Domenico Turi has been named the Artistic Director of the Accademia Filarmonica Romana. Turi will start his tenure on July 1, 2024 and will succeed Enrico Dindo. The board of the Accademia Filarmonica Romana led by President Paolo Baratta announced the decision on May 29. The board members include Lucia Bocca Montefoschi, Sandro Cappelletto, Marco Chiarion Casoni, Michele dall’Ongaro, Giampietro {…}
State Opera South Australia announced that it will tour “The Frog Prince” to primary schools throughout the summer. The show follows the journey of a spoiled princess who encounters a sassy frog, leading to an unlikely friendship and a fantastical adventure. Lessons about friendship and environmental stewardship are interwoven into the contemporary storyline. The production features a range of popular {…}
Valencia’s Palau de les Arts’ 2023-24 season featuring opera, recitals, concerts, and zarzuela. Opera Dima Orsho and Carla Nahadi Babelegoto star in “Women at Point Zero.” Performance Date: Sept. 15, 2023 James Gaffigan conducts Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” in Richard Jones’ production. The cast includes Arsen Soghomonyan, Doris Soffel, Ekaterina Guseva, Elena Maximova, Roman Burdenko, and Nikolay Zemlianskikh. Performance {…}
(Credit: Lukasz Rajchert) Nashville Symphony’s music director Giancarlo Guerrero is stepping down after more than a decade in the position. Guerrero took the position during the 2009-2010 season and has helped lead the group through difficult times, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the Nashville Symphony has commissioned and premiered over a dozen new works, including collaborations with artists like {…}
Germany’s Theater Chemnitz has announced its 2023-24 season. Premieres Maximilian Otto conducts “Cabaret” in a production by Erik Petersen. Performance Dates: Sept. 16-Dec. 31, 2023 Leonard Evers’ “Gold!” will be directed by Karin Herrmann. Performance Dates: Oct. 7, 2023 Martinů’s “Die drei Wünsche oder Die Launen des Lebens” will be conducted by Jakob Brenner and directed by Rahel Thiel. Performance Dates: {…}
Robert and Christine Pietrandrea have pledged to make a $500,000 donation to the Pittsburgh Opera to help fund multiple productions. Their donation will support productions of “The Barber of Seville,” which will be presented at the Benedum Center in October 2023, and “La Traviata,” which will also be presented at the Benedum Center in March 2024. The Rossini opera will {…}
On May 14, 2023, tenor John Dobson died at the age of 92. Born on Nov. 17, 1930, in Derby, he was the son of Mary and Mervyn Dobson, a garage owner and motor engineer. In the 1950s he made his living for a while as a jobbing singer. He later went to study at Guildhall School of Music with Norman {…}
Barbara Hannigan has been appointed Reinbert de Leeuw Professor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music. In her new role, Hannigan will direct ensembles, mentor singers, and offer guidance to students on strategies for optimizing performance. The position is named after Reinbert De Leeuw, who died in 2020, and was one of Hannigan’s most important mentors and beloved colleagues. {…}
On June 2, 2023, Kaija Saariaho passed away at the age of 70 The composer’s family released a statement in which they noted that Saariaho passed away in the morning in Paris. The statement also said that Saariaho was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer in February 2021 that was seen as incurable and lethal. They added that the {…}
Thirteen singers are considering legal action against the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino after the company canceled a production of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” just six weeks before rehearsals. In a letter to cast members dated March 21, 2023, Maggio wrote of the “situation of unpredictable emergency’ facing the Foundation stating ‘production costs (of Die Meistersinger) are no longer sustainable for the {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced a cast change for its production of Wagner’s “Parsifal” on June 2, 2023. The company said that baritone Tommi Hakala will sing the role of Amfortas, replacing Matthias Goerne. Hakala has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Staatsoper Dresden, Strasbourg, Copenhagen, De Vlaamse Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, Savonlinna Opera Festival, De Nederlandse Opera Amsterdam, {…}