Q & A: Peruvian Tenor Iván Ayón-Rivas on the Duke of Mantua, His Royal Opera House Debut & Continuing to Study

(Photo: Tatiana Mazzola) Iván Ayón-Rivas is an exciting young tenor from Peru. Trained at the Conservatory of Music of Peru, Iván received a solid vocal education under the tutelage of Maria Eloísa Aguirre and continued his studies with renowned teachers and hugely esteemed fellow Peruvian tenors Juan Diego Flórez and Luigi Alva. He is currently perfecting his technique with legendary {…}

Mar 26, 2026

Q & A: Serge Dorny on Taking Presidency of Opera Europa, The Future of Opera & Anna Netrebko’s Return to Bayerische Staatsoper

(© Geoffroy Schied) Serge Dorny is one of the most powerful men in opera. Beginning his career as a dramaturge under Gerard Mortier at Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, he would eventually become Artistic Director of several major institutions before climbing to some of the most prestigious positions in the industry. He led as General Director of Opéra National {…}

Mar 26, 2026

Q & A: Iestyn Davies on Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ‘ Dostoevsky & Timothée Chalamet

(Credit: Ben Ealovega) Few countertenors today command the international stage with the authority and musical intelligence of Iestyn Davies. Renowned for his interpretations of Baroque repertoire as well as his compelling performances in 20th-century opera, Davies has become one of the defining voices of his generation. During his recent return to Teatro Real in Madrid to perform Oberon in “A {…}

Mar 25, 2026

How Motherhood, Career Gaps & Stage IV Cancer Led Toni Marie Palmertree to Her Met Opera Debut

(Photo: A soprano known for her “tender and expressive voice” (SF Examiner) Toni Marie Palmertree is described as giving “riveting” performances of Tosca, Donna Elvira, and Nedda across America. She makes her principal role debut March 28th at the Metropolitan Opera as Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” A graduate of the Peabody Conservatory, Toni Marie Palmertree shares with OperaWire how {…}

Mar 23, 2026

Q & A: Gregory Spears on ‘Fellow Travelers’ & His Upcoming Opera ‘Sleepers Awake’

Composer Gregory Spears is in the middle of celebrating his breakthrough opera “Fellow Travelers,” which premiered 10 years ago. The opera, which is based on the Thomas Mallon novel set in Washington D.C., during the McCarthy era of the 1950s and focuses on the “lavender scare,” a witch hunt and mass firings of gay people from the United States government, {…}

Mar 22, 2026

Q & A: Music Director Peter Whelan on His Vision for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale & the 2026-27 Season ‘The Power of Music’

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale recently announced its 2026-27 season, the first with Peter Whelan as its new Music Director. For Whelan, what distinguishes Philharmonia Baroque from the outset is its energy. He describes the ensemble as a group of “musical time-travelers” who bring a visceral, theatrical charge to every performance, and speaks warmly of the Bay Area audience’s {…}

Mar 20, 2026

Q & A: Alexander Marev on Performing at the Opéra de Liège, the Challenges of Being a Young Artists & Dream Roles

Bulgarian tenor Alexander Marev is one of the rising stars of the opera world who has won numerous national singing competitions in his native Poland. He has also been a young talent program of the Opera La Monnaie/De Munt in Brussels and made his stage debut in March 2022 in a production of “Rigoletto.” Since then he has appeared at {…}

Mar 19, 2026

Q & A: Anna Skryleva on Making Her Debut at Opera Australia & ‘Eugene Onegin’

(Credit: Katharina Gebauer) Anna Skryleva is an award winning conductor, composer, pianist, and synesthete. She regularly appears as a guest conductor at prestigious opera houses including the Hamburg State Opera, the Royal Swedish Opera, the Dallas Opera, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and this season she made her Teatro alla Scala debut. She is also making {…}

Mar 18, 2026

Q & A: Artistic Director Christoph von Bernuth on the Multi-Faceted Identity of the Karlsruhe Handel Festival

(Photo: Arno Kohlem) Christoph von Bernuth is the Opera Director and Artistic Director of the International Handel Festival at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe. With nearly 19 years at the Innsbruck Early Music Festival alongside René Jacobs, he is a leading expert in Baroque opera productions. Formerly Deputy General Director at Oldenburg, he is also an accomplished director, known for staging works {…}

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