The Echoing Air to Headline ‘Messiah’ Performance

The Echoing Air and Music for Awhile will present Händel’s “Messiah” on Dec. 19, 2024. The showcase features vocalists Amy Carson, Timothy Dickinson, Frederick Long, Emily Vine, Rebecca Leggett, Edmund Hastings, and David de Winter and instrumentalists Margaret Faultless (violin), Rachel Stroud (violin), Francesca Gilbert (viola), Jonathan Rees (cello), Katie Lodge (trumpet), Oliver John Ruthven (continuo). The performance will take place at St. Mary’s {…}

Oct 25, 2024

Michael Fabiano & Rachel Willis-Sørensen Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Il Trovatore’

(Credit: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” with Michael Fabiano singing the lead role of Manrico. The American tenor will make his role debut in Sir David McVicar’s acclaimed Goya-inspired production. Manrico will also be performed by Gwyn Hughes Jones in the final two performances, reprising the last role he sang at the {…}

Oct 25, 2024

Composers Concordance to Present Ljiljana Winkler and Peter Oswald

(Art by Rainer Gross) On Nov. 22, Composers Concordance is set to present soprano Ljiljana Winkler and trumpeter Peter Oswald. The concert will take place at St. John’s in the Village and will showcase the two musicians alongside CompCord String Quartet in a concert of new compositions and older music. The evening will include “Corazón Coraza” by Graciela CarriquÍ with words {…}

Oct 25, 2024

Livermore Valley Opera Artistic Director Receives Major Award

Livermore Valley Opera Artistic Director Erie Mills is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Opera Association. Mills, who commenced her tenure as the head of Livermore Valley Opera in 2016, is a soprano who has performed with such organizations as the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, English National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Latvian National Opera 2024-25 Review: Les Contes d’Hoffmann

(Photo: Agnese Zeltina Latvian National Opera) Latvian National Opera’s new production of Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” was no simple reflection on the poet’s failed love affairs, in which the Muse/Nicklausse attempts to convince Hoffmann to forsake love’s attraction in favor of poetry. Rather, the director, Aik Karapetian, had an intriguing and very different reading in mind that turned it into {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Jessica Pratt, Carmen Giannattasio, Anastasia Bartoli & Juliana Grigoryan Lead Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s 2025 Season

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has announced its 2025 season. Opera The season opens with Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West” with Riccardo Frizza conducting a cast that includes Carmen Giannattasio, Angelo Villari, and Claudio Sgura. Paul Curran directs. Another cast includes Ann Petersen, Amadi Lagha, and Gustavo Castillo. Performance Dates: Jan. 24-30, 2025 Jessica Pratt, Giovanni Sala, Marko Mimica, and Lucas Meachem lead Donizetti’s {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Watch Official Trailer to Maria Callas Biopic ‘Maria’

A day after dropping the official poster for the Maira Callas biopic “Maria,” Netflix has released the official trailer to the film. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, tells the story of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris. Angelina Jolie stars as Maria Callas alongside {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Artist of the Week: Oleksandr Pushniak

(Credit: Ludwig Olah/Semperoper Dresden) This week the Berlin State Opera is set to open its production of Strauss’ epic opera “Die Frau Ohne Schatten.” The work is rarely performed because of the immense cast and orchestra it requires so it is always a special work to hear it when it is presented. With this revival, the Berlin State Opera has {…}

Oct 24, 2024

National Opera Studio Unveils 2024-25 Season

The United Kingdom’s National Opera Studio announced its 2024-25 season. First up is “Shakespeare Revisited,” a survey of operas inspired by the Bard. Keith Warners directs the showcase in London. Performance Dates: Dec. 3 & 4, 2024 Next up is “Deception & Desire” in partnership with the Welsh National Opera and featuring the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. The performance takes place {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Announces Cast Change for ‘Tosca’ Performance

The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia has announced a cast change for its concert performance of Puccini’s “Tosca” on Oct. 24, 2024. The company said that Roberto Frontali will sing the role of Scarpia taking over for Ludovic Tézier who is ill. For his part, Tézier took to social media and said, “Dear friends, a virus has put me in {…}

Oct 24, 2024

‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ Preview to take Place at MacDowell National Benefit

(Credit: Marylene Mey) Audiences will get a preview of Missy Mazzoli’s hotly anticipated “Lincoln in the Bardo” on Oct. 28, 2024. The famed composer will be on hand to present a section from her work, which is set for a Metropolitan Opera premiere in 2026, during the Marian MacDowell Arts Advocacy Award in honor of art collector and philanthropist Komal {…}