The Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey has cancelled a scheduled performance with Brazilian male soprano Bruno de Sá. The male soprano took to social media and said, “Sadly, the Gala Concert in Ankara has been cancelled. Thank you so much for your understanding. But if you are a singer, I will be giving a masterclass on Thursday 19. Stay tune, {…}
The Canadian Opera Company has announced its 2026-27 season. Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season with a cast that includes Kathryn Lewek, Lucia Cesaroni, Long Long, Luke Norvell, Russell Braun, and Reginald Smith, Jr. Paolo Carignani conducts Arin Arbus’ production. Performance Dates: Sept. 18-Oct. 17, 2026 Laurence Kilsby, Joel Alison, Daniel Okulitch, Lauren Fagan, Martina Myskohlid, and Tracy Dahl lead {…}
Tenor Wolfgang Schmidt has died at the age of 69. Born in Melsungen near Kassel, he went on to study voice at the Frankfurt Hochschule für Musik and won an award from the Hindemith Foundation for his special achievements. While still a student he performed frequently in concert, traveling through all of western Europe as well as to Poland, the {…}
The Canadian Opera Company has announced that David C. Ferguson will be conferred the title of General Director Emeritus at the conclusion of his current term as General Director. The COC Board Chair Marcia Lewis Brown said, “We are delighted to honor David’s lasting impact on the Canadian Opera Company through his exceptional contributions to its artistic and institutional legacy. {…}
(Photo: Lorenza Daverio) How is it possible that, until five years ago, nothing was known about Italian composer Umberto Giordano’s first work? This is the question that inevitably arises upon learning about the program that prompted this article. The answer seems simple if one considers that it was Giordano himself who chose to withdraw it from public life, as it {…}
“Puccini Heroines,” “Puccini’s Heroines,” “Heroines”—or “Eroine”—of Puccini. This myriad of near-identical album titles reflects the indiscriminately amorous fascination the composer’s female protagonists have exerted upon a century of operatic singers and spectators alike (after all, 2026 marks the centennial of “Turandot”). Therefore, another “Puccini Heroines”—this time from Pentatone—comes as little surprise. It features Sondra Radvanovsky, whose career has followed the {…}
Pittsburgh Opera’s is set to present “Time to Act” Laura Kaminsky and Crystal Manich. The work, which will be performed between Feb. 28 and March 8, is set in present-day America with a group of high school students who prepare for a production of Sophocles’ “Antigone,” and a new student, Alona, who comes with a formidable secret that is revealed {…}
Barocco Europeo has announced the launch of the international auditions for Niccolò Piccinni’s opera giocosa “Le donne vendicate.” The international open call will be young opera singers of all nationalities to perform principal roles in Niccolò Piccinni’s opera and the competition is open to singers born after Jan. 1, 1994. The selection process will take place in two stages: an {…}
The Opera Buffs are set to give the world-premiere of six mini operas at its New Music Pop-Up hosted by the Sierra Madre Playhouse. The new works are “A Tall Order” by John Greer and Sheri Wilner, “Remembrance” by Jean Ahn, “Rapture” by David Wolfson, Luca Sutto’s “Lost in the Scroll,” Roydon Tse and Rachel Gray’s “Grief House,” and Zac Flasch’s {…}
Wear Yellow Proudly and Liberty City Arts will present “Tea With Tang and Song” on Feb. 28 and March 1, 2026 at the Philadelphia Ethical Society. The narrated art song recital explores the poetry and stories of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties and features music by such composers as Huang Tzu, Qing Zhu, Ma Sicong, Lingbo Ma, Cynthia {…}
The Foundation for the Promotion of the Hamburg State Opera has announced the recipients of its annual prizes. The Dr. Wilhelm Oberdörffer Prize was awarded to the seven current scholarship holders of the International Opera Studio Hamburg — Colin Aikins, William Desbiens, Aebh Kelly, Keith Klein, Marie Maidowski, Mziwamadoda Sipho Nodlayiya, and Mariana Poltorak — as well as to Hamburg {…}