https://operawire.com/obituary-video-artist-bill-viola-dies-at-73/
On July 12, 2024, Bill Viola died at the age of 73 due to complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. A statement via Instagram said, “It is with great sadness that Bill Viola Studio shares news of the death of Bill Viola, one of the world’s leading contemporary artists. He passed away peacefully at home on July 12th, at the age {…}
https://operawire.com/q-a-tenor-russell-thomas-on-his-careers-journey-in-opera-advocacy-for-opera-singers-life-that-happens-in-between/
(Credit: Fay Fox) Content Warning: Please note the following includes some explicit language. American tenor Russell Thomas is now one of the most sought-after tenors of his generation having established his reputation in key lyric roles such as Don Carlo, Manrico in “Il trovatore,” Don Alvaro in “La forza del destino,” and Pollione “Norma.” As an alumnus of the Metropolitan {…}
https://operawire.com/luca-salsi-anna-netrebko-lidia-fridman-corinne-winters-ian-bostridge-lead-teatro-dellopera-di-romas-2024-25-season/
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra“ in a production by Richard Jones. Michele Mariotti conducts the production with a cast that includes Luca Salsi in the title role, Eleonora Buratto, Stefan Pop, and Michele Pertusi. The opening night will be streamed on Rai5 and Radio3. Another cast will {…}
https://operawire.com/opera-meets-film-zhang-yimou-zubin-mehtas-turandot-at-the-forbidden-city/
What does an unfinished opera have in common with a historical landmark, Chinese cultural history, thousands of singers, eloquent music, and expert dramaturgy? In 1998, just like Wagner’s trilogy, these disparate elements come together to form a work of epic proportion in Zhang Yimou and Zubin Mehta’s collaborative project, “Turandot at the Forbidden City.” In this article, we will explore {…}
https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-2023-24-review-el-nino/
(Photo: Evan Zimmerman / Met Opera) Metropolitan Opera debuted John Adams’s “El Niño,” with libretto based on original sources by Peter Sellars and John Adams, to a sold out house of past, present, and future opera goers on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024. “El Niño” is unlike anything John Adams has done before and the historical timing of this debut is {…}
https://operawire.com/benjamin-bernheim-lisette-oropesa-ludovic-tezier-asmik-grigorian-lead-opera-de-paris-2024-25-season/
The Opéra de Paris has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Verdi’s “Falstaff” opens the season with a cast that includes Ambrogio Maestri, Olivia Boen, Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, Andrei Kymach, Gregory Bonfatti, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Iván Ayón-Rivas, and Federica Guida. Michael Schønwandt conducts the production by Dominique Pitoiset. Performance Dates: Sept. 10-30, 2024 Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will star Eleonora Buratto, Elena Stikhina, Aude {…}
https://operawire.com/esa-pekka-salonen-awarded-2024-polar-music-prize/
Esa-Pekka Salonen has been awarded the 2024 Polar Music Prize. The prize, which is a Swedish international award founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, gives one contemporary musician and one classical musician the prize. Salonen was awarded alongside Nile Rodgers. Finnish conductor and composer Salonen had his breakthrough in 1983 when he conducted Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 and as a {…}
https://operawire.com/renee-fleming-will-liverman-headline-aspen-music-festival-schools-75th-anniversary-season/
(Photo credit: Andrew Eccles & Jaclyn Simpson) The Aspen Music Festival and School has announced its 75th anniversary season. This article features vocal performances only. Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS Co-Artistic Director Renée Fleming and opera director Peter Sellars coach the program’s major emerging talents in arias and scenes. Performance Dates: June 29 & July 13, 2024 Soprano Renée Fleming, {…}
https://operawire.com/park-avenue-armory-asia-society-present-shall-we-gather-at-the-river/
Park Avenue Armory, in co-commission with Asia Society, will present the world premiere of “Shall We Gather at the River” on May 21, 2024. The showcase is a musical call to action against climate change that features Black American Spirituals and Bach Cantatas. The performance is staged by Peter Sellars and features performances by Oxford Bach Soloists, Choir of Trinity {…}