Welcome back for the CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week one of the rising soprano releases a new album while audiences get to hear two legendary recordings of important Janáček works. Here is a look at the new releases of the week. Rondos for Adriana Audax releases Adriana Gonzalez‘s latest album with conductor Iñaki Encina {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) There are operas that survive by turning into monuments–and others by remaining dangerously alive. “Carmen” belongs to the second category. It refuses preservation. It resists comfort. And every so often, a production appears that reminds one why this work still unsettles rather than reassures. Production Details Damiano Michieletto’s “Carmen” at Teatro Real is one of those {…}
(Photo: © Klara Beck) From October 29 to November 9, the Strasbourg Opera will be performing Verdi’s “Otello.” As always with the Strasbourg Opera, the Filature in Mulhouse will be staging this production as well on, November 16 and 18. The staging has been given to the director Ted Huffman, who employs a highly effective minimalist approach, focusing the drama {…}
(Foto: T+T Fotografie / Toni Suter + Tanja Dorendorf) Opernhaus Zürich is set to present oper für alle on July 12 at the Sechseläutenplatz. The company will present “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” live at the open-air stage starting at 17.00 with the opera performance at 19.00. Admission will be free. Additionally, the company will broadcast on the OperaVision platform. “Les Contes {…}
The Opéra national du Rhin has announced its 2025-26 season. Mélissa Petit, Julia Lezhneva, Carlo Vistoli, and Krystian Adam star in Handel’s “Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.” Thibault Noally conducts. Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2025 Issachah Savage and Errin Duane Brooks star in Verdi’s “Otello” alongside Adriana Gonzalez and Daniel Miroslaw. Speranza Scappucci conducts the production by Ted {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with “The Cunning Little Vixen,” featuring Peter Mattei, Anaïs Masllorens, David Alegret, Elena Tsallagova, Alejandro López, Milan Perišić, Sara Bañeras, Angela Brower, Mireia Pintó, Laura Brasó, and Mercedes Gancedo. Josep Pons conducts the production by Barrie Kosky. Performance Dates: Sept. 20-30, 2025 Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” will star Anthony Roth Costanzo, {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the operas and recitals for the new season. Premieres Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” will get a new production by Dirk Schmeding. The cast will be headed by Franz Xaver Schlecht, Margaret Plummer, Slávka Zámečníková, Ivo Stanchev, Monika Bohinec, Pavol Breslik, Michael Laurenz, Peter Kellner, Matthäus Schmidlechner, Ilia Staple, and Alex Ilvakhin. Tomáš Hanus conducts. A second cast will {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello,” starring Brian Jadge, Jorge de León, and Angelo Villari in the title role. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Artur Ruciński, Gabriele Viviani, Airam Hernández, Asmik Grigorian, and Maria Agresta. Nicola Luisotti and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct the production by David Alden. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}
The Opéra National du Capitole de Toulouse has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Hervé Niquet conducts a production of Massenet’s “Thaïs” with Stefano Poda directing. Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Tassis Christoyannis, and Jean-François Borras star. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 5, 2025 Thomas Dunford conducts Handel’s “Theodora” in concert with Lea Desandre, Véronique Gens, Hugh Cutting, Laurence Kilsby, and Alex Rosen. Performance Date: {…}
(credit Julian Baumann) Les Grand Voix has changed the program to an upcoming concert at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. The Oct. 7 concert, which was originally set to feature Adriana Gonzalez and Freddie De Tommaso in duos and arias by Puccini, Ponchielli, Bizet, and Cilea alongside Victorien Vanooster and the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Toulon, will now only feature the {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get to relive two acclaimed performances from the 2023 Salzburg Festival as well as two world premiere recordings. Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth C Major Entertainment releases Salzburg’s production of Verdi’s masterpiece which was recorded in August 2023. The production by {…}
