The Bilbao Opera has announced its 2017-18 Season with five operas. The season begins on Oct. 21 with Verdi’s “I Masnadieri” starring Carmen Giannattasio in her Bilbao debut. It also marks the first time in 12 seasons since the opera was last performed in Bilbao and will be presented in a production by Leo Muscato that first at the Teatro Regio {…}
The Scottish Opera has announced its 2017-18 Season presenting a total of four staged productions. The season opens with Sir David McVicar’s production Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The title role will be shared by Russian-Dutch soprano Gulnara Shafigullina and Anush Hovhannisyan, who will be representing Armenia at Cardiff Singer of the World 2017. Dutch tenor Peter Gijsbertsen and British baritone Stephen Gadd {…}
Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” opens with a conversation between Madame Larina and Filippyevna remarking on arranged marriages and their overall lack of choice in the matter. A few scenes later, Filippyevna jokingly informs her beloved Tatiana that in her old times, the thought of love was nonsense for a young girl and then narrates her marriage at age 13 or 14 {…}
The Theater an der Wien has announced its 2017-18 Season and audiences are in for a treat. Staged Operas Kicking off the season will be Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote” with Torsten Fischer directing a new production. Nina Minasyan leads the cast as the Queen of the Night while Sebastian Kohlhepp sings the role of Tamino. On Oct. 15 Berg’s “Wozzeck” takes center stage with {…}
When you look at the body of work of the great tenor Franco Corelli, you might well imagine that Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda” to be a prominent role in his repertoire. The tenor role of Enzo is substantial and his dramatic weight is suitable to Corelli’s vocal talents. And you would be right, to a certain extent. But the tenor, whose {…}
On April 7, The Baden-Baden Osterfestpiele will open with a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” The production will be directed by Philipp Himmelmann, who is best known for his work in Verdi’s “Don Carlo” in Berlin and Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Bregenz festival. Sir Simon Rattle returns to conducting duties after leading Baden-Baden’s production of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” in 2014. {…}
It is going to be a busy opera weekend around the US with a plethora of companies, both large and small, giving new productions and old. Opera Memphis will showcase three works throughout the weekend including Peter Hilliard’s “Blue Viola” on Friday and Saturday, Jake Heggie’s “Three Decembers” on Saturday,” and John Musto’s “Later the Same Evening” on Saturday. Palm {…}
It’s another busy weekend and many festivals are about to start including the Salzburg Osterfestpiele and the Baden Baden Osterfestpiele. Both these festivals will be headlined by some of the greatest singers in the world. Additionally many acclaimed runs continue. Austria “Medea” kicks off the weekend at the Vienna State Opera followed by Rossini’s “L’Italiana D’Algeri.” To conclude it all {…}
It’s the weekend, which means that it is now time to take a look back at the week that was and see what opera’s biggest stars have been up to. First up? Well none other than Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, who announced via social media that she was recording her third album for Sony Classical. We wonder what that album {…}
Renée Fleming is not retiring from the opera stage after all. A day ago the New York Times published an article that noted that Fleming would be saying goodbye to the opera stage with her final performance of “Der Rosenkavalier” this season. However, the NPR now reveals new information. According to a recent article, the diva will, in fact, look for {…}
The Vienna State Opera is presenting over 50 operas next season and that can be overwhelming for any opera lover trying to pick out what they want to see. After analyzing the immense season, OperaWire has selected what we think will be unmissable nights at the Vienna State Opera. Adriana Lecouvreur The revival of this famed production marks the second {…}