Opus 3 Artists has announced that it integrating the entire roster of Magnum Opus Artists into its vocal division, effective Jan. 1, 2024. Per an official press release, Caroline Woodfield will transition into a consultancy role while Nathan Wentworth will take over full-time leadership of the division. Meanwhile, Trevor Newman will return to Opus 3 as an artist manager. Among {…}
Credit: Kathy Wittman It might be ingenuous to say, but in one’s opinion any opera that features a dragon singing a long melisma on the word “whore,” especially when it follows the ominous words “son of a,” is an unforgettable piece of theater. “The Dragon of Wantley” is based on the old legend that a dragon roamed South Yorkshire, a {…}
Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella will not be in attendance at the opening night of the Teatro alla Scala. The president has been present throughout the past years at the opening night and two years ago received a standing ovation as well as a request for an “encore” from the spectators. It was also announced that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will {…}
Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” returns to the Metropolitan Opera for eight performances. The opera will open on Nov. 30 and will be performed through Dec. 23, 2023 with a cast that includes Austrian tenor Andreas Schager, South African soprano Elza van den Heever as Elisabeth, and Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Venus. The cast will be rounded out by German baritone Christian Gerhaher {…}
In anticipation of the opening of the Teatro Regio di Parma’s 2024 season-opening, the company is set to tour the provinces of Parma from Dec. 1 to 3, 2023. The company will present three performances of arias and scenes from “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with a cast of young singers from the Accademia Verdiana del Teatro Regio di Parma. The {…}
“This could be my last opera,” predicted Philippe Boesmans in February of last year, just two months before his death at 85. “I’ve done tragedies…so I decided that I have to finish with total lightness, total insouciance.” Virtually unknown in the U.S., the Belgian composer garnered European success with exquisite settings of serious drama: Schnitzler’s “Reigen“ (1993), Shakespeare’s “Winter’s Tale” {…}
Having earned the moniker of “The Portuguese Riviera,” the sunny seaside resort town of Cascais in Portugal, located some 25 miles west of Lisbon, has a centuries-old storied tradition of attracting celebrities and royals from all over Europe, who succumb to its irresistible charms: sunny seaside promenades, idyllic beaches, fishing villages, and the picturesque historical town center. Coming next spring, {…}
The Rossini Opera Festival has announced its 2024 season which will be held in Pesaro from August 7 to 23, 2024. The Festival will be inaugurated at the PalaScavolini, a new theatre space reopened within the already famous PalaFestival, by “Bianca and Falliero.” Roberto Abbado will conduct the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai and the Coro Teatro Ventidio Basso. The {…}
(Credit: Fabrizio Sansoni) This week the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is opening its 2023-24 season with an audacious production of “Mefistofele” directed by Simon Stone. Headlining the production is John Relyea in the title role. Relyea is no stranger to the role of Mefistofele as he has performed both the Berlioz and Gounod works on several occasions in leading theaters. {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its production of “La Fanciulla del West.” The company said that Wolfgang Koch will sing the role of Jack Rance on Jan. 7, 10, 12, and 15, 2024 replacing Carlos Álvarez. Koch is a well-established baritone who is known for his Italian and German roles. He has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, {…}
The Opéra National de Paris has announced the recipients of the 2023 Mortier Awards, named in honor of Gerard Mortier, the director of the company between 2004-09. Taking home the Mortier Award was Ariane Mnouchkine, celebrated for her life’s work. The French stage director was renowned for her avant-garde theater productions. She was also nominated for an Oscar for Best {…}