The Dessoff Choirs will present J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion on May 6 at Mother AME Zion Church in Harlem. Malcolm J. Merriweather and concertmaster Katie Hyun will lead the period orchestra and soloists, tenors Noah Stewart and Elliott James Encarnación, soprano Sonya Headlam, and bass Kevin Thompson. The alto soloist will be announced at a later date. St. John {…}
Tenor Jorge de León and soprano Saioa Hernández were announced as the first recipients of Talía Awards. León received his Talía Award in the Best Male Lyrical Performer category. He was nominated for his Radames in “Aida” at the Teatro Real. Hernández won Best Female Lyric Interpreter for her Abigaille in “Nabucco” also at Teatro Real. The company brought home {…}
Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has received the 2023 Polar Prize. The contemporary classical composer’s career includes vocal and sacred choral works, music written for set pianos, and orchestral pieces. He is known best for his creation of “tintinnabuli,” a minimalist compositional technique, and experiments with the twelve-tone technique, serial music, and collage styles. The Polar Prize website reads, “Composer Arvo {…}
Mayor Henriette Reker and Head of Cultural Affairs Stefan Charles announced the appointment of Colombian conductor and violinist Andrés Orozco-Estrada to the position of Music Director of the City of Cologne and Gürzenich Kapellmeister. In his new role, Orozco-Estrada will be responsible for the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne and the Cologne Opera. His tenure begins Sept. 2025. Cologne’s Mayor Henriette Reker stated, {…}
Credit: Hanna Barczyk Brian Deedrick’s new production of Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” will close Vancouver Opera’s 2022-23 season. Leslie Dala will lead the Vancouver Opera orchestra and chorus alongside Greg Dahl in the title role. Marjorie Owens will sing the role of Senta, Richard Wiegold as Daland, Wookyung Kim as Erik, Scott Rumble as Steuermann, and Megan Latham will sing {…}
Mark S. Doss will make his Lincoln Center debut in the concert “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson’s 125th Birthday.” Paying homage to the legendary civil rights activist, professional athlete, actor, and bass-baritone Paul Robeson, Doss will sing Spirituals and works by William Grant Still. He will also perform selections from “The Emperor Jones,” “Show Boat,” “Eugene Onegin,” and “Andrea Chénier. {…}
The San Francisco Symphony has announced its 2023-24 season. For this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. It all kicks off with a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Soloists include Dashon Burton, Ben Bliss, and Tamara Mumford. The program also features Olly Wilson’s “Shango Memory.” Performance Dates: Oct. 19 – 22, {…}
Sonya Yoncheva has announced her first book “Fifteen Mirrors.” A statement, via social media, notes “For her first book, Sonya Yoncheva has chosen fifteen iconic opera characters – most of them roles from her repertoire, extraordinary women she performed on stage and others who inhabit her thoughts and dreams. For each of these 15 roles, you will find five photos {…}
ABAO Bilbao Opera has announced its 2023-24 season, which will represent the 72nd in its history. The season kicks off with “Roméo et Juliette” starring Javier Camarena and Nadine Sierra in the title role. Lorenzo Passerini conducts a production by Giorgia Guerra. Performance Dates: Oct. 21 – 30, 2023 Elena Sancho Pereg and Joel Prieto will headline “L’Elisir d’Amore” with {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta) Montreal’s Orchestra Philarmonique et Choeurs des Mélomanes has announced its ninth season. The season opens with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with a cast starring Soprano Sydney Baedke, mezzo-soprano Simona Genga, tenor John Mac Master, and baritone Brett Polegato. The program also features music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Brahms. Francis Choinière conducts. Performance Date: Nov. 4, 2023 Wallis Giunta {…}
(Credit: Steven Harris) New Orleans Opera Association has announced its 2023-24 season. “The New Orleans Opera Association is proud to bring another robust season of opera to our beautiful city – the North American birthplace of the art form,” said Clare Burovac, General and Artistic Director, in an official press statement. “Incredible stories will be told through well-loved classics, new {…}