The Pacific Opera Project closes its 2019 season with five performances of Puccini’s “La Bohème AKA ‘The Hipsters’” at The Highland Park Ebell Club. The production brings Puccini’s classic tale to present day Los Angeles and takes place in a loft apartment during a particularly cold SoCal winter. LA’s housing crisis comes to life on stage as the artist, poet, philosopher, {…}
Joyce DiDonato has canceled her performances on Friday and Saturday in Santiago, Chile due to the violence currently taking place in the country. The soprano made the announcement via social media, noting that her performance in Sao Paolo on Wednesday would be dedicated to those who lost their lives. “With a very heavy heart, our concert of ‘In War & {…}
Legendary baritone Leo Nucci has announced that he is set to retire from the stage. Per Platea and a number of other sources, the baritone announced that he would no longer perform onstage after receiving the Pavarotti d’oro on Oct. 17, 2019. I had already decided to let the curtain drop, but in honor of the memory of my friend {…}
Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” is set to be revived at the Washington National Opera in an English version. In time for the holiday season, the production will feature designs by famed children’s author/illustrator Maurice Sendak. David Portillo is set to star as Tamino with Sydney Mancasola singing Pamina in her WNO debut. Kathryn Lewek will sing her signature Queen of {…}
(Credit: Felix Broede) The Concerto Köln has appointed legendary conductor Kent Nagano as Honorary Conductor. The appointment was made on Oct. 20, 2019. Nagano who is known for both opera and orchestral repertoire, has collaborated with the early music ensemble since 2011. The focus of the collaboration currently lies on academic research and, starting in 2021, on the historically informed performance {…}
Legendary baritone Rolando Panerai has died at the age of 95. The Maggio Musciale Fiorentino announced the news and noted that it will dedicate the upcoming production of “Il Trittico” to him. Panerai was born on Oct. 17, 1924 in Campi Bisenzio, near Florence, Italy and went on to study with Frazzi in Florence and Armani and Giulia Tess in Milan. {…}
(Credit: Brescia/Amisano – Teatro alla Scala) It is surprising that G.F. Handel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto” has had only one previous outing (back in 1956) at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, as it is perhaps a work rich in veins of Italian national pride: a heroic tale based upon the valor and moral fortitude of one of Rome’s most glorious emperors, {…}
The Central City Opera’s 2020 Summer Festival has been announced and it will feature three major works. The season will open with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Carousel.” Director Ken Cazan will bring the musical to life with Matthew Worth as Billy Bigelow and Anna Christy as Julie Jordan. Performance Dates: July 4-August 2, 2020 “Rigoletto” will follow with director Jose Maria Condemi taking {…}
Just arrived in Wexford for its annual festival, which will in fact be the final year for its Artistic Director, David Agler. Unfortunately, at first glance at least, it does not appear to be the most imaginative program, with both Vivaldi’s “Dorilla in Tempe,” and Rossini’s “Adina” having already received production premiere’s in the past 18 months in Venice and {…}
(Credit: Brinkhoff/Mogenburg) Bartlett Sher’s “Rigoletto,” new this year at the Staatsoper Berlin, initially appeared an intriguingly localized production. Though a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera, its context and setting were uniquely Berlin. The opera’s action has been relocated to Weimar-era Germany, and the stage was dominated by the paintings of the Berlin-born painter George Grosz. The audience, as they filed {…}
The Festival Verdi has announced the 2020 operas. The 2020 festival will celebrate 20 years and will show four operas in both Parma and Busseto. The festival will open with Verdi’s early work “I Lombardi all Prima Crociata” at the Teatro Regio di Parma. Performance Dates: Sept. 24- Oct. 7, 2020 Verdi’s ever popular “Rigoletto” will also get a new production at {…}