Madison Lyric Stage is set to showcase a concert “From Broadway to the Met” at the Guilford Performing Arts Festival in Madison, Connecticut on Sept. 27, 2019. The performance will feature members of the company’s Emerging Artists Program. The program will include a wide range of pieces from Broadway and the opera world. Marc Deaton and Jacob Boergesson will take {…}
Cecilia Bartoli has announced her upcoming album celebrating over three decades on the Decca Classics label. The mezzo-soprano will release a brand new album commemorating the life and career of the most famous opera singer of the 18th century: the castrato Farinelli. The new album will include arias by Farinelli’s older brother Riccardo Broschi and his teacher and mentor Nicola {…}
The LA Opera is set to open its 2019-20 season with Puccini’s “La Bohème.” The new production by Barrie Kosky will open on Sept. 14 with the Marina Costa-Jackson in the lead role, Saimir Pirgu as Rodolfo, Erica Petrocelli as Musetta, and Kihun Yoon as Marcello. James Conlon will conduct the production which also star Nicholas Brownlee, Michael J. Hawk, {…}
This week two new DVDs are set for release. There is also an intriguing choral CD that will include some world premiere recordings. Check it out! Il Barbiere di Siviglia Naxos is set to release a new production from the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris with Florian Sempey in the title role, Michele Angelini as the Count, Catherine Trottmann as Rosina, {…}
Christine Rice has withdrawn from the role of Donna Elvira in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” at the Royal Opera House. The company announced that due to personal reasons the soprano would not be able to sing the upcoming revival. As a result, Greek soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu will take over the role making her Royal Opera debut. Papatanisiu recently performed Donna Elvira in {…}
The shortlist for the Gramophone Awards 2019 has been announced. For the purposes of this article, we will focus solely on opera or vocal related awards. In the opera category, John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic” with the compose conducting was the first of three selections. Halevy’s “La Reine de Chypre” was the second nomination; this production featured the Orchestre de chambre {…}
Hibla Gerzmava is set to sing the title role of “Aida” at the Metropolitan Opera. In a press release announcing her upcoming Carnegie Hall recital, the soprano revealed she will sing the title role during the 2020-21 season in Michael Mayer’s new production. The soprano will likely alternate with Anna Netrebko who will open the production on opening night of {…}
(Credit: Kyle Dorosz) The Miller Theatre in New York City will present the world premiere of composer Hannah Lash and librettist Cori Ellison’s “Desire” on Oct. 16 and 17, 2019. The opera, which is written for three singers and string quartet takes on themes of personal struggle of trusting oneself in the midst of doubt. This is the second opera {…}
With the development of of opera seria at the beginning of the 18th century, the comedic scenes so typical of 17th century Venetian opera lost their standing; lacking the seriousness and dignity of antiquity they were considered inappropriate to the classical tradition and abandoned. This in turn led to the rise of the intermezzo, a short comedy piece in two {…}
Bay Street Theater and Divaria Productions are joining forces to put on a production of “Othello: The Opera and Play Enmeshed.” The event is set for Saturday, Sept. 14 in New York City. The production is set to to put a spotlight on one of the most famous stories ever written and its unique interpretations across different art forms. Leland {…}
Hibla Gerzmava is set to return to Carnegie Hall for a recital. The acclaimed Russian soprano will return to the concert with pianist Ekaterina Ganelina. The recital is part of a six-month, seven-city world tour with stops in Moscow, St. Petersburg, New York, Paris, London, Tel Aviv, and Toronto with a program that will include art songs by such Russian {…}