Florian Boesch has withdrawn from the upcoming world premiere of Michael Jarrell’s “Berenice.” According to the Opéra de Paris, the bass-baritone has withdrawn from all future productions with the theater. As a result, Ivan Ludlow will replace Boesch in the role of Antiochus. Ludlow is well-known for his work in modern opera and he recently performed “Lulu’ at the Hamburg State {…}
Diana Damrau has canceled her upcoming performances in Meyerbeer’s “Les Huguenots.” The Opéra de Paris announced that due to illness the soprano would not be making her role debut as Marguerite de Valois. As a result, Lisette Oropesa will replace Damrau. Oropesa is coming off some of her most acclaimed performances in her career. Her “Lucia di Lammermoor” received rousing {…}
“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 James Gunn’s “Guardians {…}
Sharon Sweet was born on August 16, 1951, in New York City. Her father was a tenor who had stopped his career after serving in World War II. She would start her musical studies as a pianist though eventually, she would wind up teaching music in a public school. She would win the Metropolitan Opera auditions and then started studying {…}
This week three rarely performed works are set for release with some great performers and rising stars. The week also includes a world premiere recording that should fascinate contemporary opera lovers. La Favorite Donizetti’s increasingly popular French work will get another release from Dynamic. This time the production from the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino stars Celso Albelo, Veronica Simeoni, and Mattia {…}
Mezzo-soprano Valentina Levko has died at the age of 92. The Russian mezzo was a noted opera and chamber singer who in her later years became a distinguished teacher and professor. While the Levko had an international career, she was renown as a soloist at the Bolshoi Theatre from 1960 through 1982 and in 1969, she was awarded the People’s Artist {…}
Due to high demand and limited tickets, the Teatro Colón in Argentina will live stream Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov’s final concert on August 15, 2018, concluding their Latin American tour. The duo, who made their debuts at the Teatro Colón on August 12, performed to a sold-out audience. The concert included arias and duets from “Macbeth,” “La Traviata,” “La {…}
Mezzo-soprano Hanna Schwarz, born on August 15, 1943, has had a successful career that hasn’t always seen her in the limelight. She studied psychology and voice in Hamburg, before becoming a member of the Staatsoper Hannover. In a career marked by her interpretations of Wagner, it is surprising to see her first major success come as Maddalena in “Rigoletto.” But {…}
OperaWire was lucky enough to catch up with the wonderfully talented soprano Carmela Remigio, during the Festival della Valle d’Itria in Martina Franca, where she sang Armida in Handel’s “Rinaldo.” Known as “Madame Mozart” in Italy, owing to her close association with Mozart’s operas, and especially “Don Giovanni,” her repertoire is, in fact, far wider. In 2019, she is scheduled {…}
Stephen Langridge has been appointed Artistic Director of the Glyndebourne Festival. The Glyndebourne Festival announced that the current director for Opera and Drama at Gothenburg Opera, Sweden will take his new role in Spring 2019. Throughout the years Langridge has been a strong advocate of contemporary music and has directed several world premieres at the Royal Opera House, Aldeburgh Festival, Dutch {…}
Deutsche Grammophon and Apple Music have announced a long-term collaboration designed to enhance the experience of classical music for a global music audience. The partnership will feature “The DG Playlist” – a regularly updated classical musical experience to highlight the very best recordings from the iconic 120-year-old classical music label. The playlist will also feature a selection of visual albums {…}