Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège in Belgium has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only.

Here is the full slate.

Opera 

Verdi‘s “La Forza del Destino” will star Marcelo Álvarez as Don Alvaro, María José Siri as Donna Leonora, and Simone Piazzola as Don Carlo di Vargas. The cast also includes Michele Pertusi, Enrico Marabelli, and Nino Surguladze. Paolo Arrivabeni conducts a production by Gianni Santucci.

Performance Dates: Sept. 16 – Oct. 1, 2021

Ruzan Mantashyan performs Tatyana, Alexey Dolgov sings Lensky, Ildar Abdrazakov portrays Gremin, and Vasily Ladyuk stars in the title role of Tchaikovsky‘s “Eugene Onegin.” Speranza Scappucci conducts a production by Éric Vigié.

Performance Dates: Oct. 22 – 30, 2021

Zuzana Marková stars in the title role of Donizetti‘s “Lucia di Lammermoor” alongside Julien Behr, Lionel Lhote, and Luca Dall’Amico. Speranza Scappucci conducts a production by the late Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera.

Performance Dates: Nov. 19 – 30, 2021

“Ursule et Hirsute” features Louise Foor, Geoffrey Degives, Marie-Catherine Baclin, and Patrick Delcour. Ayrton Desimpelaere conducts a production by Vincent Dujardin.

Performance Dates: Nov. 18 – 29, 2021

The spectacle “Figaro, Le Barbier du Bois Joli” will be directed by Marie Neyrinck.

Performance Dates: Dec. 13 – 22, 2021

Rossini‘s “Otello Ossia Il Moro di Venezia” will get a rare production with Salome Jicia as Desdemona, Maxime Melnik as Iago, Maxim Mironov as Rodrigo, Pierre Derhet as Lucio, Julie Bailly as Emilia, Luca Dall’Amico as Elmiro, and Sergey Romanovsky in the title role. Gianluigi Gelmetti conducts a production by Emilio Sagi.

Performance Dates: Dec. 19 – 31, 2021

A double bill of Giordano‘s “Mese Mariano” and Puccini‘s “Suor Angelica” will showcase Serena Farnocchia, Violeta Urmana, Sarah Laulan, Aurore Bureau, Julie Bailly, Morgane Heyse, Natacha Kowalski, and Patrick Delcour. Oksana Lyniv conducts a production by Lara Sansone.

Performance Dates: Jan. 26 – Feb. 6, 2022

Viardot’s “Le Dernier Sorcier” stars Roger Joakim, Gianna Cañete Gallo, Marie-Catherine Baclin, Vincent Ordonneau, Julie Vercauteren, and Dima Bawab. Ayrton Desimpelaere conducts a production by Davide Garattini Raimondi.

Performance Dates: Jan. 25 – Feb. 5, 2022

Verdi’s “Rigoletto” will star two casts led by Maria Mudryak and Jodie Devos alternating in the role of Gilda, Francesco Demuro and Iván Ayón Rivas alternating as Duca di Mantua, and Carlos Álvarez and Enkhbat Amartuvshin in the title role. Ruben Amoretti and Sarah Laulan round out the cast with Daniel Oren conducting a production by John Turturro.

Performance Dates: March 3 – 13, 2022

Stéphanie D’Oustrac stars in the title role in Vincent Boussard’s production of Ambroise Thomas’ opera “Mignon.” The rarely performed work will also star Philippe Talbot, Jodie Devos, Jean Teitgen, Geoffrey Degives, Jérémy Duffau, and Roger Joakim. Frédéric Chaslin conducts.

Performance Dates: April 1 – 9, 2022

Maria Grazia Schiavo portrays Donna Anna, Maria Josè Lo Monaco performs Donna Elvira, Laurent Kubla sings Leporello, and Davide Luciano stars in the title role of Mozart‘s “Don Giovanni.” The cast also includes Maxim Mironov as Don Ottavio, Sarah Defrise as Zerlina, Pierre Doyen as Masetto, and Shadi Torbey in the role of Il Commendatore. Christophe Rousset and Ayrton Desimpelaere conduct a production by Jaco Van Dormael.

Performance Dates: May 13 – 21, 2022

Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” closes the season starring Federica Lombardi as Amelia Boccanegra, Riccardo Zanellato as Jacopo, Marc Laho as Gabriele Adorno, Lionel Lhote as Paolo, Roger Joakim as Pietro, and George Petean in the title role. Speranza Scappucci conducts a production by Laurence Dale.

Performance Dates: June 17 – 25, 2022

Concerts and Recitals

Mozart’s “Messa da Requiem” spotlights soprano Sophie Karthäuser, mezzo-soprano Angélique Noldus, tenor Julien Behr, and bass Luca Dall’Amico alongside conductor Speranza Scappucci.

Performance Date: Aug. 21, 2021

Baritone Bruno De Simone and soprano Alessandra Rossi will hold a masterclass.

Presentation Date: Oct. 10, 2021

Tenor Juan Diego Flórez performs works by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Massenet, and Lehar alongside conductor Christopher Franklin.

Performance Date: Nov. 25, 2021

Soprano Aleksandra Kurzak and tenor Roberto Alagna will present various works in a special concert alongside conductor David Giménez Carreras.

Performance Date: Dec. 5, 2021

Sopranos Caroline Wenborne and Alex Penda perform works by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss alongside conductor Speranza Scappucci.

Performance Date: Jan. 16, 2022

Soprano Nadine Sierra performs alongside conductor Lorenzo Passerini.

Performance Date: Feb. 12, 2022

A concert performance of Franck’s opera “Hulda” stars Jennifer Holloway, Véronique Gens, Judith Van Wanroij, Isabelle Druet, Marie Gautrot, Ludivine Gombert, Edgaras Montvidas, Jérôme Boutillier, Matthieu Lécroart, Artavazd Sargsyan, François Rougier, Sébastien Droy, Guilhem Worms, and Matthieu Toulouse. Gergely Madaras conducts.

Performance Date: May 15, 2022