On Site Opera has announced its casting for “Das Barbecü” at Hill Country Barbecue Market in New York City. The production, scheduled to be performed from Jan. 26- Feb. 11, 2020, will star five actors playing more than 30 outrageous characters at breakneck speed. They include sopranos Justine Aronson and Jessica Fishenfeld and Broadway star David Hughey. Rounding out the cast {…}
(Credit: Marine Cessat-Begler) Operalia winner Adriana González has announced her debut album. The soprano will release her first album on Audaux Records accompanied by pianist Iñaki Encina Oyón, who is well known for performing neglected and unknown repertoire. The album will delve into early 20th-century French Mélodie with a focus on the exceptional expressive qualities of husband and wife composers Robert {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta & Dinaraalieva.com) The Royal Opera House has announced two cast changes for the Jan. 6, 2020 performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The company announced that George Gagnidze will replace Simon Keenlyside in the role of Germont and will make his Royal Opera House debut. Meanwhile, Dinara Alieva will sing the title role replacing Hrachuhi Bassenz, also making {…}
(Credit: Robert Workman) In 2016 a young dramatic soprano won the Zarzuela Division and Second Prize at the Operalia Competition launching her international career and making her one of the most promising dramatic sopranos of her generations. A year before that the soprano had won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions as well as the Gerda Lissner Foundation, and the {…}
(Credit: Courtesy of Dallas Opera) The Dallas Opera will present Angel Blue in the Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Art Song Recital. The soprano will be accompanied by renowned South African pianist James Baillieu on Jan. 26, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in Moody Performance Hall at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, Texas. Blue will perform a recital program {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera) The Met Opera’s Live in HD series for the 2019-20 season continues this Saturday, Jan. 11, 2019 with a transmission of Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck.” The broadcast, which kicks off 12:55 p.m. Eastern time and is set to end before 3 p.m. local time. It will star Peter Mattei in the titular role with Elza {…}
The Madison Lyric Stage has announced its 2020 mainstage season which will include two operas and two musicals. For the purposes of this release, we will only concentrate on the two operas and one musical the season will offer. This season the Madison Lyric Stage will continue its partnership with the Deacon John Grave House in the Madison historic district {…}
The Salzburg Landestheater has commisioned Alma Deutscher for a new opera. The 14 year-old composer will write “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” which is slated to have its premiere in 2022. The new work will mark her third opera following her successful “Cinderella” and “The Sweeper of Dreams. ” Deustcher wrote her first opera in 2012 and premiered it in Israel {…}
(Credit: Felix Broede) Kent Nagano is set to lead the Ring Cycle under very unique circumstances. The conductor will make history by leading the Concerto Köln in a performance played on early-19th century instruments with gut strings. Performances will begin in 2021 with each opera presented in a semi-staged version at the Kölner Philharmonie. The operas will also be performed {…}
(Credit: Courtesy of Spoleto Festival) General Director Nigel Redden has announced the details of the 44th season of Spoleto Festival USA. The festival will feature a wide array of music, performances, screenings, talks and opera. For this article we have only concentrated on the vocal performances. Opera The festival will show the world premiere of “Omar” based on the life {…}
(This review will focus on the Jan. 4 performance, though with mentions of the Jan. 3 performance as well.) There is a moment near the end of Davide Livermore’s “Die Zauberflöte” at Muscat’s Royal Opera House of Musical Arts in which Tamino and Pamino must face the trials by fire and water with the magic flute in tow. But Livermore {…}
