Boston Lyric Opera Announces 16th Annual Emerging Artists Roster

Boston Lyric Opera has announced the 16th annual roster of its Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artists Initiative. The 2025-26 cohort includes returning artists Alexandra Dietrich, a stage director from Freeport, Maine; mezzo-soprano Mary Kray of Boston; and bass-baritone Zizhao Wang of Qingdao, China. New members are soprano Claire Burreson (Seattle), conductor Clancy Ellis (Boston), mezzo-soprano Juliette Kaoudji (Boston), baritone {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Babatunde Akinboboye to Present ‘Hip Hopera’ at Sierra Madre Playhouse

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Artist) Baritone Babatunde Akinboboye will present “Hip Hopera” program at Sierra Madre Playhouse on Aug. 28 and 29, 2026. The performances, accompanied by DJ Amond Jackson, fuse operatic singing with hip hop rhythm and spoken word. Akinboboye will feature music from “Carmen,” “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata,” and “The Marriage of Figaro.” Akinboboye created the Hip Hopera concept {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Sotto Voce & Avanti Festival Orchestra to Present ‘Fidelio’

Sotto Voce will join the Avanti Festival Orchestra to present “Fidelio” this August. The production, set to take the stage on Aug. 14 and 16, 2026 at Asbury Hall in Buffalo, will serve as the capstone of the third annual Buffalo Beethoven Festival and marks Sotto Voce’s third collaboration with conductor Mason Cancilla. Soprano Amanda Santos will make her company {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Victor DeRenzi to Collaborate with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has announced a collaboration with conductor Victor DeRenzi for its Spring 2027 season at its Downtown Sarasota campus. DeRenzi will serve as the Gardens’ Honorary Curator, contributing artistic direction to a season of exhibitions and programs exploring the intersection of music, nature, and the arts. DeRenzi is an American and Italian conductor who served as Artistic {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Obituary: New Orleans Opera Remembers Joseph Young Jr. who Dies at 96

New Orleans Opera has announced the death of Joseph Young Jr. at the age of 96. Born on 1929, Young was the first Board Member Emeritus of the New Orleans Opera Association in recognition of his extraordinary service. For several periods over the long tenure of his leadership as President of the New Orleans Opera Association, Young almost acted as {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Elīna Garanča, Catriona Morison, Julie Fuchs, Emöke Baráth, Teresa Iervolino Lead Palau de la Musica Valencia’s 2026-27 Season

The Palau de la Musica Valencia has announced its 2026-27 season. Catriona Morison and Adam Fischer perform Mahler’s symphony No. 3. Performance Date: Oct. 20, 2026 Emöke Baráth, Teresa Iervolino, Cameron Shahbazi, Jorge Navarro-Colorado, and Benjamin Appl will perform a Bach program of Cantatas with Rinaldo Alessandrini conducting. Performance Date: Nov. 6, 2026 Elīna Garanča and Michael Weinius perform excerpts from {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Asmik Grigorian, Jonathan Tetelman, Cecilia Bartoli & Christina Nilsson Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2026 Broadcasts

The Salzburg Festival has announced three opera broadcasts. The first broadcast will be Bizet’s “Carmen” in a new production by Gabriela Carrizo and conducted by Teodor Currentzis. Asmik Grigorian, Jonathan Tetelman, Kristina Mkhitaryan, and Davide Luciano star. ORF and Mezzo will broadcast. Broadcast Date: August 8, 2026 Cecilia Bartoli, Marina Viotti, Mélissa Petit, Tara Erraught, Edgardo Rocha, Dmitry Korchak, Ildebrando {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Kissinger Sommer 2026 Review: Cecilia Bartoli & David Fray

(Photo: Julia Milberger) If the opening night of the Bartoli Trilogy left the audience with a lingering sense of minor omission, the second recital could only be described as a considerable disappointment. While one must naturally accommodate the inherently entertaining nature of a summer music festival in a holiday resort, a vocal program this broad demands a highly specialized keyboardist. {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Isabel Signoret Wins Opera Verace Foundation Grant

The Opera Verace Foundation has awarded its second annual Young Artist Career Development Grant of $10,000 to mezzo-soprano Isabel Signoret, recognizing her exceptional vocal artistry and compelling stage presence. The grant was established to support emerging singers who embody the foundation’s commitment to “opera verace” – genuine, truthful opera – the grant specifically targets artists who have recently graduated from {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Maayan Licht Joins Centre Stage Artist Management

(Credit: Eyal Regev) Sopranista Maayan Licht has joined the roster of Centre Stage Artist Management for general management Winner of the Oper! Award for Best Newcomer 2025, Licht recently made his debut at the Dutch National Opera and has also performed at the Theater an der Wien, Monteverdi Festival in Cremona, the Freiburger Barockorchester at the Ludwigsburg Palace; and at the {…}

Jul 21, 2026

Cast Change: Aleksandra Kurzak Cancels ‘Aida’ at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma

The Teatro dell’Opera has announced a cast change for its July 22 performance of “Aida.” The company said, “We regretfully announce that Aleksandra Kurzak will be unable to perform the role of Aida in tomorrow evening’s performance at the Circo Massimo due to illness. We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery, and our sincere thanks to Yolanda Auyanet {…}