It’s Diva week as three of the most popular sopranos will be releasing new albums and DVDs. One will showcase her second album while another will be debuting her first CD. Sonya Yoncheva’s Handel It was only two years ago when Yoncheva impressed in her first album, an homage to Paris. After winning the prestigious Echo Award, it would have {…}
Over the past few years Eric Owens has garnered praise for his heartbreaking and commanding work on stage. One only has to look at his ground-breaking portrayal of Alberich in Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” at the Metropolitan Opera to see the depth and emotional range he gives to each one of his roles. This week the bass is adding another important {…}
Name your favorite Lady Macbeth from Verdi’s opera. Go ahead. I bet many of you threw around the name Maria Callas. Or Leonie Rysanek, Shirley Verrett or in modern times Anna Netrebko, Maria Guleghina or Liudmyla Monastyrska. How many of you had Mara Zampieri at the top of that list? For those of you who picked the Italian soprano, who {…}
The Dallas Opera has announced its 2017-18 season. The company will feature five operas next season, all of them repertory staples. Samson et Dalilah Saint-Saëns’ “Samson et Dalilah” will kick off the proceedings on Oct. 20, 2017 for a run of five performances that ends on Nov. 5. The opera will feature Olga Borodina, who will be making her company {…}
On Jan. 29 ORF and Arte presented Wagner’s “Lohengrin” starring Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala. The opera was one of the highlights from last season as it featured the role debuts of both stars. It also showcased an all star supporting cast that included Evelyn Herlitzius and was conducted by Christian Thielemann. However, the opera was only broadcast in France {…}
On Feb.5, the Vienna State Opera will open a new production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.” The new production by Daniele Abbado is one of the most anticipated operatic events of the year as it stars Anna Netrebko in the role of Leonora and Roberto Alagna as Manrico. Ludovic Tézier stars as Il Conte di Luna and Lucina D’Intino is Azucena. Marco {…}
There may only be a total of six operas being shown at the Washington National Opera next season, but there is a wealth of great singers going to the house. Among them are some of the greatest stars as well as some very exciting rising stars. OperaWire takes a look at some of the stars that cannot be missed this {…}
Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” returns to La Monnaie on Jan. 31. The run will feature 11 performances that end on Feb. 14. Tickets start at 10 euros a piece with all but two performances starting at 8 PM local time. The opera will feature two separate casts. Alexia Voulgaridou and Amanda Echalaz will alternate the title role while Ning Liang and {…}
Sae-Kyung Rim will replace Adrianne Pieczonka in the final two performances of Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Vienna State Opera. Rim will step in on Jan. 31 and Feb. 3 and will perform alongside Latvian tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko as Cavaradossi and Marco Vratogna as Scarpia. The opera will be conducted by Placido Domingo. Rim made her Vienna State debut as Cio-Cio San {…}
Riccardo Chailly has confirmed that Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov will open the Teatro alla Scala 2017-18 Season. La Stampa reported that the couple will sing Giordano’s “Andrea Chenier” under the direction of Chailly in a new production from Mario Martone. The opening will mark Netrebko’s role debut as Maddalena. The article also reported that Chailly will be music director {…}
Pretty Yende is very popular these days as she made an appearance on the Wendy Williams show. The soprano performed the cavatina to Una voce poco fa” from Rossini’s “Il Barbiere Di Siviglia,” a role she is currently performing and scoring rave reviews for at the Metropolitan Opera. After the show Yende and Williams did a behind the scenes video where they spoke {…}