(Credit: Javier del Real) This week, the Teatro Real de Madrid is set to open the 2025-26 season with a revival production of “Otello.” The production will star two of the world’s most important dramatic voices, including Brian Jagde, who will sing the title role for the first time. Otello is known as one of the most challenging roles in {…}
(Credit: Magali Dougados) On Sept. 5 and 6, Operfest Lisboa will present the national premiere of the chamber opera “Julie” by Philippe de Boesmans. The opera is based on the August Strindberg play “Miss Julie” and is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This week Lisboa will present it featuring a cast of rising stars including Julia Deit-Ferrand, a rising star in {…}
On July 18, the Bayerische Staatsoper will open a new production of Fauré’s rarely performed work “Penelope.” Based on the famed Homer epic poem, The “Odyssey,” the work, will receive a new production by Andrea Berth and will star the rising mezzo-soprano Victoria Karkacheva. The Russian will not only make her role debut in the title role, but she will {…}
This week, teh Festival Aix-en-Provence is set to open a new production of “La Calisto.” The work, which is rarely performed, will see mezzo-soprano Giuseppina Bridelli, who is a highly regarded singer of the Baroque repertoire. The Italian mezzo will make her role debut as Diana a year after making her festival debut in Aix. Regarding the role, Bridelli said, {…}
This week, the Santa Fe Opera is set to open its 2025 season with a production of “La Boheme” featuring a cast of rising stars, including Emma Marhefka, who will make an unexpected company debut. The soprano, who was a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice in 2024, stepped in at the last minute to sing the role of Musetta, a part she {…}
(Credit: Stephan Rabold) This week, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin is set to present Bernard Foccroulle’s “Cassandra” for the first time. The work combines the figures of the ancient prophetess Cassandra and the popular researcher Sandra. The opera premiered in 2023 to rave reviews and now brings back some of the cast that created the work, including Katarina {…}
This past week, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis world premiered the new work by Ricky Ian Gordon, “This House.” The work tells the story of the Walker family, who have lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they fought hard to keep what they have. The work is conducted by Daniela Candillari, the Principal Conductor of {…}
This week, the Royal Opera House will revive Gounod’s “Faust” with a cast of rising stars, including Carolina Lopez Moreno. Moreno will make her Royal Opera House debut and her debut as Marguerite. It is perhaps one of her highest profile assignments to date after the soprano’s whirlwind months, which have seen her make unexpected debuts with the Gran Teatre {…}
(Credit: Fabrizio Sansoni) On May 14, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma will present a new production of Mozart’s “Il Re Pastore” with a cast of Mozart specialists, including Benedetta Torre, who will sing the role of Tamiri. The soprano will make a double debut as she will sing the role for the first time in her career while making her {…}
This weekend, the Pittsburgh Opera is set to present the world premiere of “Woman with Eyes Closed” by Jennifer Higdon. The work is experimental in nature as it needs to be seen at least twice, as each night of the production has the possibility of a completely new ending. Over the years, Higdon has become one of the most acclaimed {…}
(Credit: Bernd Uhlig) On April 13, the Berlin State Opera kicked off a new production of “Norma” by Vasily Barkhatov. The opera opened the company’s 2025 festival with Rachel Willis-Sørensen making her role debut as Norma. For the American soprano, this new venture into the bel canto repertory represents a departure from the repertoire she is best known for, which {…}