On Monday, soprano Evelyn Herlitzius kicks off her first year on the North American opera scene. For years, the German soprano has dominated Europe as a leading interpreter of the German repertoire. She has dominated Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, Baden-Baden, Salzburg, and Paris, among others, in such operas as “Elektra,” “Tristan und Isolde,” “Wozzeck,” “Lohengrin,” and Wagner’s “Der Ring des {…}
It’s not every day a young singer graduates school, wins a competition, and immediately lands leading roles. Most take the path of young artist programs and go on to sing small roles in major opera houses before breaking out. But that is not the case with Samantha Hankey who this week makes another major debut in Europe. After a successful {…}
Surprise – we are changing things up a bit for this week’s Artist of the Week. It’s more like Artists of the Week simply because it was impossible to ignore their tantamount importance on this week’s collaboration. Juan Diego Flórez and Olga Peretyatko are two of today’s greatest stars in the opera world and this week both singers will take {…}
Massenet’s “Manon” is known as the pinnacle of the lyric soprano repertoire. It is a massive five-act grand opera that showcases a soprano’s vocal fireworks as well the dramatic potential. And this week, Irina Lungu will take on the role for the first time at the Bilbao Opera. Lungu’s assumption of “Manon” is the culmination of what has been two seasons {…}
Salome is widely considered one of the most challenging roles in the soprano repertoire. It’s not only a vocal tour de force but a chance to showcase a soprano’s dramatic force. This week, Swedish soprano Malin Byström returns to the Royal Opera House making her house role debut as Strauss’ “Salome” after stunning critics and audiences in the role at the {…}
When the Vienna State Opera kicks off its production of Bellini’s “I Puritani” on Jan. 4, the work will feature a soprano that few people have heard of in recent years – Venera Gimadieva, alongside a cast that includes Adam Plachetka, Jongmin Park, and Dmitry Korchak. Gimadieva is no outsider to be sure. The 33-year-old Russian soprano trained at the {…}
Over the past years, Vittorio Grigolo has become one of the biggest stars in the opera world for his magnetic and charismatic stage presence. His performances have been heralded by critics in numerous lyric roles including Nemorino in “L’Elisir d’Amore,” Edgardo in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” Rodolfo in “La “Boheme,” and Hoffmann in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.” And now the tenor is {…}
It has been three years since Lisette Oropesa last stepped on the Metropolitan Opera stage where she fostered the majority of her young career. For years since 2005 when she won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Oropesa was the go-to for numerous comprimario roles and supporting roles. She sang such roles as Nanetta in “Falstaff,” Lay Sister in “Suor Angelica,” {…}
This week marks the opening of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma and with it, a new production of “La Damnation de Faust.” Headlining the cast will be burgeoning tenor Pavel Černoch. The tenor, just 43, hails from the Czech Republic and had his first big break when he debuted at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich in 2009 as Števa {…}
Over the past few years Yusif Eyvazov’s star has been in ascension. Since his breakout in 2014, when he performed “Manon Lescaut” with Anna Netrebko at the Teatro dell’opera di Roma, the tenor has debuted in many of the greatest theaters. However, this week he will headline his biggest assignment yet. Eyvazov will open the Teatro Alla Scala 2017-18 season {…}
Daniel Brenna is one of the best-known heldentenors of his generation, singing across the world in many of the greatest theaters. His repertoire is immense and he is one of the few tenors right now regularly performing the role of Siegfried. And this week, he brings an original version of this interpretation in Vienna. Brenna will sing The Ring Trilogy {…}