The Beijing Music Festival has announced its 2023 season. Here is a rundown of the classical vocal performances. It opens with an opening concert featuring soprano Zhang Liping. Yang Yang conducts the China Philharmonic & Beijing Chinese Orchestra. Performance Date: Sept. 22, 2023 Yu Ji conducts the Chinese premiere of Haydn’s “Il Mondo della Luna” with a cast starring Yi Yang, {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat has unveiled its 2023-24 season. Here is the rundown of the classical vocal performances on offer. First up is “The Barber of Seville” with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and the Intermezzo Choir under the musical direction of Antonino Fogliani. The opera stars Antonino Siragusa as Conte d’Almaviva, Carlo Lepore as Dr. Bartolo, Nicola {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera) Elijah Moshinsky’s classic staging of Verdi’s “Nabucco” is set to return for 14 performances at the Metropolitan Opera. The production, which opens on Sept. 28, will star Georgian baritone George Gagnidze in the title role. Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska reprises her acclaimed turn as Abigaille which she last sang with the company during the 2016-17 season. {…}
(Credit: Markus Gårder ) This review is for the performance on August 28, 2023. “Madama Butterfly” is one of opera’s most renowned and controversial stories. On one hand you have the tale of a young woman waiting endlessly for the man she loves, only to discover that she’s been lied to for the past three years, a fact that the {…}
The Washington National Opera is set to open its 2023–2024 season with the world premiere of “Grounded.” The opera, which is set to be presented between Oct. 28–Nov.13, is composed by two-time Tony Award winner Jeanine Tesori with a libretto adapted by George Brant from his eponymous play. The opera will be directed by Michael Mayer. “Grounded” tells the story {…}
Washington D.C.’s Cathedral Choral Society (CCS) has announced its 2023-24 season, featuring four mainstage concerts at Washington National Cathedral, all of which are led by Music Director Steven Fox. Here’s what the Society has lined up for audiences. The season opens with “Two Cathedrals” featuring CCS and Washington Bach Consort. CCS and WBC collaborate to showcase the unique blend of {…}
Had there been no Franz Schubert, the German Carl Loewe would have had the monopoly on 19th century art songs. His songs are melodious, witty, and with an unfailing blend of Romanticism and comely Biedermeier aesthetics. The most famous are “Die Uhr” and ballads like “Der Erlkönig” or “Herr Oluf.” All are based on German and Nordic folklore. Yet in {…}
Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC) has announced a leadership change. Michael Fraccaro has been named the organization’s Board of Directors Chair. He will replace Adam Chinn, who has served as the Board Chair since 2012. Fraccaro is the Chief People Officer at Mastercard and has been a member of the YPC Board since 2018. In his role {…}
The Teatro San Carlo di Napoli has announced a new Chorus Master. The company’s superintendent Carlo Fuortes took to social media to announce the news that Andrés Máspero will be the new chorus master starting in the 2023-24 Season. Máspero has worked with the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and the Dallas Opera as well as Gran Teatre del Liceu {…}
(Photo: Birgit Gufler) At the final curtain call of the Innsbruck Early Music Festival’s splendid production of Vivaldi’s only surviving oratorio, “Judtha Triumphans,” the loudest acclamation was reserved for its conductor, Alessandro De Marchi. After 13 years as its artistic director, he is stepping down from the position. The genuine warmth the festival audience showed towards De Marchi was clearly {…}
Bass William Thomas will no longer perform the final two performances of the “Les Troyens” tour. The bass who was performing the role of Narbal will no longer perform at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall on Sept. 1 nor at the BBC Proms on Sept. 3. As a result, he will be replaced by Alex Rosen, who was already performing the {…}