Radamès in “Aida” in Montréal as well as Verdi’s Requiem in Rome. And for audiences who missed his breakout in “Samson and Dalila,” the Royal Opera House released a DVD for audiences to relive it.

You can read further on the tenor here.

Julia Bullock

American soprano Julia Bullock was perhaps one of the most anticipated debuts of the 2023-24 Metropolitan Opera season. That is because throughout the past years, she has been one of the most interesting performers, breaking norms and traditions and taking her own path in opera. From singing new music to taking on the baroque repertoire, Bullock has mastered what it means to sing a diverse repertoire. And when she arrived at the Met this spring in “El Niño,” she portrayed “knowing, self-assured young mother-to-be, who sang with warmth and mystery as she wrestled with the human toll of holy purpose.”

The work brought her more triumphs as she performed “El Niño: Nativity Reconsidered” with St. John Divine in New York, Gävle Symphony Orchestra in Sweden, and the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, where BR Klassik recorded the work.

Bullock also had a triumph with Messiaen’s “Harawi” in California with OperaWire noting, “Bullock showed her extraordinary flexibility in articulation and dramatic emphasis” and is “extraordinary.”

Her return to the Teatro Real brought her back to her acclaimed “Theodora” in a production she first created in London. This time, Bullock was acclaimed for her “sincere” and “passionate” interpretation.

Freddie De Tommaso

The British-Italian tenor had a lot of debuts and “Tosca” productions in 2024. Among those important debuts was the Metropolitan Opera showcase where he made his mark with his signature of Cavaradossi. The tenor revived the David McVicar production and instantly became a hit with the New York audiences with OperaWire noting, “Without a doubt, De Tommaso is the real deal and is a tenor that will likely become a staple at the Met and a star that the house needs at this time.” Worldwide, audiences got to see his interpretation via the Live in HD series.

But that was not his only notable debut. The tenor made an unexpectedly early debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in “Carmen,” jumping in for an ill colleague and then went on in a production of “Un Ballo in Maschera,” which was his original debut role. Then in March, he made his Teatro San Carlo debut and his role debut as Pollione in “Norma.” It was a role for which critics noted the the tenor was “completely absorbed by his character.” He also made his debut at the Greek National Opera as Alfredo in “La Traviata.”

De Tommaso also toured alongside Lise Davidsen in concert and with “Tosca,” which took the duo to Berlin, Munich, Salzburg, and Wiener, as well as the aforementioned New York production. Other roles included Gabriele Adorno in “Simon Boccanegra” in Vienna, Don Jose in “Carmen” in Verona, and Maurizio in “Adriana Lecovreur” at the Liceu. There was also a concert with Angela Gheorghiu and a gala to celebrate Georg Solti.

Off-stage, De Tommaso released his Puccini album and became the first tenor since Pavarotti to record ‘The Hymn of the Nations’ with the Teatro alla Scala. He also introduced himself to the radio world through his show on Classic FM, “Notes from Italy.”

Étienne Dupuis

A new Macbeth was born this season in the Canadian baritone Étienne Dupuis. Perhaps considered one of the most haunting and demanding roles in the baritone repertoire, it’s also a rare chance for the baritone to be the leading man. Dupuis, who has slowly worked towards the role, fulfilled a dream by performing it in his debut at the Washington National Opera. The results were wonderful with the baritone bringing his lyric colors with “vocal and emotional subtleties…that revealed the character’s fears and self-doubt. His rendition certainly earned the restoration of Macbeth’s final aria ‘Mal per me che m’affidai,’ sung while mortally wounded. ”

Verdi was a composer who dominated many of his appearances throughout the year. How could anyone forget the unforgettable Posa in “Don Carlo” at the Wiener Staatsoper or Paolo in “Simon Boccanegra” at the Paris Opera? Then there was an imposing Giorgio Germont in “La Traviata” at the Wiener Staatsoper and his second “Rigioletto” production during the Royal Opera House’s Japan tour, following his acclaimed role debut at the Teatro Real.

But there was also an important world premiere and a rarely performed opera. First Dupuis got to world premiere “La Reine-garçon” at the Opéra de Montréal. He created the role of Count Kustav and “gave a warm account” of the role showcasing his ability also to dominate the modern repertoire. And then there was Sancho Pancha in “Don Quichotte” at the Paris Opera, a rarely performed opera that was a total triumph. OperaWire noted, he “embodied the most caregiving of all characters…Musically, Dupuis’ great phrasing and acting abilities were especially apparent in the fourth act. A solid baritone voice, with good emission, Dupuis perhaps distinguishes himself less for the timbre of his voice than for his flexibility as an actor and his attentiveness to the text.”

And of course for those that missed Dupuis on stage, there were two recordings that audiences got, ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia” from the Wiener Staatsoper and Herodiade” with Nicole Car.

Asmik Grigorian

The Lithuanian soprano has been described as a “once-in-a-lifetime artist.” Perhaps one of her most anticipated performances of the year was her Met debut, which saw the house sell out consistently,  rarity these days. The New York audience welcomed her with great ovations and reviews, with OperaWire noting, “Her voice has a rich timbre and darkly colored sound.” The Met even gave her an HD performance off the bat giving audiences around the world the opportunity to witness the star soprano. Of course, German and London audiences also witnessed the soprano’s “Butterfly” as she sang performances at the Royal Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin.

The other big debut of her season was at the Teatro San Carlo, where she had the honor of opening the 2024-25 season with her signature “Rusalka.” Italian audiences had already known the soprano from her performances at La Scala but this performance brought more great reviews. One critic said, “Asmik Grigorian delivered a luminous and emotionally profound portrayal of Rusalka, combining technical brilliance with heartfelt vulnerability.”

Other major productions in the season included her role debut as Elisabetta in “Don Carlo” at the Wiener Staatsoper; Polina in “The Gambler” at the Salzburg Festival, where she has become the reigning diva; and a new production of “Pique Dame” at the Bayerische Staatsoper. All three productions were recorded for HD, highlighting Grigorian’s incredible acting.

Grigorian also headlined galas and concerts with Carnegie Hall, Baden-Baden Festival, London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, and Teatro Real, among others.

There were also numerous releases such as “Rusalka,” “The Enchantress,” and “Macbeth” that audiences got to see throughout the year. Grigorian was also awarded the Faust Award, a special Jury prize at the Österreichischer Musiktheaterpreis, and Opera Singer of the Year by Opernwelt Magazine.

Eve-Maud Hubeaux

Over the past year, Swiss Mezzo-soprano Eve-Maud Hubeaux has become one of the leading singers of her generation. Over the past 12 months, she showed her versatility in repertoire, strong acting skills, and a gorgeous, silky mezzo.

In April, Hubeaux, brought Laura to the stage in “La Gioconda” with a starry cast of Jonas Kaufmann and Anna Netrebko, first at the Salzburg Festival and then at the Teatro San Carlo. Her performances were lauded with great reviews with critics stating she was “terrific as Laura” and  “exuded warmth and beauty, particularly evident in the emotionally charged duet where both women express their love for Enzo.”

Then came a rare gem in the repertoire, “La Vestale” in Paris Opera followed by two concert performances at the Salzburg Festival, “Capriccio” and “Hamlet.” But it was her return to the Wiener Staatsoper following an acclaimed “Carmen” that solidified the mezzo’s star standing. In the new production of “Don Carlo,” Hubeaux garnered rave reviews for her Eboli and even threatened to steal the show. Critics said, Hubeaux “stole the vocal honors as Eboli, the scorned princess who has her eye on Carlo (and Philip). Her imposing presence – physically and vocally – constantly drew the eye and ear. The Veil Song had all the teasing arabesques required and she delivered a knockout ‘O don fatale’ that truly rattled the rafters.”

And then came her American debut at the San Francisco Opera. Here she reprised her Carmen interpretation and OperaWire said that the mezzo’s “stage choreography came to match the vocal demands.”

Audiences around the world also got to see the mezzo’s magic with many of these performances recorded; from her Laura in “La Gioconda” to her Eboli in “Don Carlo” and “La Vestale” and “Carmen.” And to top it off, Hubeaux was one of the 2024 recipients of the Herbert Von Karajan Award, which is bestowed to rising stars in the world.

Brian Jagde

The American tenor’s year can be defined by two major things; La Scala and “La Forza del Destino.”

This year he made his highly anticipated debut at the Teatro alla Scala and quickly became one of the house’s favorite tenors performing in three productions. First, he made his debut in “Cavalleria Rusticana” in April and later jumped into a new production of “Turandot” in the summer. But it was his first Dec. 7 at La Scala that solidified his star status as he performed Don Álvaro in “La Forza del Destino.” Critics said he was “a beautiful surprise” and he was lauded for his urgent tenor voice.

Speaking of Don Álvaro, he appeared in three productions major productions of “La Forza” in 2024. The opera has become rarely performed due to its difficulty and casting options. But Jagde seemed to get better with each production. There was the aforementioned La Scala production, a production at the Grand Teatre del Liceu, and a new production at the Metropolitan Opera in early 2024. All three productions received HD recordings and were seen around the world, growing Jagde’s audience. This role has helped define the tenor as a leading Verdi interpreter and one of the few who can sing this opera. At the Met, he was the standout with OperaWire stating, he had “incredible sound… with great Italian diction necessary for these heavier spinto roles.”

But Verdi wasn’t the only highlight of the year. Jagde celebrated Puccini in “Turandot” at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma’s summer season and toured Japan with the Royal Opera House, also in “Turandot.” And at the Teatro Real, he sang Maurizio in “Adriana Lecouvreur,” demonstrating his range in repertoire.

Anna Pirozzi

Earlier this year, Anna Pirozzi was nominated for Best Female Singer of the Year at the Opera Awards and you could see why this great Italian soprano stood out among so many other singers. Her agility to cross from the verismo to the bel canto to the Verdi repertoire is unique and special and she remains among the only sopranos today who can do that, combining vocal beauty with dramatic force in equal measure.

Her last-minute Leonora in “La Forza del Destino” at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, which audiences got to see worldwide through OperaVision, was “spellbinding” with the soprano “bringing depth and fire to every note.” Then there was her Amelia in “Un Ballo in Maschera” at the Palau de les Arts and Gran Teatre del Liceu where she showcased “an impressive breath control and deep feeling” and “she injected the words with meaning, singing her ‘morrò’ with such genuine sadness.” That was also shown worldwide on a live stream from Valencia, giving audiences a chance to relive that unforgettable performance.

Pirozzi also displayed a range of repertoire this year with her Norma in Napoli, her role debut as Adriana Lecouvreur at the Paris Opera, and Odabella in Tokyo. There was Turandot in Torre del Lago and Zurich, Maddalena in “Andrea Chenier” in France, Aida at the Arena di Verona, “Madama Butterfly” in Tirana, and Abigaille in “Nabucco” in Vienna.

And then there was “La Gioconda” to conclude a monster year at the Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania. For that role she received praise with critics stating “Excellent Anna Pirozzi, she plays a well moulded Gioconda, between sensitivity and volition – to the point of sacrifice – throughout the opera, with an emotional peak in the warmly applauded last act scene.”

Jessica Pratt

Jessica Pratt sang the role of a lifetime at the Donizetti Opera Festival this past fall. As Elisabetta in “Roberto Devereux,” she conquered the intricacies of the role and showcased her dramatic skills. As OperaWire noted, “her finest moment came at the end, when merged with her role she turned into a rather terrifying creature, releasing her powerful bottom sound with a full chest” and “Jessica Pratt gave one of the finest performances of her life.”

But it wasn’t only Queen Elisabetta that defined her year. Pratt continued to bring new Bel Canto roles to her repertoire and give them her signature virtuosic power. In Pesaro, she gave an unforgettable portrayal of Bianca in Rossini’s “Bianca e Falliero.” OperaWire noted, ” It was not simply the beauty of her voice or her excellent technique that captured the attention, but that everything appeared so natural.”

Meanwhile, in Palermo, she sang her first “La Straniera” by Bellini, added another Rossini role as La Contessa di Folleville in “Il Viaggio a Reims” in Pesaro, and continued to tour her “Delirio” album in Florence, which showcased the soprano’s interpretations of mad scenes.

Comedy was also part of her year as she sang Marie in “La Fille du Régiment” at the Royal Opera Muscat and the soprano also sang two memorable productions of “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” at the Teatro alla Scala and at the Bilbao Opera, where she debuted the role of Kostanze. 

Pratt was also part of the Arena di Verona’s opening night gala, performing an unforgettable “Casta Diva.” And of course no year for Pratt is complete without “Lucia di Lammermoor,” the soprano’s signature and legendary interpretation. Pratt sang it in Albania and in Queensland where critics said, she “was breathtaking in its virtuosity. The emotion and rich complexity of her voice and the control, color, and variation with which she wielded it were sublime.”

Marina Rebeka

The Latvian soprano is a pioneer in her own right. She has helped revive the Bel Canto repertoire and become a successful businesswoman. And among that, this year her first commercial recording of “Norma” was released. The opera has been one that she has mastered and sung all over the world. The recording for Prima Classic was heralded with OperaWire noting, “Rebeka’s Norma is quite simply glorious. In exceptional voice, she sails through the part’s innumerable pitfalls with near unmatched intensity, making her character less of an introspective heroine than the dramatic precursor to Verdian protagonists the likes of Odabella, and possibly even Abigaille.”

Speaking of Verdi, Rebeka gave audiences a variety of the composer’s heroines. She took on Leonora in “Il trovatore” in Munich and unexpectedly returned to her signature Violetta in “La Traviata” in Napoli. At the Festival Verdi, she revived “La Battaglia di Legnano,” a work that is never performed. For that opera, she received universal praise noting her “singing is always accompanied by chiaroscuro phrasing and a supple line, just as her virtuosity is precise everywhere.” And finally there was Amelia in “Simon Boccanegra,” which saw her return to Napoli. This time, she not only performed for her audience but also recorded the work for a future release.

And in the year of Puccini, Rebeka also celebrated the composer with “Madama Buttefly.” She returned to the Wiener Staatsoper after a five-year absence and then celebrated the composer’s birthday with a production in Zürich, which also concluded her year.

And if recording artist and singer wasn’t enough, Rebeka made her film debut in “In The Land That Sings.” The film was released widely in Latvia, scoring fantastic reviews.

Christian Van Horn

American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn has cemented himself as one of the great bass-baritones of our time. He showed off his scene-stealing abilities as the Three villains in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” in three different productions. First, there was a production at the Paris Opera where he “sang with intense firmness throughout the night” and “exuded confidence with every single note.” Then there was the Salzburg Festival production, where he took a softer approach to the roles and performed with a “sonorous and deep” voice, despite being relegated to costumes that often made him unrecognizable onstage. And finally, there was the Met Opera, where he dominated each scene he was in with OperaWire noting, “When he’s onstage, he towers over everyone like a God, strutting around like he owns the place.” Moreover, audiences around the world got to see all three productions which were recorded and transmitted live in HD.

Audiences also got to experience his villainous Don Giovanni in Vienna and Paris, his Raimondo in “Lucia di Lammermoor” at the Bayerische Staatsoper, and his unforgettable Escamillo in “Carmen” at the San Francisco Opera, where as he had some interesting stories to share about riding a horse on stage in his increasingly popular podcast, The CVH Podcast.

And then there were unforgettable roles that Van Horn turned into his own. First, there was “Don Quichotte” in Massenet’s rarely performed work. Paris audiences were enthralled with his interpretation and OperaWire noted that Van Horn was “a perfect charming and mentally doomed Quichotte. His voice, grave, but not gigantic, was uniform and expressive; his stage presence, full of charm, emphasized the mental struggles of the character in a manner that audiences no doubt found it easy to relate to.”

And then there was “Bluebeard’s Castle” on tour with the Met. His interpretation “brought out the desperation in his character but also a commanding presence.” The performances were also easily the Best performances at the Met during the 2023-24 season.