The Stetson Opera Theatre is set to open its season with Handel’s “Giulio Ceesare in Egitto” on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 at the Athens Theatre in Deland, Florida. The production will be directed by Russell Franks with Anthony Hose at the podium. The opera will feature Alesandra Collins in the title role with Melissa Feurich and Lauren Prestifilippo alternating as {…}
(Credit: Vincent Pontet/ ONP) Audiences that went to check out Verdi’s “Don Carlo” at the Opéra de Paris this Friday on opening night wound up seeing two tenors in the leading role. Roberto Alagna was one of the star attractions of the production as he was set to appear in the famed opera alongside his wife Aleksandra Kursak. But Alagna, {…}
The Portland Opera Board of Directors has removed the interim tag from Sue Dixon, naming her the sixth General Director of the company. Dixon has been with the Portland Opera since 2014, working as director of development and eventually director of external affairs in 2017. She was also named interim general director in July 2019. “I know, firsthand, what it {…}
Richard Brunel has been officially installed as the new director at the Opéra de Lyon, effective September 2021. Per France Musique, the appointment was approved by Minister of Culture Franck Riester. Brunel started his career as an actor in the early 1990s before creating the collective Compagnie Anonyme. From there his career continued to take flight with the director becoming {…}
(Photo: Gerard Collett) It was an early start this morning to what proved to be a long day. At 10:30 a.m. Rosetta Cucchi held a press conference to announce next season’s program along with her vision for the future of Wexford Festival Opera which, to put it mildly, is very exciting and includes many new initiatives, which is certain to {…}
The Ópera de Colombia will celebrate World Opera Day on Oct. 26 with a transmission on Canal Capital of the opera “La princesa y la arveja.” The production is the third that the Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá did last year during the Festival Ópera al Parque. In Cali, Donizetti’s “Lucia Di Lamermoor” will be presented and the Teatro Municipal Enrique {…}
(Credit: Alexey Kostromin) When you think of Verdi mezzo, there are few singers that fit that bill as well as Russian artist Ekaterina Semenchuk. For years now, she has been the go-to mezzo-soprano in Verdi’s major roles, finding major triumphs at such venues as the Opéra National de Paris, the Teatro Real de Madrid, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, the {…}
There is a common misconception that melodic opera in the vein of the great romantics of the 19th century is dead in the 21st century. Most composers today would have you believe that. But Daniel Catán never did and his masterpiece “Florencia en el Amazonas” bears this out better than anyone else. The work, which had its world premiere on {…}
Recently, mourning the death of truly great soprano Jessye Norman, many opera singers, directors, and other professionals shared an extract from her amazing interview for BBC HARDtalk, in which she covered many important topics on the opera industry and education. But what people shared was a very particular short piece, where she shared her thoughts on opera critics. Question: Did {…}
(Credit: Teatro Comunale di Bologna/Vincent Pontet-Opera de Paris) This week, four rarely performed works get stagings and concert performances with formidable casts that should not be missed. There are also some classics with all-stars casts that make them unmissable. Macbeth – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Plácido Domingo returns to the Vienna stage amidst sexual misconduct allegations to sing the title role {…}
Opera Saratoga has announced the return of a core initiative titled “Saratoga Sings for Seniors.” This program serves to bring opera and vocal music to senior citizens in the Saratoga community and upstate New York, featuring free concerts of beloved arias, duets, musical theatre numbers, as well as popular songs from the 20th century. “While most arts organizations have robust {…}