Opera America has announced that it is committed to engaging the Biden-Harris Transition Team on several major issues essential for the arts community. In a press release, the organization noted that it has engaged the transition team during the current lame-duck session with increased FY2021 appropriations for all federal arts and cultural-related programs, as well as initiatives to provide more {…}
Des Moines Metro Opera has announced its inaugural virtual holiday program “Merry & Bright Holiday Concert,” which is set for Dec. 18, 2020. The online program will feature performances from such artists as tenor Jonathan Burton, mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle, tenor Joseph Dennis, soprano Sara Gartland, bass Zachary James, soprano Alexandra LoBianco, soprano Zulimar López-Hernández, mezzo-soprano Megan Marino, baritone Michael Mayes, {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) have announced the agreement of a newly modified labor agreement that extends through the 2020-21 season. “Together, we have reached our goal of providing our artists with clarity and security, despite the loss of the full opera season, the devastating impacts of the pandemic, and this uncertain {…}
Lucia Ronchetti has been appointed the Artistic Director of the Biennale Musica, Venice, and will be responsible for programming throughout the 2021-2024 editions. Ronchetti is a leading Italian composer whose opera “Inferno” is set to premiere at the Oper Frankfurt in 2021. Her chamber opera “Pinocchios Abenteur” is set to appear at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden. She is also {…}
Director James Darrah is set to work in Boston, Philadelphia, Santa Fe, Omaha, and his hometown of Los Angeles to guide, reinvent, and execute programming for the increasingly prevalent digital stage. Darrah will collaborate alongside the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra as its new Creative Director of Digital Content and will build an entire season out of his dream Digital Studio {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has postponed Sonya Yoncheva’s Met Stars Live in Concert performance. The company announced that the performance featuring the famed soprano, which was rescheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 28, has now been moved to Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, as Yoncheva is still ill (with a non-Covid illness). The new date will be performed live from the Schussenried Cloister {…}
The Grammy Nominations have been announced with Joyce DiDonato, Angel Blue, and Cecilia Bartoli among the artists shortlisted for top prizes. In the Best Opera Recording category Dello Joio’s “The Trial At Rouen” featuring Gil Rose, Heather Buck, Stephen Powell, and Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Odyssey Opera Chorus were nominated alongside Floyd’s “Prince Of Players” with William Boggs, Keith {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced that its current production of “Rusalka” will be streamed on Mezzo.tv. The company will stream the performance on Nov. 25 with Ivor Bolton conducting and Christof Loy directing the production. Asmik Grigorian sings the title role with a cast that includes Eric Cutler as the Prince, Karita Mattila as the Foreign Princess, Maxim Kuzmin-Karavaev as {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced that it will broadcast Verdi’s “Otello” on Nov. 30. The Italian house will showcase a new production by Valerio Binasco and conducted by Zubin Mehta on Rai Cultura’s Rai5. The opera will star Fabio Sartori in his role debut as Otello and Marina Rebeka as Desdemona, also in her role debut. Luca Salsi rounds out the {…}
The Rossini Opera has announced streamings for its autumn Rossini Opera Festival. The company announced that Nov. 25, 27 and 29 perofrmances of “Il barbiere di Siviglia” will be streamed via the company’s rossinioperafestival.it. The production by Pier Luigi Pizzi will be conducted by Michele Spotti and star Juan Francisco Gatell (Count Almaviva), Carlo Lepore (Bartolo), Aya Wakizono (Rosina), Iurii {…}
Michele Spotti is set to return to the Rossini Opera Festival for the fourth year in a row. The conductor will lead the company’s autumn production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” Performances of the iconic Rossini comedy are scheduled for Nov. 25, 27, and 29 and will star Juan Francisco Gatell, Carlo Lepore, Aya Wakizono, Iurii Samoilov, Michele Pertusi, Elena {…}