Opera San José has announced its Resident Artists for the 2019-20 season. The roster will include Conductor / Chorus Master / Principal Coach Christopher James Ray, Sopranos Kerriann Otaño and Elena Galván, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Sanchez, and baritone Eugene Brancoveanu. They will join tenor Mason Gates. James will be returning to the company after having led “Pagliacci” and “Moby Dick” during {…}
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble kicks off June with more of its unique musical offerings. The company will showcase two chamber operas, including “From the Field” and “Artemisia.” The former centers on climate change in America, while the latter puts a spotlight on the tale of Italian 17th century painter Artemisia Gentileschi. In an interview with OperaWire, Artistic Director and violinist {…}
The Philadelphia Orchestra has announced that Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan will narrate performances of Bernstein’s “Candide.” The performances of Bernstein’s classic work will conclude the composer’s 100th-anniversary celebration and will be led by Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and a cast that includes Alek Shrader, Erin Morley, Denyce Graves, Kevin Vortmann, and Timothy McDevitt. Stage Director Kevin Newbury will set the production {…}
Gustavo Dudamel is set to conduct Steven Speilberg’s upcoming adaptation of “West Side Story.” The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the Venezuelan conductor will conduct the score that Oscar nominee David Newman will arrange for the new adaptation. Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori will work with the cast on vocals, while Matt Sullivan will be the music supervisor. “When asked to {…}
Marco Vratogna was let go by the Wiener Staatsoper in the upcoming revival of “Andrea Chénier.” According to Vratogna’s manager, the baritone was written out of Friday’s big-screen broadcast of “Andrea Chénier” for turning up late for rehearsal while the company noted that the baritone never turned up. According to Vratogna’s team, the baritone notified the company that he would {…}
On May 15, 2019, at the 1300-seat Balboa Theatre, San Diego Opera presented tenor Stephen Costello and baritone Stephen Powell in an evening of arias and duets accompanied by the full San Diego Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruce Stasyna. Although titles are not possible in this house, the program contained all the words sung in both the original language and {…}
Strauss’ masterful “Die Frau ohne Schatten” will take the stage of the Vienna State Opera on Saturday, May 25. And while many will get a shot at experiencing the opera live, others will see it via the company’s live stream service. This must-see opera features a cast of major A-list stars including Stephen Gould, Camilla Nylund, Evelyn Herlitzius, Sebastian Holececk, {…}
This week the Wiener Staatsoper is set to open one of most anticipated productions of the 2018-19 season. The production is especially anticipated as it features a stellar cast with three of the most acclaimed dramatic sopranos currently performing in the world. Specifically, Nina Stemme is set for her role debut as the Barak’s wife, a role that is especially {…}
Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will be showcased via the Vienna State Opera’s live stream service on May 21, 2019. The famed Rossini comedy will star Juan Diego Flórez in a role that he championed in the earlier part of his career. It will be interesting to see the tenor return to this iconic interpretation after having moved into heavier {…}
The Icelandic Opera’s production of “La Traviata” will get a live stream via OperaVision on May 24, 2019. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time. That’s around 1 p.m. EDT and 10 a.m. PST for the start time. It will be available for repeat viewings on Opera Vision until Nov. 23, 2019. The opera stars Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir {…}
Update: Marina Rebeka will not replace Sonya Yoncheva. Per the soprano: Dear Friends, there is information going around that I’ll be replacing @sonyayoncheva at #SavonlinnaOperaFestival on July 18. I’d like to clarify that at that time I’ll be in rehearsals for #SimonBoccanegra at @SbgFestival, and therefore my participation in the gala is not true. Sonya Yoncheva has pulled out of {…}