(Photo Credit: Curtis Brown) The Royal Opera House has announced a major cast change for its production of “Tosca.” The company revealed that Aleksandra Kurzak has withdrawn from the Sept. 24 showcase due to illness. In her stead, Ailyn Pérez will take on the title role in the Puccini classic. Pérez made her ROH debut back in 2014 and has {…}
(Photo: Curtis Perry, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra) Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra presented a semi-staged production of Puccini’s “Tosca,” in Salle Southam Hall, on Sept. 10, 2025 in celebration of this year’s season opening, marking the tenth season for Alexander Shelley as Music Director and Conductor. The evening was full of exciting musical moments by the orchestra and leading {…}
(Ailyn Pérez photographed in Santa Fe by Curtis Brown for the Santa Fe Opera) The Santa Fe Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Le Nozze di Figaro.” The company said that soprano Ailyn Pérez will sing the role of Countess Almaviva in all remaining performances, replacing Spanish soprano Marina Monzó, who has withdrawn for personal reasons. Pérez returns to the {…}
The Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia have announced its 2025-26 season. Concerts Daniel Harding conducts a staged version of Wagner’s “Die Walküre” by Vincent Huguet. The opera will star Michael Volle, Miina‐Liisa Värelä, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Jamez McCorkle, Stephen Milling, and Okka von der Damerau. Performance Dates: Oct. 23-27, 2025 Antonio Pappano conducts Natalya Romaniw, Szilvia Vörös, {…}
(Photo: © Geoffroy Schied) In Francesco Micheli’s new staging of Mascagni and Leoncavallo’s iconic opera, Munich transformed for a night into Palermo. With a unified production for both “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” telling the story of a migrant’s journey from Sicily, the director turned a traditional duo into a memorable night, though his decision to set it in the 1960s {…}
Semperoper Dresden has unveiled its 2025-26 season. New Productions It opens with Verdi’s “Falstaff,” conducted by Daniele Gatti and directed by Damiano Michieletto with a cast starring Nicola Alaimo, Lodovico Ravizza, Yijie Shi, Eleonora Buratto, Rosalia Cid, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Nicole Chirka, among others. Performance Dates: Oct. 5 – Oct. 24, 2025 Next up is Hans Abrahamsen’s “The Snow Queen.” {…}
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 {…}
(Photo credits: Vedinaș, Behrmann, & Adjahoe) The George Enescu International Festival 2025 announces its star-studded lineup. This article only features vocal works. The opening concert features the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Iosef Ion Prunner and Cristian Măcelaru conduct. Performance Date: August 24, 2025 Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen performs with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra under the direction of Keri-lynn Wilson. {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced a cast change for its Dec. 20 performance of “Madama Butterfly.” The company said, “In tonight’s performance of ‘Madama Butterfly,’ soprano Ailyn Pérez plays the role of Cio-Cio-San in place of Sonya Yoncheva, who has not recovered from the effects of the cold she has suffered in recent days.” Pérez previously stepped in {…}
(Photos: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s “La Bohème” celebrated a new season of success thanks to Kensho Watanabe at the podium and a stunning cast of favorites, including Ailyn Pérez, Dmytro Popov, Boris Pinkhasovich, Bogdan Talos, Emily Pogorelc, Gihoon Kim, and Donald Maxwell. Conductor Kensho Watanabe’s Midas Touch Conductor Kensho Watanabe, who made his Met debut with {…}
The Grammy nominations have been announced. For this article, we will focus on the vocal and operatic nominations. The Best Opera Recording nominees are “Adams: Girls Of The Golden West” featuring John Adams, Paul Appleby, Julia Bullock, Hye Jung Lee, Daniela Mack, Elliot Madore, Ryan McKinny, and Davóne Tines, Dmitriy Lipay, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Master Chorale, “Catán: Florencia {…}