Carolina López Moreno & Iván Ayón-Rivas Star in Festival Granda’s ‘La Bohème’

https://operawire.com/carolina-lopez-moreno-ivan-ayon-rivas-star-in-festival-grandas-la-boheme/

For its 15th edition, the Festival Internacional de Ópera Alejandro Granda in Lima, Peru will present Puccini’s “La bohème.” The cast will be headlined by the Bolivian-Albanian soprano Carolina López Moreno as Mimì and Peruvian tenor Iván Ayón-Rivas as Rodolfo. Joining them are Spanish soprano Patricia Calvache as Musetta and baritones Francesco Samuele Venuti and Giuseppe Toia as Marcello and {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

Lyric Opera of Chicago 2023-24 Review: Terence Blanchard’s ‘Champion’

https://operawire.com/lyric-opera-of-chicago-review-terence-blanchards-champion/

(Photo: Michael Brosilow) Fresh from a Metropolitan Opera premiere last spring (and its subsequent Grammy Award victory), Terence Blanchard’s first opera in jazz, “Champion,” enjoyed its Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere in James Robinson’s vivid and effective staging, a co-production on January 27th, 2024. A dazzling cast led by Justin Austin as Emile Griffith made a powerful case for repeated {…}

Business, News

Toledo Opera Appoints James M. Norman & Kevin Bylsma as New Leaders

https://operawire.com/toledo-opera-appoints-james-m-norman-kevin-bylsma-as-new-leaders/

James M. Norman and Kevin Bylsma have been appointed as the new leadership of Toledo Opera upon the retirement of current Executive Director Suzanne Rorick. As of May 31, 2024, Norman will serve as the General Director and Bylsma will serve as the Artistic Director. Norman and Bylsma bring a combined 45 years of experience with Toledo Opera as a {…}

News

Boston Lyric Opera Names New Artistic Director, Other Major Leadership Reveals

https://operawire.com/boston-lyric-opera-names-new-artistic-director-other-major-leadership-reveals/

(Credit: Icarus Photography) Boston Lyric Opera has announced that Nina Yoshida Nelsen will be its new Artistic Director starting on Feb. 1, 2024. Nelsen is a co-founder of the Asian Opera Alliance and is also in the midst of a career as a singer; the mezzo-soprano recently finished a run as Suzuki in “Madama Butterfly” at Opera Carolina. She has {…}

News

Obituary: New Orleans Opera General & Artistic Director Robert Lyall Passes

https://operawire.com/obituary-new-orleans-opera-general-artistic-director-robert-lyall-passes/

General and Artistic Director Emeritus of the New Orleans Opera Robert Lyall passed away on Jan. 5, 2024. The New Orleans Opera announced the news and said, “With courage, grace and a sense of humor, Maestro Lyall had bravely battled cancer since April 2023, as well as resulting complications in recent weeks.” The company added, “Robert was a true maestro, {…}

Special Features

Best of 2023: OperaWire’s Top 11 Singers of 2023

https://operawire.com/best-of-2023-operawires-top-11-singers-of-2023/

It’s time of the year. The moment we wrap up the year and look back at our favorite moments. After releasing our favorite performances of 2023 and showcasing our rising stars of the year, it’s time for OperaWire’s annual tradition of naming our top 11 singers of the year, performers that we thought stood out and had major breaks or performances. So {…}

DVD and CD Releases, News

Randall Scotting & Carolina López Moreno Lead New CD/DVD Releases

https://operawire.com/randall-scotting-carolina-lopez-moreno-lead-new-cd-dvd-releases/

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get to experience a gay-themed albumm as well as the critical edition of one verismo’s beloved operas. Infinite Refrain – Music of Love’s Refuge Signum Classics releases Randall Scotting’s latest album. This duet album is a musical journey that {…}

Reviews, Stage Reviews

San Francisco Opera 2023-24 Review: Omar

https://operawire.com/san-francisco-opera-2023-24-review-omar/

Omar is a man, forcibly taken from his home in West Africa in 1807, and brought through the Middle Passage to America. He is sold into slavery in South Carolina and treated with brutality. He maintains his Muslim faith and eventually while in captivity, writes his autobiography in Arabic. “Omar” is an opera created by MacArthur Fellowship recipient Rhiannon Giddens, {…}