(Credit: © Olaf Struck)

It’s the first week of the year and many festivals are underway. This week we focus on some of the standard repertoire and some rising stars.

L’Elisir d’Amore – Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Austria

Sesto Quatrini conducts Dorothea Kirschbaum’s production of “L’Elisir d’Amore” with a cast that includes Benedetta Torre, Sam Handley, Jonathan Abernethy, Mikołaj Trąbka, and Barbara Massaro

Lohengrin – Staatsoper Hamburg, Germany

Klaus Florian Vogt sings the title role in Wagner’s gem with a cast that includes Simone Schneider, Wolfgang Koch, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, Andrzej Dobber, and Christof Fischesser. Kent Nagano conducts the production.

Lucia di Lammermoor – Theater Kiel, Germany

Rising star Hye Jung Lee takes on the title role of Donizetti’s masterwork. She is joined by a young cast that includes Ks. Tomohiro Takada, Yoonki Baek, and Michael Müller-Kasztelan. Sergi Roca conducts the new production by Paris Mexis. 

The Magic Flute – Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman

Davide Livermore directs a new production of Mozart’s fantastical tale. The production stars Alasdair Kent, Antonio Poli, ​Markus Werba, ​Enkeleda Kamani, Giulia Semenzato, Aigul Khismatullina, Claudia Urru, ​Štefan Kocán, and Luiz-Ottavio Faria.

Il Turco in Italia – Opernhaus Zurich, Switzerland

Kyle Ketelsen and Rosa Feola perform Rossini’s rare comic gem with Renato Girolami, Edgardo Rocha, Pietro Spagnoli, and Rebeca Olvera rounding out the cast. The production by Jan Philipp Gloger is conducted by Antonino Fogliani.