Opera Australia has announced the cast for its 70th Anniversary Gala on May 17. The evening, which will take place t the Regent Theatre, will celebrate its extraordinary contribution to Australia’s cultural landscape over the past seven decades. The evening will include Emma Matthews, Stacey Alleaume, Olivia Cranwell, Jane Ede, Sian Sharp, Diego Torre, Filipe Manu, Iain Henderson, Andrii Kymach, Luke {…}
(Photo: Alexandra Polina) Freiburg Theater’s current production of John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic” is a must-see event! Even opera-goers who find contemporary works difficult or off-putting would struggle to deny the brilliance of this presentation. It succeeds on every level: musically, dramatically, visually and intellectually. And in doing so, confirmed the opera’s reputation as an early 21st century masterpiece. The opera {…}
Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week, audiences are in for a world premiere recording from one of the great mezzos, a Strauss album from a rising star soprano, a contemporary album of rediscovered works, and a lot of baroque music. Here is a look at some of the {…}
The National Symphony Orchestra has now been forced to play catch up after Present Donald Trump announced that he was closing the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years of renovation. According to reports the orchestra was surprised by the announcement and had gotten no prior notice. As a result, Joan Bialek, chair of the National {…}
National Children’s Orchestras (NCO) has announced the appointment of Michael Eakin as Chair of its Board of Trustees, effective May 2026. Eakin, who most recently served as Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic until 2025, will take over for Louise Mitchell CBE, who will step down after six years in the role. In addition to his work with Royal {…}
Khayakazi Madlala and Lwazi Dlamini earned top honors at the 7th Unisa International Voice Competition, held Jan. 31, 2026, at the ZK Matthews Great Hall in Pretoria. Madlala placed second overall and received the award for Best Rendition of a South African Composition. She is a member of Cape Town Opera’s Judith Neilson Young Artist Programme. Next up for Madlala {…}
The Edinburgh Royal Choral Union (ERCU) and the Brussels Choral Society will team up for a collaborative concert at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh on March 15, 2026. The concert, which is conducted by Michael Bawtree, ERCU’s Chorus Director, brings together approximately 200 singers from Scotland and Belgium and follows a sold-out presentation of the same program at Bozar in {…}
New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) is set to present “Fugitives” on Feb. 12, 2026, at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall in New York City. Headlining the program is mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsay and baritone Justin Austin. They are joined by pianists Steven Blier and Bénédicte Jourdois. The program will explore the music of Jewish composers of the 1930s and ’40s, {…}
Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has announced the seven finalists for the “Concert of Arias,” the final round of the 38th Annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The event is set to take place Feb. 6, 2026, at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston. The finalists are sopranos Scarlett Jones, Viktoriia Shamanska, Arpi Sinanyan, and Kayla Rae Stein; mezzo-soprano Lauren {…}
The Dallas Opera (TDO) has announced the finalists for its biennial National Vocal Competition on March 6, 2026, at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. The 10 finalists include bass-baritone Tzvi Bat Asherah, tenor Nathan Bowles, mezzo-soprano Meg Brilleslyper, soprano Lauryn Davis, mezzo-soprano Deanna Ray Eberhart, soprano Sophia Hunt, mezzo-soprano Kayla Nanto, soprano Luna Seongeun Park, soprano Anna Thompson, and {…}
Opera Parallèle has announced the its spring season continuing its 16th anniversary season. The spring season opens with “La Belle et la Bête” by Philip Glass. Performed live to Jean Cocteau’s iconic 1946 surrealist film, the work’s score and the film’s dreamlike imagery merge into a mesmerizing cinematic–operatic experience. OP Founder & Artistic Director Nicole Paiement will conduct the 8-piece {…}