(Photo: Ed Choo) Born out of a belief that opera could be experienced differently — with an emotional immediacy like no other artform — OperaUpClose has evolved from its first award-winning production of “La Bohème” in a 35-seater pub in 2009, to becoming a trailblazer for London’s fringe opera scene, to a nationally touring company championing a new model for {…}
(Photo: Enrico Nawrath) The Bayreuth Festival celebrates its 150th year anniversary of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring” with an experimental concept that embodies an archive of the past designed to usher opera into the future – Artificial Intelligence unleashed. The creative team for this historical project includes artistic and technical concept by Curator Marcus Lobbes and Nils Corte, Digital and AI {…}
(Photo: MOF) Director Daniele Menghini returned to the Macerata Opera Festival (MOF) for this season’s revival of the 2022 production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” Dedicated to Director Graham Vick, this beloved and contemporary production tells the entertaining story of Italy’s modern man through the perspective of social media’s delusional gaze. Conductor Jacopo Brusa led the FORM-Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, {…}
The Ilirikum Foundation announces a gala concert as the centerpiece of its international project “The Bridge of Friendship USA – BiH – Western Balkans.” The project is designed to connect the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the countries of the Western Balkans through culture, art, and future development initiatives. In the “A Bridge of Friendship” concert sopranos Leah Anne {…}
The Festival Musica Strasbourg has announced its 44th season. Here is a look at classical voice events. Roomful of Teeth and composer Gabriel Kahane perform “Elevator Songs.” Performance Date: Sept. 18, 2026 “The Alonetimes” by Jennifer Walshe and Philip Venables is performed by vocalists Loré Lixenberg and Oskar McCarthy, along with several instrumentalists. Performance Dates: Sept. 18 -20, 2026 Soprano {…}
The Ukrainian conductor Polina Lebedieva has been appointed as the new Conductor in Residence at the Opéra national de Paris. She will step into the role from September 2026. Lebedieva is currently the Assistant Conductor of Ensemble Intercontemporain, and is a 2026-28 recipient of the noted Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. She has been a semi-finalist in the Mahler Competition in Bamberg, Germany, and {…}
Following the shooting at a food festival in Seattle, the Seattle Opera has released a statement. The company said, “We are heartbroken by the tragedy that occurred on Sunday, at what should have been a joyful celebration of our connection to each other through food. Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones, and all those affected by {…}
(Credit: © 2026 Searchlight Pictures.) Tony Gilroy‘s new film, “Behemoth!” is set to world premiere at the New York Film Festival as the centerpiece selection. The Searchlight film, which will hit theaters in December, will star Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist, Alex Serian, who returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road. Music, which has been {…}
Verbier Festival and Wu Promotion have announced the continuation of their partnership with the city of Shenzhen for two additional years, covering the 2027 and 2028 editions. The announcement was made during a visit to Verbier by a Shenzhen delegation, following the success of the first Shenzhen Verbier Festival, held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 8, 2026. The inaugural edition {…}
Garsington Opera has announced the recipients of its 2026 awards. The awards, which recognize exceptional artistic and creative contributions across the festival season, are presented annually to celebrate the next generation of operatic talent while providing financial support to help recipients further their careers. The awards were presented on July 20 by Artistic Director Douglas Boyd and Executive Director Ben {…}
Garsington Opera has announced a second season of its concert series presented in association with Wigmore Hall. Tenor Allan Clayton and pianist Paul Lewis return with a performance of Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin.” Performance Date: Sep. 10, 2026 Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron and pianist Joseph Middleton perform a program of Mahler, Schubert, Charles Ives, and George Crumb. Performance Date: Sep. 26, {…}