Weekend Preview USA (3/24-26): Diana Damrau, Plácido Domingo & Vittorio Grigolo Open “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at LA Opera

Diana Damrau, Vittorio Grigolo, and Plácido Domingo will take the opera world by storm this weekend when they join forces for Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at the Los Angeles Opera. The first performance of the six-show run takes place this Saturday evening. Damrau was originally scheduled to sing all four heroines but has since rescinded this commitment, opting for only {…}

Mar 23, 2017

New Amsterdam Opera Presents Rarely Performed ‘La Forza del Destino’

With much anticipation, the New Amsterdam Opera is bringing “La Forza del Destino” back to the stage in New York City after a long absence. “We believe that this work has not been performed in New York City in at least ten years,” said Keith Chambers, artistic director. This rare concert performance will happen on Friday, March 24th in Manhattan {…}

Mar 23, 2017

National Puppy Day 2017: A Look At Opera’s Most Famous Dogs

A lot of opera stars have dogs. From Franco Zeffirelli to Ailyn Pérez to Elza Von den Heever, the canine is a great companion for the opera star as they travel around the world. Here is a look at some of the most famous dogs in the history of opera, both past, and present as we celebrate National Puppy day. {…}

Mar 23, 2017

Watch Live Stream For ‘Jérusalem’ From Opera Royal de Wallonie

The Opera Royal de Wallonie will live stream Verdi’s “Jérusalem,” a rarely staged work, on March 23. The opera is conducted by the young and talented conductor Speranza Scappucci and stars Marc Laho, Elaine Alvarez, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Ivan Thirion, Pietro Picone, Natacha Kowalski and Patrick Delcour. This is the first time that the company is performing the Verdi opera in its history, and since its premiere on March {…}

Mar 23, 2017

A Tale of Two Seasons – David Portillo on ‘Fidelio,’ ‘The Exterminating Angel’ & Contributing to the Evolution of Opera

David Portillo’s career at the Metropolitan Opera got off to an expected start. As a lyric tenor, he sang the lead role in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” an opera that he and most tenors of his FACH are quite familiar with. His debut was a huge success, the tenor earning rave reviews for his lush vocal quality and fearless {…}

Mar 23, 2017

The Non-Verdi Roles Dolora Zajick has Dominated Throughout Her Career

Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick is synonymous with Verdi. She’s been the leading Azucena at the Metropolitan Opera house over the last few years, singing the role a whopping 58 times since her debut on October 8, 1988, also in that very role. In Verdi’s “Aida,” she has performed the role of Amneris 80 times at the house. Throw in 17 performances {…}

Mar 23, 2017

6 Stars You Can Not Miss At The Deutsche Oper Berlin

The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2017-18 season and with it, there are numerous exciting stars that will be performing in varying repertoire. This season, which includes 35 operas, will definitely present some gems that should be highlighted. The following are six artists that should not be missed when they perform. Joseph Calleja – L’Arlesiana Calleja began his career {…}

Mar 22, 2017

‘Lucy,’ Opera Based on Chimpanzee Experiments, To Be Released This April

Back in the 1960s, a psychotherapist brought a chimpanzee to live in with his families. His experiences inspired an opera called “Lucy,” a monodrama for Baritone and orchestra. Now audiences will get a chance to listen to the world premiere of that work, which took place in Milwaukee in 2014 as a recording will be released on April 7. Moreover, {…}

Mar 22, 2017

When to Watch Damrau & Grigolo’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’ on PBS

The well-reviewed “Roméo et Juliette” from the Metropolitan Opera will be showcased on PBS on Friday, April 14 starting at 9 P.M. EDT. The opera, which featured Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo in the lead roles, is an adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play. The performance that will be showcased on PBS took place on Jan. 21, 2017 as part {…}

Mar 22, 2017

Diana Damrau No Longer Singing Four Heroines in LA Opera’s ‘Les Contes d’Hoffmann’

Diana Damrau is no longer singing all four heroines in Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” in Los Angeles this week. The soprano was originally slated to take on all four characters, a feat that is growing rarer and rarer these days, but recent casting details established that the German soprano will only take on Antonia and Stella in her LA Debut. {…}

Mar 22, 2017

Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2017 – What’s Next for 6 Winners?

With the 2017 Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions having been announced, the spotlight has shifted solely onto these young artists. Who are they? What have they done? And what are they up to next. OperaWire previously answered the two first questions on a previous article, but this one will focus solely on where these artists are headed next. Here is {…}