Montserrat Caballé is one of the greatest Spanish singers of all time. Born on April 12, 1933 in Barcelona, Spain, she studied at the Liceu Conservatory and graduated with a gold medal in 1954. She moved to Basel where she made her professional debut in 1956; she became a major part of the company the following year. In 1962, she {…}
Leos Janacek is one of the most prolific Czech opera composers, many of his becoming major staples of the canon. For many, his most iconic work is “From the House of the Dead,” which had its world premiere on April 12, 1930 at the National Theatre Brno. Incidentally, the work also was his last. Because the composer died before the {…}
You won’t find a major repertory staple in this weekend’s previews, but all of these works are essential viewing for the opera lover. There are a few world premieres coupled with gems from famed composers that rarely take the stage. Then there’s a masterpiece embedded in this week’s top recommendations (in alphabetical order by company). Le Comte Ory – Edmonton {…}
The Orquesta de Euskadi has announced its 2019-20 season featuring a number of concerts and great soloists. Here is a breakdown of the vocal performances. Mojca Erdmann under Robert Trevino highlight the first program of the season with Bilboko Koral Elkartea. Performance Dates: Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 2019 Vocalia Taldea will perform Holst Choral hymns in a program that also includes {…}
Irina Lungu canceled opening night of Gounod’s “Faust” at the Royal Opera House. The soprano announced via social media that due to influenza she was unable to sing. Lungu stated, “Unfortunately I had to cancel my appearance at today’s premiere of Faust at the Royal Opera House due to an influenza with high fever. It was a hard decision and {…}
FAWN Chamber Creative will present “Pandora,” a new Canadian opera-ballet. The opera-ballet is written by David James Brock with music by David Storen, Joseph Glaser, and Kit Soden. The work centers on a character who find an item and he quickly gets drawn into what is inside. The work will be interpreted by tenor Jonathan McArthur and will be directed {…}
Faymous Productions has announced that it will be showcasing “Camille,” which it has dubbed as a night of opera, contemporary art, and celebration. Set for April 13, 2019 at The Box in New York City, the performance will include NOISE client Michele Abboud painting live to performances of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The proceeds from the performance are aimed at benefitting {…}
The Teatro Real has announced its 2019-20 season featuring seven Teatro Real premieres and three Spanish premieres. Here is a look at what to expect. The season opens with Verdi’s “Don Carlo“ with Nicola Luisotti conducting a production by David McVicar. The opera returns after a 14 year absence with Francesco Meli, Andrea Carè, and Alfred Kim sharing the title {…}
The University of Texas at Austin is set to workshop “Good Country,” a new opera that narrates the story of Charley Parkhurst, a trans stagecoach driver during the California Gold Rush. The workshop is set for April 15 and 16, 2019 at the Lab Theatre. The opera was written by librettist Cecelia Raker and composer Keith Allegretti and will star {…}
The Scottish Opera has announced its 2019-20 season, featuring five main stage performances and a number of concert opera performances. Sydney Mancasola, Duncan Rock, and Wallis Giunta headline the European premiere of Missy Mazzoli and Roy Vavrek’s “Breaking the Waves.” Stuart Stratford conducts Tom Morris’ new production. Performance Dates: August 21-24, 2019 Natalya Romaniw and Sinéad Campbell-Wallace alternate the title role in Puccini’s “Tosca” with {…}
The Celebrity Series of Boston has announced its 2019-20, the 81st for the organization. There is a wide range of performances that will take place throughout the season, but as always, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances. Soprano Ying Fang will make her Boston Debut as part of the Debut Series. She will perform at Longy’s Pickman {…}