Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Pretty Yende, Marina Rebeka Headline Théâtre des Champs-Élysées’s 2025-26 Season

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 {…}

Mar 16, 2025

Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Diana Damrau, Rolando Villazon, Asmik Grigorian, Ludovic Tézier, Jonathan Tetelman, Serena Sáenz & Sondra Radvanovsky Lead Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2025-26 Season

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 {…}

Feb 22, 2025

Arte.TV to Broadcast Asmik Grigorian, Aigul Akhmetshina & Freddie De Tommaso’s ‘Norma’ from Vienna

(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 {…}

Dec 29, 2024

Teatro Real de Madrid 2024-25 Review: Maria Stuarda (Cast A)

(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 {…}

Nov 8, 2024

Anna Netrebko, Aigul Akhmetshina, Angel Blue, Jonas Kaufmann, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Piotr Beczała, Luca Salsi, & Aleksandra Kurzak Lead Arena di Verona’s 2025 Season

The Arena di Verona has announced its 2025 season. Verdi’s “Nabucco” will get a new production. Stefano Poda will direct the new production. Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Youngjun Park, Luca Salsi, and Igor Golovatenko lead the cast that includes Anna Pirozzi, Maria José Siri, Anna Netrebko, and Olga Maslova as Abigaille, Francesco Meli and Galeano Salas as Ismaele. The cast is rounded out by Roberto {…}

Oct 17, 2024

Stage + to Stream Three Vocal Performances

Deutsche Grammophon’s Stage + is set to present three vocal performances in October. First, the Georg Solti Accademia will present a star-studded gala at the Hungarian State Opera and will feature Aigul Akhmetshina, Freddie De Tommaso, Hera Hyesang Park, and Paul Grant, all alumni of the Georg Solti Accademia’s Bel Canto Course for Singers. This is the first time these four {…}

Oct 8, 2024

Aigul Akhmetshina, Freddie De Tommaso, Hera Hyesang Park, & Paul Grant to Headline Georg Solti Accademia Gala

The Georg Solti Accademia will present a star-studded gala at the Hungarian State Opera. Set for Oct. 20, 2024, the showcase will feature Aigul Akhmetshina, Freddie De Tommaso, Hera Hyesang Park, and Paul Grant, all alumni of the Georg Solti Accademia’s Bel Canto Course for Singers. This is the first time these four artists perform together. “This concert broadcast is {…}

Aug 15, 2024

CD Review: Aigul Akhmetshina’s Debut Album ‘Aigul’

A debut album from the new darling of the opera world: Aigul Akhmetshina, the young mezzo soprano from Bashkortostan. While training with the Royal Opera House’s Jette Parker Artists Programme in London, Akhmetshina has performed the role of Carmen in Peter Brooks’ condensed version of Bizet’s opera and later understudied the titular role in the main house while performing the {…}

Aug 7, 2024

Glyndebourne Festival Opera Review 2024: Carmen

(Photo: © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photography by Richard Hubert Smith) “Carmen” is unquestionably one of the most popular works ever composed and has become an almost permanent fixture in the repertoire of opera houses. However, this presents something of a dilemma for those creative artists and directors who desire to produce the opera in a more contemporary setting and feel {…}

Jun 14, 2024

Editorial: Riccardo Muti Claims That Opera is Beyond the Singing

In December 2023, Unesco announced its decision to include the most Italian of all arts, that explodes with passion and is powered by mastery in music, singing, drama, and design, the Italian Opera, or simply Lirica as it is called in Italy, under its category of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This summer, the Arena di Verona Foundation invited all lovers of {…}

May 29, 2024

Arena di Verona to Present ‘La Grande Opera Italiana Patrimonio dell’Umanità’

The Arena di Verona is set to present a concert “La Grande Opera Italiana Patrimonio dell’Umanità” on June 7. The Ministry of Culture and Fondazione Arena di Verona will present the concert, in collaboration with Rai Cultura. It will celebrate the recognition of opera as a vital contribution to cultural heritage. Riccardo Muti will conduct 154 orchestra musicians and over {…}