(Photo credit: David Monteith-Hodge) Guildhall School of Music & Drama announces its Autumn 2025 season. This article only features classical vocal events. Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and Chorus kick things off with a concert featuring Puccini’s “Messa di Gloria.” Performance Date: September 26, 2025 In celebration of Zbigniew Preisner 70th birthday, the Guildhall Session Orchestra and Choir perform works from his {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get to hear a world premiere recording of a modern masterpiece, a recording by a male soprano, and some modern works. There are also some Bel Canto gems to discover. Intelligence Houston Grand Opera releases a recording of composer {…}
On August 1, 2025, conductor Riccardo Frizza will inaugurate the fifth edition of the Festival Cap Rocat in a gala concert with Pretty Yende. The concert, which will be held at the former fortress in Mallorca, will showcase Frizza conducting the Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands. In a statement, Frizza said, “In just a few years, the festival has {…}
(Photo: Hillary Scott) I imagine that every lover of opera can reference memorable “Toscas” in their life, whether recordings or live performances. My first–as a young buff, via a vinyl box set–was indeed a classic. All thanks to Gino, who–many years ago–managed the classical section of LPs at Sam Goody’s in Yonkers. He could always be relied upon for spot-on {…}
(Credit: Michele Corsera) The Teatro La Fenice is set to stream its production of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena.” The company announced it would stream the work on YouTube on August 1 in a production by Pier Luigi Pizzi. Renato Balsadonna conducts the work, which stars Alex Esposito, Lidia Fridman in her role debut, Carmela Remigio, William Corrò, Enea Scala, and Manuela {…}
The Arena di Verona has announced the full program for Jonas Kaufmann’s August 3, 2025, gala. The company said that for one night only, Kaufmann will perform music by Wagner and Puccini alongside soprano Marina Rebeka. Maestro Jochen Rieder will take the baton to conduct the Fondazione Arena Orchestra. The program will include overtures, arias, intermezzi, scenes, and duets. The {…}
Voce di Sensi and the Maria Guleghina Foundation have announced “DIVINA: an extrait de parfum.” The fragrance is described as “not simply a fragrance, it is a vibration made visible, a hymn suspended in time.” Created by Voce di Sensi, a perfume house rooted in emotion, modern art, and sensory storytelling, in collaboration with the Maria Guleghina Foundation, DIVINA represents {…}
On July 30, 2025, soprano Ana María Martínez returns to Ravinia for a special program with pianist Kevin Murphy. The performance marks the soprano’s third appearance with the festival following two notable showcases, both headed by conductor James Conlon. In 2007, the soprano was featured in a gala alongside famed tenor Plácido Doming and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Three years {…}
Garsington Opera has announced the recipients of its 2025 awards. The Leonard Ingrams Awards, given in recognition of outstanding talent, were bestowed upon Hugh Cutting and Vuyisa Xipu. Butting performed the role of Unulfo in “Rodelinda” and covered Bertarido in that same opera while performing the role for OperaFirst. Meanwhile, Xipu was in the “Queen of Spades” and “Elisir d’Amore” {…}
(Photo: Sam Roppola/Death of Classical) The Royal Opera of the Palace of Versailles, inaugurated in 1770 during the reign of Louis XV, was the largest concert hall in Europe at that time. The Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal (The Versailles Royal Opera Orchestra), was formed in 2019 specifically to perform John Corigliano’s opera, “The Ghosts of Versailles.” The orchestra, conducted by {…}
(Photo credit: Noel Sutherland) The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine announces its 2025 season. This article only includes classical vocal performances. Death of Classical with The New Consort and Theotokos present the world premiere of a new cantata by Doug Balliett in “Relics & Martyrs.” Other selections include works by Dietrich Buxtehude and Caroline Shaw. Performance Dates: October {…}
