(Photo © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton) There was much to fuel the excitement around a brand new production of Franz Lehár’s “The Merry Widow” for Glyndebourne Festival Opera this year. It’s the first time the work has ever been mounted there, and it’s always a treat to see what the slickly-oiled operatic operation, with its six weeks of {…}
Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed over $32m in art and culture grants from the 2025 state budget. The veto will effectively eliminate most of the state’s financial resources available for the arts. With the elimination of the grants, art and cultural institutions across Florida will be faced with immense challenges. DeSantis did not comment on why he chose to {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced a cast change for its June 23 performance of Spontini’s “La Vestale.” The company said, “Jean Teitgen, unwell, will not be able to perform vocally on Sunday, June 23, 2024. The role of the Souverain Pontife will be played on stage by Jean Teitgen and sung upstage by Nicolas Courjal.” Courjal has performed with {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced it willing be marching during the New York City Pride March on June 30, 2024. The company took to social media and said, “Did you hear the news? We’ll be celebrating Pride Month alongside New York City in this year’s annual Pride March! Keep your eyes peeled for our float, featuring the wonderful voices of {…}
VOCES8 Foundation has announced its digital festival “LIVE from London Summer 2024.” All concerts will be released on August 10 and available until Sept. 15, 2024. The festival opens with “Morning Star,” a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Holst’s birth. Also on the program are works by Barber, Pärt, and “The Masquerade is Over,” arranged by tenor Blake Morgan. {…}
Héloïse Werner has joined Askonas Holt for worldwide management. Werner will be managed by Megan Steller. The French-born composer and soprano is Associate Artist at Wigmore Hall from 2023 to 2028 and her compositions have been commissioned by the Aurora Orchestra, Maîtrise de Radio France, and the London Handel Festival with further commissions for Manchester Collective and St Paul’s Cathedral coming {…}
(Credit: Victor Santiago) Erika Grimaldi is quickly rising to the top as one of the most acclaimed Verdi and Puccini sopranos in the world. Her voice has been praised for its rich and round voice and has been heard at such theaters as the Teatro alla Scala, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Teatro {…}
Evan Rogister has extended his relationship with Askonas Holt for worldwide general Management. In a statement, the conductor said, “Delighted to extend my relationship with Askonas Holt worldwide. I’m also deeply grateful to Caroline Woodfield and her colleagues at Opus 3 Artists for their exceptional work.” Rogister is the Principal Conductor of the Washington National Opera and the Principal Conductor {…}
Hudson Hall in New York is set to present Händel’s “Giulio Cesare” in April 2025. The opera will be directed by opera director and Hudson resident R.B. Schlather and will reunite him with the early music band Ruckus. The production will star American countertenor Randall Scotting as Cesare and rising star Song Hee Lee as Cleopatra. They will be joined by Meridian {…}
Welsh tenor Dafydd Jones has won the 2024 Gold Medal in the Royal Over-Seas League’s 72nd Annual Music Competition. The final, which was held at London’s Wigmore Hall, saw four soloists compete in the final. Among the finalists were violinist Jordan Brooks, pianist Ignas Maknickas, and flutist Daniel Shao. The adjudicators were John Gilhooly CBE (chair), Geoff Parkin, Alexandra Dariescu, {…}
The “Guido Cantelli” International Conducting Award in Novara has announced the 18 finalists, selected from among the 241 candidates. The selected conductors come from four continents and represent 15 different countries: Italy, Russia, Colombia, Great Britain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Brazil, the United States, Israel, South Korea, Peru and Australia. The finalists are Sergey Akimov (Russia), Sebastian Almanzar {…}