https://operawire.com/obituary-jadwiga-rappe-dies-at-73/
(Photo credit: Andrzej Świetlik) Contralto Jadwiga Rappé has passed away at the age of 73. Rappé was born Feb. 24, 1952 in Toruń, Poland. She studied at the Warsaw school of music and the Wrocław Academy of Music. Aside from her signature role of Erda in Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” Rappé was known for her specialty in oratorio. She taught {…}
https://operawire.com/teatro-alla-scala-2024-25-review-il-nome-della-rosa-world-premiere/
(Ph. Brescia – Amisano © Teatro alla Scala) In a suitcase–acquired expressly to transport it due to its weight and size–travels, rehearsal after rehearsal and performance after performance, the score of “Il nome della rosa,” weighing an impressive 15 kilograms. Yet the heft of this voluminous tome is not merely physical but also semiotic: it is the fruit of the {…}
https://operawire.com/nyu-skirball-to-present-world-premiere-of-ethan-philbricks-the-conquest-of-bread/
NYU Skirball will present the world premiere of Ethan Philbrick’s “The Conquest of Bread” on May 1, 2025. The work is inspired by Peter Kropotkin’s 1892 critique of capitalism and showcases four vocal ensembles including a quartet of opera singers including Gelsey Bell, Hai-ting Chinn, Catherine Brookman and Lukas Papenfusscline (aka “leiken”); a trio of performance artists including mayfield brooks, {…}
https://operawire.com/teatro-municipale-di-piacenza-2025-review-cavalleria-rusticana-pagliacci/
(Photos: ©Fondazione Teatri di Piancenza) As the 19th century came to a close, during a period of artistic transition, young composers sought to innovate and redefine the operatic language. It was in this context that, almost fortuitously, the most emblematic diptych of Italian musical theater and the ultimate prototype of verismo opera emerged: Pietro Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s {…}
https://operawire.com/artist-of-the-week-olivia-warburton/
This week, the Staatsoper Hamburg is set to revive its production of “Falstaff” with a starry cast of acclaimed singers including Simon Keenlyside, Danielle De Niese, and Christopher Purves. It also includes rising stars like Olivia Warburton, who is making her role debut as Nannetta. The soprano, who made her Staatsoper Hamburg debut in 2023, has joined the company in {…}
https://operawire.com/tomasz-konieczny-receives-major-honor-in-new-york/
New York State has proclaimed that March 8 is Tomasz Konieczny Day. The bass-baritone took to social to announce the news and said, “Completely unexpectedly for me, at the Nowodworski Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Gala in Bronxville, I was honored by President Pro Tem and NYS Majority Leader, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The award came at a difficult time. I see my {…}
https://operawire.com/taipei-symphony-orchestra-announces-new-music-director/
The Taipei Symphony Orchestra has announced Alexander Liebreich as its new Music Director. The conductor will serve with the TSO for an initial three-year term starting in 2026. Regarding his appointment, TSO Director Guo Peiyu said, “Maestro Lieberrich is not only renowned in the international music scene, but also has a passion and new vision for musical interpretation, program planning, {…}
https://operawire.com/vanessa-goikoetxea-piero-pretti-sabine-devieilhe-michael-spyres-ian-bostridge-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 many of the famed artists of our time in new albums featuring classic works, rarely performed works and rediscovered works. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Stravinsky: Le rossignol Captured in March 2023, {…}
https://operawire.com/q-a-jakub-jozef-orlinski-on-letsbarock-creating-a-crossover-album/
In September, countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński released #LetsBaRock, a crossover album that experiments with baroque classics. The album showcases Orliński joining forces with pianist Aleksander Dębicz, as well as Polish pop musicians Marcin Ułanowski and Wojciech Gumińki, in a creation that synthesizes the sound of “the new baroque” with music by Händel, Purcell, Monteverdi, and Vivaldi. And throughout 2024, Orliński {…}