Jonas Kaufmann, Isabel Leonard, Lise Davidsen, Gabriella Reyes, Olga Peretyatko Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week
By David SalazarIf you’ve been reading OperaWire over the past few weeks, you’ll have noticed a clearcut uptick in the number of announced seasons as companies gear up for a return to in-person performances.
But that hasn’t dampened the desire for streaming showcases, as evidenced in this week’s 10 selections, all diverse in their structures and style. Additionally, you’ll notice that many of these feature opera’s biggest stars, which emphasizes the fact that digital operatic content is here to stay. So without further ado, here are the top 10 operas you should stream this week.
That Which We Love – The Dallas Opera (NOW)
The Dallas Opera’s new original content includes “That Which We Love,” a recital by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, that features music by Sondheim, Bernstein, Offenbach, Berlioz, Bellini, and Kern, among many others.
Farewell Recital – Academy of Vocal Arts (NOW)
The Academy of Vocal Arts is saying goodbye to its Spring 2021 slate with a concert showcase featuring mezzo-soprano Pascale Spinney, baritone Daniel Gallegos, and music director and pianist José Meléndez as they take on music by Rossini, Strauss, Grever, Velázquez, Brahms, Torroba, Bellini, Chabrier, Ravel, Tosti, and Mozart.
Celebrating Our Voices – NY Choral Society (May 11)
Join the New York Choral Society as it presents a virtual gala starring soprano Gabriella Reyes (who will be live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera), counter-tenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, and bass-baritone Brandon Cedel.
Lise Davidsen in Concert – Teatro alla Scala (May 11)
Superstar soprano Lise Davidsen is set to present a concert on the legendary stage, showcasing music by Giuseppe Verdi, Henry Purcell, Richard Strauss, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Richard Wagner. Maestro Riccardo Chailly will conduct the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus.
Thumbprint – Prototype Festival (May 12)
Those who want something a bit more experimental in their lives can turn to the Prototype Festival’s stream of “Thumbprint,” a work about a woman who is gang-raped but stands up for herself and brings her abusers to justice. The stream will include a virtual conversation between composer Kamala Sankaram, librettist Susan Yankowitz, and director Rachel Dickstein.
Die Walküre – Bayerische Staatsoper (May 13)
Those craving Jonas Kaufmann content (and we know that there are a lot of you out there) will have a lot to look forward to as the Bayerische Staatsoper streams a performance of the first act of Wagner’s “Die Walkure” featuring the notable tenor.
But wait, there’s more. Kaufmann wll be joined by a star-studded cast of singers that include Lise Davidsen as Sieglinde and Georg Zeppenfeld as Hunding. Asher Fisch will conduct the concert performance.
Latina Composers – Los Angeles Opera / Opera San José (May 14)
Los Angeles Opera and Opera San José will team up to present a recital that features music by Modesta Bor, María Luisa Escobar, Chabuca Granda, María Grever, Ernestina Lecuona, Ángela Peralta, Consuelo Velázquez, Gabriela Lena Frank, Tania León, Mariela Rodríguez, and Irma Urteaga as performed by soprano Vanessa Becerra, tenor Carlos Enrique Santelli, baritones Luis Alejandro Orozco and Efraín Solís, pianists César Cancino and Bryndon Hassman, and guitarist Jose Chuy Hernandez.
Lady Macbeth of Mstensk – OperaVision (May 14)
Those craving full-blown operas might be a bit disappointed to this point in the list, but have no fear – here they come. And ironically, they’re from Russia. First up is Birmingham Opera Company presentation Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” which was recorded in March 2019 and directed by Sir Graham Vick.
Mazeppa – Berliner Philharmoniker (May 15)
But maybe you want something more “romantic” in nature? Well, then the Berliner Philharmoniker will present Tchaikovsky’s rarely performed “Mazeppa” with a starry cast headlined by Vladislav Sulimsky, Olga Peretyatko, Vitalij Kowaljow, Oksana Volkova, Dmitry Golovnin, Dimitry Ivashchenko, Anton Rositskiy, and Alexander Kravets.
Met Opera National Council Auditions Finals – Metropolitan Opera (May 16)
The Met Opera continues to look back at its storied past with its nightly streams, those craving a change of pace will get a chance to glimpse its future as the company streams the finals of its annual competition. This year’s competition will be hosted by Ryan Speedo Green.
