Catalina Cuervo & Kathryn Lewek Lead Top 5 Operas To See This Weekend Internationally

The weekend is here and there are some very interesting options for those interested in experimenting with a more expansive repertory. Orphée Aux Enfers – Salzburg Festival, Austria Anne Sofie von Otter, Max Hopp, Kathryn Lewek, and Joel Prieto headline a new production of Offenbach’s operetta by Barrie Kosky. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production which also stars Marcel Beekman, Nadine Weissmann, Lea Desandre, Martin Winkler, Frances Pappas, Rafał Pawnuk, Vasilisa {…}

Aug 16, 2019

‘Princess Maleine,’ ‘Glory Denied’ Among Top 5 Operas To See This Weekend in North America

This weekend features two important performances from one company, including a major world premiere and the revival of the first opera composed by a woman. Other major highlights include a concert with rising stars, a concert of a repertory gem, and a modern opera that deserves great attention. Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble – La Liberazione di Ruggiero This production of the {…}

Aug 16, 2019

Youth Opera’s Future Stars To Make Their International Festival Debut

Young opera stars are set to make their debut at a prestigious international music festival. Singers from Youth Opera North Wales are set to take part at the finale of this year’s North Wales International Music Festival. The singers will be made up of youngsters aged eight to 18 from across North Wales and will sing alongside Welsh National Opera’s Festival {…}

Aug 16, 2019

Cincinnati Opera Commissions Gregory Spears’ ‘Castor And Pastor’

The Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music have announce that their groundbreaking joint program, Opera Fusion: New Works, will host a residency for the new opera “Castor and Patience.” The new work will be written by composer Gregory Spears and librettist by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and former U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith. The work was commissioned {…}

Aug 15, 2019

Royal Opera Houses Announces Cast Changes

The Royal Opera House has announced two major cast changes for the 2019-20 season. The company announced that Mariusz Kwiecień has withdrawn from a new production of Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale“ in October due to personal reasons. This is the latest in a series of cancellations for the baritone, who recently canceled performances of “Eugene Onegin” in Japan as well presentations of {…}

Aug 15, 2019

Sonya Yoncheva, Javier Camarena, Major European Opera Stars Come To Plácido Domingo’s Defense

Editor’s Note: This piece has been edited as statements have come out regarding the situation. Following accusations of sexual harassment, numerous opera personalities have come in defense of Plácido Domingo. In the wake of accusations by nine women, opera stars have taken to Twitter, Instagram, and news outlets to defend their colleague. Among them is Bulgarian superstar soprano Sonya Yoncheva {…}

Aug 15, 2019

Q & A: Director Anna-Magdalena Fitzi On Her Approach To Coaching Singers And “Ottone” At Innsbruck’s Early Music Festival

Innsbruck’s Early Music Festival is presenting Handel’s “Ottone” as its Barockoper: Jung production in which promising young talented singers who have just embarked upon their careers are given the opportunity to perform in a fully staged work. The director for this production, Anna-Magdalena Fitzi seems the ideal choice to take charge of the staging as she works extensively with young {…}

Aug 15, 2019

The Crossing Announces Its 2019-20 Season

Grammy Award-winning choir The Crossing has announced its 2019-20 season, which will include several world premieres. Dan Henriksson and Donald Nally will direct the choral-theatre work “Aniara: fragments of time and space,” presented by Finnish National Opera at Almi Hall in Helsinki. The Crossing will be joined by Klockriketeatern, with featured performers Matti Raita and Carl Alm. Performance Dates: Sept. 16 {…}

Aug 15, 2019

Opera Meets Film: How Opera Adds Narrative Depth To Ridley Scott’s ‘Hannibal’

“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 Ridley Scott’s “Hannibal.’ {…}

Aug 14, 2019

Chicago Fringe Opera Awarded American Prize In Opera Performance For ‘The Great God Pan’

Chicago Fringe Opera has won the American Prize in Opera Performance, professional division, 2018-19 for its world premiere performance of Rosśa Crean’s “The Great God Pan.” The supernatural chamber opera, based on Arthur Machen’s novella which “explores themes of scientific hubris, transcendental medicine, and unexplainable supernatural behavior,” premiered on Mar. 10, 2018. The production starred Christina Pecce as Helen, Aaron Wardell as {…}

Aug 14, 2019

Opera Parallèle Set to Celebrate ‘Because of You’ Gala

Opera Parallèle is set to celebrate its 10th season gala on Oct. 2, 2019 at the War Memorial Green Room in San Francisco. The gala, entitled “Because of You,” will feature performances from such artists as Marnie Breckenridge, Catherine Cook, Bojan Knezevic, Matthew Worth, and pianist Keisuke Nakagoshi. The Opera Parallèle Gala Chorus will also perform with all proceeds heading {…}