Soprano Lise Davidsen is no stranger to Strauss as she has performed the Marschallin “Der Rosenkavalier,” Chrysothemis in “Elektra” and and the title role of “Ariadne auf Naxos.” She has also performed the Four Last Songs. For all these roles she had garnered universal acclaim with OperaWire stating, “She can be comic, tragic, and romantic. She can be physical and {…}
This week, Opera Southwest will make history with its production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The opera, which is one of the most popular in the repertoire, will be performed in a Spanish version translated by Eduardo de Bray that premiered in Barcelona in 1890. The new production in New Mexico will mark the U.S. premiere of the version with Eliza Bonet {…}
This week the Boston Baroque is set to present a new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” featuring multiple company debuts and role debuts. Among the major debuts is Sidney Outlaw, who will sing his first Don Giovanni. Outlaw has performed several Mozart works including Leporello in “Don Giovanni,” Guglielmo in “Cosi fan tutte,” and Figaro in “Le Nozze di Figaro.” {…}
This week the Edmonton Opera opened a new production of Golijov’s “Ayre,” a cycle of songs that offers a tour of the Mediterranean, particularly in that mixture of Spanish, Jewish, and Arabic influences. The work featured Miriam Khalil, a rising soprano who has established herself as one of Canada’s most versatile. In a short interview, Khalil spoke about the work: OperaWire: Tell {…}
The Teatro alla Scala is set to revive “La Rondine” for the first time since 1994. The work is one of Puccini’s least-performed operas but has become better appreciated over the years as multiple sopranos have taken interest in the piece. For its new production, the famed theater is bringing a cast of rising stars including Mariangela Sicilia. The Italian {…}
This week a new production of Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda” is set to open at the famed Salzburg Easter Festival. The opera, which is rarely performed, required six of the greatest voices and the festival lined up a star cast including rising star Eve-Maud Hubeaux, who is set to portray her first Laura. Over the past years, the mezzo has become {…}
On March 10, 2024, Music of Remembrance will present the world premiere of “Phoenix,” a work that was inspired by the 16-year-old Nika Shakarami who joined other Iranian girls and citizens in protesting the death of Mahsa Amini and who died in the custody of the Iranian morality police after appearing in public without the mandated head covering. The new {…}
This week the Opera de Tenerife is set to present a new production of Dvořák’s most popular opera “Rusalka.” The work will include famed Spanish singers and will be directed by Brazilian director André Heller-Lopes, one of Latin America’s most popular opera directors. OperaWire spoke with Heller-Lopes regarding his ideas and inspiration for Rusalka. The following are the director’s thoughts {…}
This week the Teatro Manoel di Malta is presenting Rossini’s “Armida” one of the composer’s most difficult operas and one that has six tenors. This week as the company presents the opera, Anle Gou will sing two of the opera’s tenor roles bringing out his superb Rossini tenor. Gou, who recently spoke with OperaWire about the technical challenges of Rossini {…}
This week, Opera San José is set to bring a production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with a cast of rising stars and veterans of San Jose including Eugene Brancoveanu. Brancoveanu is a Tony Award-winning baritone who became a Resident Artist of San Jose during the 2019-2020 season and stayed with the company until 2023. He became a favorite of the company {…}
This week the Opera de Bellas Artes is set to revive Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco” for the first time in 167 years. The company will showcase a cast of leading Mexican artists, including legendary tenor Ramon Vargas, who last year celebrated his 40th anniversary at the legendary Mexican theater. Throughout his illustrious career, Vargas has received raves for his “golden” tone {…}