Jennifer Rowley, Patrizia Ciofi & Karine Deshayes Headline Opéra de Marseille’s 2020-21 Season

Opéra de Marseille has announced its 2020-21 season featuring seven operas and a number of concerts. Misha Didyk stars in Tchaikovsky’s “Pique Dame” with Barbara Haveman, Marie-Ange Todorovitch, Marion Lebegue, Alexander Kasyanov, and Serban Vasile. Lawrence Foster conducts Olivier Py. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-9, 2020 Roberto Rizzi Brignoli conducts Nicola Berloffa’s production of Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” with Silvia Tro {…}

Jun 5, 2020

Opera Colorado Postpones ‘The Shining’

Opera Colorado has announced that it will postpone the opening of its 2020-21 season. In a press statement the company announced, “in order to safely welcome you back to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, we have taken the bold step of moving our fall, season-opening production of Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell’s ‘The Shining’ to the final two weeks of {…}

Jun 5, 2020

Royal Opera House Faces Closure, Calls for Government Aid & New Social Distancing Guidelines

Faced with the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus, the Royal Opera House is in dire financial straits, according to chief executive Alex Beard. Speaking at a virtual summit of industry leaders in West End, Beard cautioned that the venue may not last beyond autumn unless there is a significant change in the support the organization receives from the government, {…}

Jun 5, 2020

Deutsche Oper am Rhein Announces Drive-in Gala

The Deutsche Oper am Rhein has announced the first drive-in gala. The German company announced that on June 19 at the Autokino Düsseldorf music director Axel Kober will conduct seven stars from the opera company, the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, and members of the choir of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. The program will feature music from “Carmen,” “Il barbiere di {…}

Jun 5, 2020

CD Review: Sharon Carty & Jonathan Ware’s ‘Schubert’s Four Seasons’

(Photo: Frances Marshall ) The seasons have provided a rich source of inspiration for composers; Vivaldi’s violin concerti and Haydn’s oratorio spring to mind, but there are many others, such as Vaughan-Williams’ “Folk Songs of the Four Seasons,” and more recently Cage’s “The Four Seasons,” whilst Schumann’s “Spring” symphony and Schubert’s song cycle “Winterreise” focused on a particular season. They {…}

Jun 5, 2020

Opera Naples Announces 2021 Season

Opera Naples has announced its 2021 season featuring three masterworks. Opera Naples Executive Director, Sondra Quinn said, “We are thrilled to bring these three outstanding operas to the Naples community and to highlight two works of the American lyric stage.” The season opens with Tom Cipullo’s “Glory Denied” with Ramón Tebar conducting the chamber piece which will be sung by Opera Naples’ {…}

Jun 4, 2020

Seattle Opera Cancels First Production of 2020-21 Season

The Seattle Opera has announced the cancellation its fall production of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” The company revealed in a press statement that due to the global pandemic, it was forced to cancel the first production of the season. The cancellation will result in the loss of work for more than 220 singers, crew, and musicians. Additionally, with the end {…}

Jun 4, 2020

Dallas Opera Postpones Opening of 2020-21 Season, Announces Cuts to Administrative Staff

The Dallas Opera has altered its 2020-21 season in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Due to social distancing requirements, the season will no longer be able to commence in the fall of 2020. It was originally scheduled to begin on Oct. 9, but will now open with the world premiere of “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” on March 5, {…}

Jun 4, 2020

J’Nai Bridges, Russell Thomas, Lawrence Brownlee Headline LA Opera’s ‘Lift Every Voice’ Online Conversation

(Image Source: LA OPera) Los Angeles Opera has announced that it will be altering its LAO At Home schedule this week to make way for an important conversation on racial injustice in the opera world. On Friday, June 5, 2020, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, tenor Russell Thomas, soprano Karen Slack, soprano Julia Bullock, and bass Morris Robinson will {…}

Jun 4, 2020

Academy of Ancient Music Announces New Chief Executive

The Academy of Ancient Music has announced that John McMunn has been appointed as its new Chief Executive. McMunn is set to assume the role starting on Sept. 1, 2020, taking over for Alexander Van Ingen. McMunn started off his career as an opera singer, having trained as a musicologist at Harvard and Cambridge Universities followed by some studies at {…}

Jun 4, 2020

Aaron Blake, Colleen Daly Headline Tulsa Opera’s ‘Staying Alive’ Series

(Images provided by Schumann Associates Inc) Tulsa Opera has unveiled its streaming program for the week starting on June 8, 2020. It all kicks off with tenor Aaron Blake performing as part of the “Staying Alive” series. He will showcase Rachmaninoff’s “Spring Waters.” Blake will be accompanied by pianist Lydon Meyer. Streaming Date: June 8, 2020 at 2 p.m. CT {…}