The Royal Swedish Opera Chorus has posthumously bestowed the Choir Prize to Michael Cavanagh. The award was announced during the company’s performance of “Sweeney Todd” on Dec. 13, 2024. “For his extraordinary ability to recognize and use the expressive capacity of the individual chorus member in directing large chorus scenes, in for example Nixon in China and Sweeney Todd, Michael {…}
The Brooklyn Art Song Society is set to present “Histories IV: Lachrimae.” The concert on Jan. 5, 2025, which will be held at Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, will showcase music by John Dowland and Henry Purcell. Dowland represented the pinnacle of the troubadour tradition while Purcell is credited as being the greatest British composer of the Baroque period and {…}
The Festival Vicenza in Lirica will present “Le nozze di Figaro” during the 2025 edition. The company said it will present the work following “Don Giovanni” productions in 2022 and “Così fan tutte” in 2023. The opera will be presented in September 2025 at the Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza and will star winners of the “Concorso lirico Tullio Serafin.” In {…}
Marco Vinco has been named Artistic Director of the Macerata Opera Festival. The board of directors of the Associazione Arena Sferisterio named Vinco on Dec. 9, 2024. Vinco is an opera singer who has performed at the Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Arena di Verona, Paris Opera, Royal Opera House, Wiener Staatsoper, and the San Francisco Opera. He has collaborated {…}
(Photo credit: H. Paul Moon) Opera Essentia and Zen Violence Films have released a new opera film of Händel’s “Admeto.” The film stars Hans Tashjian, Jeffrey Mandelbaum, Kristin Renee Young, Nicole Besa, and Melisa Bonetti. The cast also includes a Baroque orchestra playing on period instruments. “Admeto” was filmed at the Campos Community Garden in New York City during a {…}
(Photo: © Vincent Pontet) A few moments before the start of the opera, a friend of mine told me that this is the first time Aquarius has been in Pluto’s orbit since 1789. Whether or not that is true, I cannot say; I did not have the willingness to check. Still, it could be a sign from the stars that {…}
Styriarte has announced its 2025 season. The season will honor the 400th anniversary of UNESCO World Heritage Site Eggenberg Palace. Here is a rundown of the classical vocal performances on offer. First up is “Das verwunschene Glück,” a ballet opera. It stars Sophie Daneman, Johanna Falkinger, Anna Manske, Julian Habermann, Markus Schäfer, and Dietrich Henschel. Michael Hell conducts the production. {…}
Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative is coming to the Kaufman Music Center in New York on Jan. 23, 2024. This is the first time the program is presented outside of Washington D.C. The showcase features three world premieres of 20-minute chamber operas including “Tati” by Kyle Brenn and Lex Brown, Cry, “Wolf” by JL Marlor and Clare Fuyuko Bierman, {…}
(Photo credit: IndieHouse Films) A star-studded list of acclaimed experts in music, science, health, and athletics came together for Palm Beach Symphony’s annual “Music, Maestros & Masters.” This diverse group of professionals participated in an interactive panel discussion on how the arts and music fuel the body, mind, and soul. Palm Beach Symphony’s Guest Conductor, Matt Cooperman, served as the {…}
(Photo credit: Kerstin Hammerschmid) Living Opera has announced the new podcast “Behind the Curtain,” hosted by soprano Soula Parassidis and tenor Norman Reinhardt. The video podcast, filmed at the Hotel Bristol in Vienna, takes listeners beyond the stage and into the heart of opera. Through candid, thought-provoking conversations, the podcast explores universal themes such as personal growth, leadership, and perseverance. {…}
Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera will present its fifth annual “Home for the Holidays” on Dec. 14, 2024. The event will feature Leah Edwards and Dimitri Pittas in performance alongside Alva Anderson, Fouché Sheppard, Dennis Shuman, Sam Stevenson, and a children’s ensemble. “This event is about more than music; it’s about community,” Edwards said per an official press release. {…}