K. James McDowell, President and Artistic Director of the Academy fo Vocal Arts, has announced that Scott Guzielek has been appointed the Vice President and General Manager of the institution, effective July 1, 2019. The newly created role will have Guzielek responsible for the overall administrative management of the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) and will collaborate with President and Artistic {…}
Joseph Calleja has canceled performances of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the Wiener Staatsoper. The tenor announced via social media that due to illness he would not be able to perform. He said, “Absolutely gutted to have to cancel my performances of the duke in my beloved Vienna. I expect to make a full recovery and resume with my performance in London {…}
The Connecticut Lyric Opera is set to present Verdi’s ”Don Carlo.” The company will present the epic work in a production by Jan Mason and will star Daniel Juarez in the title role. He will be joined by Jurate Svedaite as Elisabetta de Valois, Galina Ivannikova as Eboli, Andrew Costello as Posa, and Steve Frederiks as King Philip. The role of the Grand Inquisitor {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features “Tolkien.” Tolkien’s “Lord {…}
The New York Opera Fest 2019 kicked off on Monday, April 29 and for the next several weeks, New Yorkers will get ample opportunity to enjoy opera in a variety of unique ways. As has been OperaWire’s tradition over the years, we have reached out to a number of the companies participating in the festival and have asked them a {…}
(Photo Credit: Cory Weaver) Long before I arrived in Los Angeles, I read Edward Rothstein’s “New York Times” review of the LA Opera’s previous production in 1994 of Manuel Penella’s “El Gato Montès” and what he said there about LA Opera’s mounting of Zarzuelas as a “conscious effort to attract Hispanic audiences to the opera house.” Curious, I bought CDs {…}
Oper Frankfurt’s new season is massive. It is loaded up with over a dozen new productions and even more revivals. Premieres Damiano Michieletto directs a new production of Rossini’s “Otello” starring Enea Scala in the title role, Karolina Makuła as Desdemona, Theo Lebow as Iago, and Jack Swanson as Rodrigo. Sesto Quatrini conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 8-Oct. 20, 2019 Asmik Grigorian sings {…}
The San Diego Opera is set to join forces with “The Enchanted Tail” for a free 40-minute opera for the whole family. The event is set to take place on June 1, 2019, at the Greek Amphitheatre at the Point Loma Nazarene University. The performance will feature the music of Mozart, Verdi, and Rossini to tell the story of a {…}
The Royal College of Music will open a double bill production of Bernstein’s “Trouble in Tahiti” and Berkeley’s “A Dinner Engagement.” Performances commence on June 26 and run for three additional shows through July 1, 2019. Both operas provide windows into troubled marriages despite decidedly differing time periods that they are set in. The works will be directed by Stephen {…}
Theater Chemnitz has announced its 2019-20 opera season. Premieres The season will kick off with Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele,” directed by Balázs Kovalik and starring Magnus Piontek in the title role, Cosmin Ifrim as Faust, and Katerina Hebelkova as Margherita/Helena. They will be joined by Siyabonga Maqungo as Wagner/Nero and Sophia Maeno as Marta/Pantalis. Guillermo García Calvo and Jakob Brenner will {…}
The Santa Fe Opera has announced its highly anticipated 2020 season featuring a number of unique new productions, role debuts, and one world premiere. Emily D’Angelo, Jack Swanson, and Audun Iverson highlight Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with Corrado Rovaris conducting. Scott Conner and Kevin Burdette round out the cast. Performance Dates: July 3-August 29, 2020 Eric Ferring. Joelle Harvey, {…}
