Buxton International Festival 2025 Review: ‘Hamlet’

https://operawire.com/buxton-international-festival-2025-review-hamlet/

(Photo: Genevieve Girling) The main opera presentation at this summer’s Buxton International Festival was Ambroise Thomas’ 1868 composition, “Hamlet,” to a libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier. Although initially successful, it eventually faded from the international stage as the popularity of French grand opera declined; its last Parisian performance took place in 1938. In 1978, however, a staging in {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Händel Festspiele Halle 2025 Review: Octavia

https://operawire.com/handel-festspiele-halle-2025-review-octavia/

(Photo: Anna Kolata) One of the main events at this summer’s Halle Händel Festival was a production of Rheinhardt Keiser’s 1705 opera “Octavia” to a libretto by Barthold Feind at the Goethe-Theater in Bad Lauchstädt. Although now a relatively obscure figure, during his lifetime, he was hugely successful and one of the most influential composers of German baroque opera. His {…}

News

Jamie Barton Calls Out The Times U.K. For Headline

https://operawire.com/jamie-barton-calls-out-the-times-u-k-for-headline/

Jamie Barton is calling out the Times for publishing a headline that did not reflect her interview. The Times published the mezzo’s interview with a headline quoting her stating, “Opera Singers are being forced to take Ozempic.” However, the digital version was changed to “There is real pressure for opera singers to take Ozempic.” The mezzo noted that the quote {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées 2025 Review: Der Rosenkavalier

https://operawire.com/theatre-des-champs-elysees-2025-review-der-rosenkavalier/

(Photos: Vincent Pontet) From May 21 to June 5, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées presents “Der Rosenkavalier” in a production by the famous and highly controversial director Krzysztof Warlikowski. Even though the French music lovers, and especially the Parisians, are delighted to see this masterpiece of an opera from the beginning of the twentieth century back in the capital – something {…}

News, Season Announcement

Sondra Radvanovsky, Cecilia Bartoli, Piotr Beczała, Elina Garanča, Benjamin Bernheim & Sabine Devieilhe Headline Palau de la Música Catalana’s 2025-26 Season

https://operawire.com/sondra-radvanovsky-cecilia-bartoli-piotr-beczala-elina-garanca-benjamin-bernheim-sabine-devieilhe-headline-palau-de-la-musica-catalanas-2025-26-season/

The Palau de la Música Catalana has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Adolf Gassol conducts Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Performance Dates: Sept. 6 & Dec. 6, 2025 Puccini’s “Tosca” will be performed. Performance Date: Sept. 11, 2025 Julia Kleiter joins the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès and Andrés Salado for G. Ortiz and Tchaikovsky. Performance {…}

DVD and CD Releases, News

Natalie Dessay, René Pape, Eva Zaïcik, Kristian Benedikt & Carolyn Sampson Leads New CD/DVD Releases

https://operawire.com/natalie-dessay-rene-pape-eva-zaicik-kristian-benedikt-carolyn-sampson-leads-new-cd-dvd-releases/

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, a diva says goodbye to classical music, while there are several rare operas and oratorios. Here are this week’s new releases. Dog Days / Thumbprint Bright Shiny Things reissues two operas that have been out of print for nearly two years: {…}

News

Guildhall School Announces ‘Opera Makers’ Showcase as Part of its Making It Festival 2025

https://operawire.com/guildhall-school-announces-opera-makers-showcase-as-part-of-its-making-it-festival-2025/

Guildhall School has announced its Making It Festival 2025. While the festival features a wide range of differing explorations of what it means to be an artist, one of the major events is the “Opera Makers,” which features new works written by composers and librettists from the school’s “MA in Opera Making and Writing. The works spotlighted this year include {…}

Behind the Scenes, Interviews

Q & A: David Radamés Toro on Directing ‘Zorro’ at Opera San José

https://operawire.com/q-a-david-radames-toro-on-directing-zorro-at-opera-san-jose/

(Credit: Photo courtesy of Opera San José) On April 19, Opera San Jose is set to present “Zorro,” an opera about the famed masked vigilante set in the early 1800s in el pueblo de Los Angeles, still a colony of Spain. The opera will feature a Latin American cast and will be led by David Radamés Toro, a director who {…}

Special Features

The Many Extremes of Opera in 5 Examples

https://operawire.com/the-many-extremes-of-opera-in-5-examples/

(Picture Credit @Wonge Bergmann) What happens when opera is pushed to the far reaches of the socially acceptable, artistically expected, narratively conventional, and formally structured? You end up with controversial productions, reconstructed variations of well-known stories, and strange configurations of unknown ones. One may remember what happened not so long ago with Stutgart’s “Sancta Susanna” or, longer ago, Adams’ “The {…}

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