Sondra Radvanovsky, Elina Garanča, Karen Slack, Mariusz Kwicien, Ferruccio Furlanetto Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week

By David Salazar

One brand new opera with three endings. A 20th-century work from a noted Czech composer. Two gala performances. A recital of new songs. A Shakespeare / Verdi / Ring Mashup. Beethoven. And three Italian operas with some of opera’s biggest stars for those looking for more standard repertory.

That eclectic list comprises our top 10 operas to stream this week. Here’s a rundown.

Six Feet Under – Eurasia Festival (Oct. 13)

The Eurasia Festival will launch its fall season with the “Six Feet Under” series. In this first Zoom performance, the company will feature Artistic Director Aza Sydykov at the piano alongside tenor Mark Martinez, soprano Mithuna Sivaraman, soprano Kristina Shafranski, and mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza.

Watch it here.

What Happened to Lucrece? – Wexford Festival Opera (Oct. 13-15)

F0r those interested in a new opera, Wexford Festival Opera will present this unique new work which was created over three months during the COVID-19 lockdown. More interestingly, the opera has three endings (one tragic, one farcical, and one romantic), all of which will be streamed on consecutive nights.

Watch it here.

Destiny – OperaVision / National Theatre Brno (Oct. 14)

Robert Carsen’s hotly anticipated production will be available to stream for audiences worldwide. The Janacek opera will feature Philip Sheffield, Enrico Casari, Alžběta Poláčková, Natascha Petrinsky, Peter Račko, Jan Šťáva, Lukáš Bařák, Daniela Straková-Šedrlová, and Petr Hrůša, among many others. Marko Ivanović conducts.

Watch it here.

Chicken Skin Serenades – Hawai’i Opera Theatre (Oct. 16)

Hawai’i Opera Theatre continues its unique 2020-21 season with a performance billed as “what happens if Shakespeare met Verdi at a Halloween Party set to a classical mix of music with the artistic influence of The Ring (that’s the film version, not Wagner).” This unique experience will star HOT Orvis Opera Studio Resident Artists Leslie Goldman, Sarah Lambert Connelly, Oaklea Rowe, Iakuinipua’okahana Kelsey, and Falefia Jr. Brandon Fuamatu.

Watch it here.

Speaking Truth to Power – Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Oct. 17)

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra will perform Beethoven’s “Egmont,” Op. 84 with a new Orpheus-commissioned English translation by Philip Boehm. The concert will also feature performances by soprano Karen Slack, with narration by famed actor Liev Schrieber.

Watch it here.

An Evening with Portland Opera: A Free & Virtual Concert from Rose City – Portland Gala (Oct. 17)

Portland Opera will kick off its 2020-21 season with an opera gala. The concert will feature sopranos Vanessa Isiguen, Alexandra LoBianco, and Caitlin Lynch; mezzo-soprano Daryl Freedman; baritones Michael Chioldi, Gordon Hawkins, and Will Liverman; and bass-baritone Daniel Mobbs. Pianists include company Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor Nicholas Fox, as well as Cris Frisco, Steven McGhee, Joshua Quinn, and Carol Wong.

Watch it here.

Roberto Devereux – Metropolitan Opera (Oct. 17)

“Roberto Devereux” is arguably Donizetti’s finest dramatic opera and this is undeniably one of the iconic presentations recorded on video. Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Elina Garanča, Matthew Polenzani, and Mariusz Kwiecien and directed by David McVicar, this Met production is first-class opera on every level.

Watch it here.

Atilla – San Francisco Opera (Oct. 17-18)

San Francisco Opera will bring back its production of this early Verdi gem starring Ferruccio Furlanetto, Samuel Ramey, Quinn Kelsey, Diego Torre, and Lucrecia Garcia. “Atilla,” while not one of Verdi’s touchstone works, is one full of fantastic melodic invention and dramatic muscularity emblematic of the composer’s style.

Watch it here.

La Traviata – Teatro Comunale di Modena / Opera Streaming (Oct. 18)

The big reason to check out his “Traviata” is for Maria Mudryak, who has made this role a calling card ever since her famed performance at the Operalia Competition in 2017. She will be joined by Matteo Lippi as Alfredo and Ernesto Petti as Germont. Alessandro D’Agostini conducts.

Watch it here.

‘Treasure Chest: A Social Distancing Salon (Oct. 18)

Composer Felix Jarrar and librettist Bea Goodwin will team up with soprano Kirsten Kunkle for a performance of their art songs. Included in the program is the premiere of the soprano version of “Untitled,” Jarrar/Goodwin’s latest collaboration. Other Jarrar/Goodwin works include “Bobbing for Apples” and “I, Dead Sea.” The recital will conclude with “Aubades,” a song cycle with music and text by Jarrar.

Watch it here.

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