Legendary conductor Nello Santi has died at the age of 88. Robert Lombardo, the conductor’s manager confirmed the news. Lombardo stated that the conductor was being treated for a blood infection. Born on Sept. 22, 1931 in Adria, Italy, Santi studied composition at the Liceo musicale of Padua and went on to make his in 1951 debut as a conductor {…}
Soprano Aleksandra Jovanovic will not be appearing in the presentation of Mozart and Schikaneder’s “Die Zauberflöte” on February 8 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, according to the official statement on the company’s website. As a result, soprano Antonina Vesenina will perform in her stead. Vesenina will join the cast that includes Tobias Kehrer, Andrei Danilov, Siobhan Stagg, Seth Carico, {…}
There are a plethora of major releases this weekend. So without further ado, let’s get into it. Tebaldo e Isolina Composer Francesco Morlacchi’s “Romeo and Juliet” story with a “happy ending” will get a unique CD release with mezzo-soprano Laura Polverelli, soprano Sandra Pastrana, and tenor Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani. Antonino Fogliani conducts the Virtuosi Brunensis and the Camerata Bach Choir, Poznań, {…}
(Credit: Karajan Archiv) Eliette von Karajan, the widow of a celebrated conductor Herbert von Karajan, has handed over her board responsibilities at the Herbert von Karajan Easter Festival Salzburg Foundation to her two daughters Isabel and Arabel Karajan in January, according to the official press release. However, Eliette von Karajan remains honorary President of the Foundation for the Promotion of {…}
Opera Carolina has laid off the executive director it hired 18 months ago due to budgetary issues. In a statement to supporters for the Charlotte Observer , the company noted Beth Hansen’s role was cut “as a result of a harsh economic climate for the arts and a possible reduction in fiscal year 2021 support from the Arts & Science {…}
Opera Atelier has announced that the company’s Co-Artistic Directors Marshall Pynkoski C.M. and Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg C.M. have been awarded the extraordinary recognition of Officers of the Order of Arts and Letters (Officiers de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by the French Republic. This will be the first time a Canadian couple receives the distinction simultaneously. The award will {…}
On Feb. 23, 26 multidisciplinary venues throughout Québec will be showing Bizet’s “Carmen” on their screens as part of the Une Carmen pour tout le Québec event. For the event, the entire Opéra de Montréal team, in collaboration with SPEC du Haut-Richelieu, will be at the Cabaret-Théâtre du Vieux-Saint-Jean to celebrate this very first indoor screening in the company’s history, {…}
The Opéra de Paris will cancel three new production for the 2020-21 season. General Director Stéphane Lissner announced on Franceinfo that in order to reduce the deficit caused by the ongoing Paris strikes, the company will have to make cuts to its upcoming season. The General director said that while it would not bring balance to deficit, it would help {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) The LA Philharmonic has announced its 2020-21 season featuring a number of important stars and conductors. For the purposes of this article, we will only highlight vocal performances. The season opens with Grieg’s Piano Concerto and Peer Gynt selections with Gustavo Dudamel conducting Lang Lang. The program also includes John Adams’ Short Ride in {…}
(Credit: Simon Jay Price) Wagner’s biography and character are all over his operas, often transparently so: the wandering, embittered outcast in “The Flying Dutchman;” the revolutionary artist in “Die Meistersinger;” the sensuous hedonist in “Tristan und Isolde.” This may be one of the reasons that some people find his work overbearing and suffocating. Rarely is he identified with the dwarf {…}
(Credit: Ashley Plante) The Semperoper Dresden has announced that Soprano Sara Jakubiak will sing the role of Eva in Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” for the final presentation on Feb. 16, 2020. The company announced that Jakubiak will join the production, which stars Georg Zeppenfeld, Vitalij Kowaljow, Iurie Ciobanu, Günter Haumer, Adrian Eröd, Oliver Zwarg, Markus Miesenberger, Patrick Vogel, Beomjin {…}