Photo: © Marco Borrelli Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” is one of those operas that is larger than life. Arguably, two operas in one night. Everything sounds like the realization of romanticism’s epic promise and showcases the musicians’ talents overflowing in the hall. It is hard to not expect a lot from a performance of Berlioz’s opera with a revolutionary and Romantique {…}
Talent agency Intermusica has announced that mezzo-soprano Alice Coote will join its roster. Nicholas Moloney, Senior Artist Manager for Vocal and Opera will manage Coote. Coote is set to appear with such organizations as the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra at the BBC Proms, Salzburg, Berliner Festspiele, Festival Berlioz, and Opéra Royal (Château de Versailles). Next season she will perform at {…}
The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2023-24 Season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Iván Fischer conducts Michael Nagy in works by Jörg Widmann and Gustav Mahler. Performance Date: August 26, 2023 Alexander Rudin, Alexander Melnikov, Nadezhda Pavlova, and Olga Pashchenko perform works by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performance Date: August 27, 2023 Robin Ticciati conducts Wu Wei Sheng, Karen {…}
The London Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2023-24 season. For this article, here is a look at the vocal performances. Barbara Hannigan and Fleur Barron lead a concert that includes music by Haydn, Strauss, Ligeti, Luigi Nono, and Claude Vivier. Performance Dates: Sept. 14 & 17, 2023 Igor Stravinsky’s “Pulcinella” will be conducted by Barbara Hannigan. The concert will also {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera) John Dexter’s production of “Dialogues des Carmélites” remains one of the treasures of the Met stage. Especially during a time when directors are bringing rather bland new productions to timeless classics, here’s a staging that is both traditional in its concept and imagery, but simultaneously modern in its economy of execution. Black and white {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive John Dexter’s classic production of Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites” for five performances. The production, which is set to run between Jan. 15 and 28, 203, will star soprano Ailyn Pérez in her role debut as Blanche de la Force. She will be joined by French soprano Sabine Devieilhe who makes her highly anticipated {…}
The Orquesta and Coro Nacionales de España have announced their 2022-23 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances for the season. The season opens with György Ligeti’s Requiem and Richard Strauss’ Eine Alpensinfonie conducted by David Afkham with soloists Jenny Daviet and Barbara Kozelj. Performance Dates: Sept. 23-25, 2022 György Ligeti’s Atmosphères and Antonín Dvořák’s Te Deum and {…}
The BBC Proms has announced its 2022 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights of the festival. Sakari Oramo conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Verdi’s Requiem on the First Night of the 2022 BBC Proms. Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, Jennifer Johnston, Freddie De Tommaso, and Kihwan Sim are the soloists. Performance Date: July 15, 2022 David Bates and La {…}
Opera North has announced its 2022-23 season with eight productions. The season opens with Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Anna Denisova, Nico Darmanin, Oliver Johnston, Stephen Gadd, and Damiano Salerno. Jonathan Webb and Manoj Kamps conduct the production by Alessandro Talevi. Performance Dates: Sept. 29-Nov. 17, 2022 “Orpheus After Monteverdi” is set to star Kezia Bienek, Jasdeep Singh Degun, Amy Freston, Ustad Shahbaz Hussain, Supriya {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta) The National Symphony Orchestra has unveiled its March 2022 slate. For the purposes of this article our focus will be on vocal or operatic performances. Michael Tilson Thomas will lead a performance of his very own “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind.” The showcase will also include music by Carl Ruggles and Aaron Copland with such {…}
(Credit: Riga Jurmala Music Festival) The Riga Jurmala Music Festival has announced its 2022 slate. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the vocal works only. Soprano Pretty Yende, mezzo-soprano Alice Coote, tenor Julien Prégardien, and bass René Pape perform Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626. The rest of a program features Sibelius’ Symphony No. 4 {…}