The Minnesota Opera has announced its 2018-19 season featuring five productions including one world premiere and two modern masterpieces. The season opens with Puccini’s rarely performed “La Rondine,” which tells the tale of Magda a lively courtesan in Paris. Celine Byrne makes her debut in the title role with Leonardo Capalbo as Ruggero. Octavio Cardenas directs the new production which is {…}
Music Director Michael Christie concludes his tenure at the Minnesota Opera with Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” The performances, which are scheduled from March 17 through March 31, 2018, will be his final production with the company as Music Director. Throughout his tenure, Christie led 26 productions over eight seasons, six as Music Director at the Minnesota Opera including “La Traviata,” “Nabucco,” “Macbeth,” “La Boheme,” “La {…}
The Dutch National Touring Opera has announced its 2018-2019 season. The new season will feature a number of operas from Puccini, Korngold, and Sondheim. The season opens on Oct. 13, 2018, with Puccini’s “Tosca” with Norwegian soprano Kari Postma in the title role. Noah Stewart sings Cavaradossi and Philip Rhodes portrays the villainous Baron Scarpia. Harry Fehr directs the production and {…}
Arrigo Boito, born on Feb. 24, 1842, has marked his space in the opera world mainly through his opera “Mefistofele.” He didn’t get a chance to create much other music, his final work, “Nerone,” never coming to full fruition. But he did leave his mark in other major ways. Here is a look at his most famous works, outside of {…}
« La Juive » premiered on Feb. 23, 1835 at the Opéra de Paris and remains the only one of Halevy’s to make a massivr impact. The work was widely admired during its early years and even Richard Wagner was said to have borrowed from portions of it. The work was famously the last one to be performed by Enrico {…}
This weekend looks a bit interesting for opera lovers looking to leave the core repertoire. Baroque dominates our selections for what we recommend and there is also a French rarity that no one should miss. Here is a glimpse. Saul & Ariodante – Wiener Staatsoper & Theatre an der Wien, Austria Austria audiences are in for a Handel double. At the {…}
There is perhaps no other Baroque composer with as wide a repertory as George Frideric Handel. Though a handful of his operas are still widely performed in Europe, his operas don’t typically get much attention from the major houses in the United States. Even the few shows that are still regularly staged are recycled in succession, such as “Giulio Cesare,” {…}
Who doesn’t love kicking back as a child and copying your favorites singers while imagining that you are that artist and taking the world by storm? That the spotlights are on you and that you have transitioned from a dreaming child to a worldwide star. That’s Lucas Meachem right now. The baritone, who is currently singing the role of Marcello {…}
Throughout the weekend of Feb. 23-25, the Cantanti Project will showcase a revival of the rare opera “Euridice” by Caccini. The performance will showcase such singers as Michael Celentano, Tom Corbeil, Lydia Dahling, Brittany Fowler, Fiona Gillespie, Marques Hollie, Aumna Iqbal, Elyse Kakacek, Laura Mitchell, Joyce Yin, Sara Lin Yoder, all under the direction of Brittany Goodwin. The Cantanti Project {…}
This weekend is jampacked with rare operas to see. No joke. With one exception, the list consists of works you probably will struggle to find productions for at any given point a year from now. So strap in and find a way to watch these five shows. (List is in alphabetical order by company). Euridice – Cantanti Project The New {…}
On Sunday, March 4, the Bay Area’s Classical KDFC will broadcast a San Francisco Opera performance from November 2014 of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca” The broadcast stars soprano Lianna Haroutounian in the title role, tenor Brian Jagde as Cavaradossi, and bass-baritone Mark Delavan as Scarpia, with maestro Riccardo Frizza leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. KDFC radio announcer Dianne Nicolini will {…}