Sir Mark Elder has been appointed Music Director of the Palau de les Arts. He will take over the position on Sept. 1, 2025, succeeding James Gaffigan who announced he would conclude his tenure as Music Director at the close of the 2024-25 season. Elder will be the Music Director until the 2028-2029 season. He made his debut with the {…}
Conductor Juanjo Mena has announced that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The conductor posted a video on social media stating that he had been diagnosed with the disease but does not intend to stop working. He said, “I will rest more, which will be beneficial for me. I have so much strength and energy to carry on, and above {…}
The Royal Ballet And Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Die Walküre.” The company said, “Natalya Romaniw will be making her role debut as Sieglinde replacing Lise Davidsen who is expecting her first two children.” Romaniw has performed at the Royal Opera House on numerous occasions in “Tosca.” She has also performed at the Welsh National {…}
Lise Davidsen has announced that she is pregnant with twins and will therefore withdraw from her performances following the Metropolitan Opera’s “Fidelio” production. In a statement, she said, “Unfortunately I have to cancel my shows for this year – after the middle of March – and I’m sorry for disappointing people who have already bought tickets. I’m cancelling for a {…}
Julia Bullock and the Age of Enlightenment Orchestra offered a jewel of a performance at the University of California, Berkeley on Sunday, January 19th. The Age of Enlightenment Orchestra, based in London, is a period instrument orchestra that formed in 1986. They specialize in 17th to 19th century music (and sometimes beyond) composers such as Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, {…}
JoAnn Falletta has been announced as the Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Omaha Symphony. She will join at the beginning of the 2025-26 Season. In her new position, she will work with the orchestra to ensure the orchestra’s artistic vitality during its music director transition. Falletta serves as Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Virginia Symphony. {…}
Works & Process and Experiments in Opera are set to present “Custom of the Coast” by Kamala Sankaram and Paul Muldoon. The event will take place on Feb. 9, 2025, at the National Sawdust. The evening will showcase a first look at a new opera intercutting the life stories of an eighteenth-century Irish pirate who was sentenced to death and {…}
Staatsoper Stuttgart is set to present Sergei Prokofiev’s “Der Spieler” based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel of the same name. Nicholas Carter, designated General Music Director of the company will conduct the production by Axel Ranisch, which will premiere on Feb. 2, 2025. This will mark the third time that Ranisch directs in Stuttgart, following his productions of “Die Liebe zu {…}
Musica Viva NY is set to present “Curse Upon Iron,” a one-night-only concert at Manhattan’s All Souls NYC. The evening will be held on March 2, 2025 and will feature choral music from the Baltic States. Led by Musica Viva NY’s Artistic Director/Conductor Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez, the Musica Viva NY choir, accompanied by piano and organ, will honor the heritage of {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to perform Beethoven’s “Fidelio” reviving its Jürgen Flimm production. Last revived in 2017, the production features set designer Robert Israel, costume designer Florence von Gerkan, and lighting designer Duane Schuler. The cast will include Lise Davidsen in her Metropolitan Opera role debut as Leonora. The soprano has performed the role to {…}
Calgary Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Opening the season is “Madama Butterfly” starring Yasko Sato, Matthew White, Nina Yoshida Nelsen, and Phillip Addis. Mo Zhou directs and Jonathan Brandani condudcts. Performance Dates: Nov. 1 – 7, 2025 “Little Red Riding Hood” gets a showcase at Mamdani Opera Centre. Performance Dates: Nov. 28 – Dec. 7, 2025 Then comes “Hansel and Gretel.” {…}
