https://operawire.com/theater-an-der-wien-2024-25-review-norma/
(Credit: Monika Rittershaus) Two new productions of “Norma” collided in a strange surfeit of Bellini in Vienna in February and March. What an interesting opportunity to get to grips with the Gauls twice in a row, a case of “Buy one ‘Norma’, get one free!” First up was the Theater an der Wien, in a staging by Vasily Barkhatov and {…}
https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-freddie-de-tommaso/
(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) On Nov. 12, the Metropolitan Opera will revive Puccini’s “Tosca” with an all-star cast that includes one of today’s most in-demand divas and one of the best Verdi baritones in the industry. But for most Met audiences it will be the debut of one of today’s leading tenor’s that will be the reason to {…}
https://operawire.com/anna-netrebko-juan-diego-florez-diana-damrau-lise-davidsen-rene-pape-rachel-willis-sorensen-lead-staatsoper-unter-den-lindens-2024-25-season/
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Luca Salsi and Anna Netrebko team up for Verdi’s “Nabucco.” Ivan Magrì, Marina Prudenskaya, and René Pape join them. Anastasia Bartoli also performs. Bertrand de Billy conducts the new production by Emma Dante. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-26, 2024 Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” receives a new production featuring multiple casts. {…}
https://operawire.com/anna-netrebko-marina-rebeka-sonya-yoncheva-elina-garanca-lead-staatsoper-unter-lindens-2023-24-season/
Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2023-24 season. The season will showcase numerous revivals and new productions. Premieres Calixto Bieito directs a new production of Verdi’s “Aida” with Grigory Shkarupa, Elīna Garanča, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Marina Rebeka, María José Siri, Yusif Eyvazov, Ivan Magrì, René Pape, Erwin Schrott, Vladislav Sulimsky, and Alfredo Daza. Nicola Luisotti conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
https://operawire.com/cd-review-freddie-de-tommasos-il-tenore/
It is something of a paradox that the proverbial dearth of tenors coexists with the announcement, in regular intervals, of some new vocal phenomenon which, after a solo recital or two, the recording industry decides to “crown before they are king” – to loosely and no less cynically paraphrase a famous saying by Mascagni. Yet too many are the instances {…}
https://operawire.com/joyce-didonato-asmik-grigorian-piotr-beczala-sonya-yoncheva-lisette-oropesa-headline-metropolitan-operas-2025-26-season/
The Metropolitan Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. New Productions The season opens on a Sunday with Mason Bates and Gene Scheer’s “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” in its Met Opera premiere. Bartlett Sher directs and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a cast starring Lauren Snouffer, Sun-Ly Pierce, Miles Mykkanen, Patrick Carfizzi, Craig Colclough, and Andrzej Filoncyzk. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}
https://operawire.com/best-of-2024-operawires-team-on-the-best-performances-of-the-year/
There’s been a lot of opera in 2024. And quite frankly, there’s been a lot of good opera. So as has become our tradition, here is a look at some of OperaWire’s editorial team’s picks for their personal favorite performances of 2024. Matt Costello: Act three of “Götterdämmerung” – Tanglewood It’s always a tricky thing to think about one’s “Performance {…}
https://operawire.com/royal-opera-house-2023-24-review-celebrating-22-years-of-sir-antonio-pappano/
A truly packed house, a cast of operatic luminaries and a program of works chosen and compiled by Maestro Pappano himself; a Gala, fit for a KING, surely? Which is just as well because His Royal Highness King Charles III was in the audience as a truly surprise guest of honor, courtesy of a massive covert security operation that even {…}
https://operawire.com/q-a-american-baritone-lucas-meachem-on-evolving-opera-through-his-compassion-towards-humanity-in-his-roles-love-of-karaoke/
Lucas Meachem is an American, Grammy Award winning baritone whose compelling lyric baritone voice and dramatic interpretations have led him to the world’s most important operatic stages. He was discovered by mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, with the encouragement of tenor Paul Groves, after he sang a karaoke stint in Paris. Graham persuaded William Mason, the then director general of the Lyric {…}