(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) For the second time this season, the Metropolitan Opera is reviving “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” Unlike the first cast, which was showcasing several established Met Opera veterans, this second cast featured rising stars. In many ways, this second revival exemplified the Met’s future and artists who will most likely become established faces on the {…}
On June 3, 2025, Carnegie Hall will present “The Stage of Legends: A Gala Evening at Carnegie Hall.” The event kicks off at 6 p.m. local time and features dinner on the famed Stern Auditorium / Perelman stage as well as a musical interlude starring mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina and pianist Jonathan Lakeland. Akhmetshina is set to appear at the Met {…}
The Tiroler Festspiele Erl has announced its 2025-26 season. Autumn Season Holger Falk will perform alongside Herbert Schuch, Vivi Vassileva, and Musicbanda Franui. Performance Date: Oct. 2, 2025 Julian Prégardien, Herbert Schuch, and Musicbanda Franui will perform in concert. Performance Date: Oct. 3, 2025 Winter Season Johann Sebastian Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium will be performed by Elisabeth Breuer, Ulrike Malotta, Gideon Poppe, {…}
(Photo: Beata Nykiel) Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina is universally hailed as one of the most exciting opera singers in a generation. Called “The New Netrebko” by renowned critic David Mellor, she is the “Carmen du Jour” and is in demand by opera houses around the world. She sings with a rare, coloratura mezzo voice. A luminary of the Jette Parker {…}
Arte.tv is set to present Donizetti’s “Maria Stuarda” from the Teatro Real. The production, which was filmed on Dec. 20, 2024, will be streamed on May 5, 2025. The production by Sir David McVicar stars Lisette Oropesa in the title role alongside Aigul Akhmetshina as Elisabetta. The cast also includes Ismael Jordi as the Earl of Leicester, Roberto Tagliavini as {…}
(Credit: Mark Brenner) For the second time in only a few months, I find myself reviewing a production I have seen before where I was initially very critical of what I perceived to be a weak production, creatively, but inexplicably having a change of heart the second time around. So as not to face accusations of hypocrisy or worse, senility; {…}
The Staatsoper Berlin has unveiled its 2025-26 season. Premieres Bertrand de Billy conducts Lydia Steier’s new production of Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.” The cast includes Pene Pati, Nina Minasyan, Julia Kleiter, Clara Nadeshdin, Roberto Tagliavini, and Ema Nikolovska. A second cast will include Benjamin Bernheim, Regina Koncz, Siobhan Stagg, Clara Nadeshdin, Alex Esposito, and Samantha Hankey. Pierre Dumoussaud conducts. Performance {…}
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Productions Jakob Lehmann conducts Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” in a production by Silvia Costa. Benjamin Bernheim, Viktoria Karkacheva, Christian Van Horn, and Thomas Dolié star. Performance Dates: Nov. 3-15, 2025 Offenbach’s “Robinson Crusoé” will be conducted by Marc Minkowski and directed by Laurent Pelly. Lawrence Brownlee, Julie Fuchs, Laurent {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Maurizio Benini conducts Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in a new production by Barbara Wysocka. Bekhzod Davronov, Igor Golovatenko, Ludovic Tézier, Serena Sáenz, Nadine Sierra, Riccardo Fassi, and Elmina Hasan star. Performance Dates: March 7-24, 2026 & July 28 & 31, 2026 Lotte de Beer directs a new production of Gounod’s “Faust” with Jonathan {…}
(Credit: Monika Rittershaus) On Feb. 23, 2025, Arte.TV is set to broadcast the Theater an der Wien’s new production of Bellini’s “Norma.” The production by Vasily Barkhatov sets Bellini’s work against the backdrop of a change of political system and Norma’s tragedy is that she is ground down between the millstones of ideology as the old idols are jettisoned and {…}
(Photo: After having opened the season with his production of “Adriana Lecouvreur,” David McVicar returned to Teatro Real for his new production of “Maria Stuarda,” co-produced with Teatre del Liceu, Donizetti Opera Festival-Bergamo and Finland National Opera. McVicar is one of the greatest directors of this generation and his productions are shown at major opera houses around the world. He {…}