Saioa Hernández, Sonya Yoncheva, Anna Netrebko, Ailyn Pérez & Plácido Domingo Lead Maggio Musicale Fiorentino’s 2020-21 Season

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced its 2020-21 season featuring concerts, opera productions, and a star-studded summer festival. For this article, we will only focus on the Italian theater’s operatic and vocal concerts. Season  Federico Maria Sardelli conducts a new production of Handel’s “Rinaldo” with Pierluigi Pizzi directing. The cast includes Raffaele Pe in the title role, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Carmela {…}

Celso Albelo, Vittorio Prato & Roberto de Candia Highlight Teatro Massimo di Palermo’s Second Gala

The Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Italy has organized a second gala entitled “Gli Artisti Uniti.” The gala, which is set to premiere on April 18 on the theater’s website, will feature a number of stars from the Teatro Massimo including Vittorio Prato, Marco Filippo Romano, Matteo Mezzaro, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Roberto De Candia, Alessandro Luongo, Desirée Rancatore, and Celso {…}

Isabel Bayrakdarian & Saioa Hernandez Lead New CD/DVD Releases (Week of March 16)

For those stuck at home due to quarantine, these are the latest CD and DVD releases we recommend! Here is a look. Der Freischütz Oehmsclassics  releases Weber’s beloved work from Aalto Musiktheater starring Maximilian Schmidt, Jessica Muirhead, Heiko Trinsinger, and Tamara Banjesevic. Tomas Netopil conducts the new CD recording. Les Contes d’Hoffmann C Major releases Tobias Kratzer’s production of Offenbach’s masterpiece. {…}

Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva & Plácido Domingo Highlight Arena di Verona’s 2020 Festival

(Credit: Benno Kraehahn) The Arena di Verona has announced the 2020 casting featuring an all-star lineup. The opening of the season will showcase a new production by Gabriele Muccino of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” Mascagni’s work will showcase Ekaterina Semenchuk, Alexia Voulgaridou, Maria José Siri, and Sonia Ganassi alternating as Santuzza and Murat Karahan, Carlo Ventre, Yusif Eyvazov, and Marcelo {…}

Luca Salsi, Eleonora Buratto & Davinia Rodriguez Highlight Festival Verdi 2020

The Festival Verdi has announced its 2020 program featuring three new productions and one concert performance. Here is a look: Verdi and Solera’s “I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata” will feature Marco Ciaponi, Michele Pertusi, Yolanda Auyanet, and Jean-Francois Borras. Daniele Callegari will conduct the production by Hugo de Ana. Performance Dates: Sept. 24-Oct. 17, 2020 Verdi and Piave’s “Rigoletto” will be interpreted in collaboration {…}

Anna Netrebko vs. Anita Rachvelishvili Highlights The Top 5 Opera To See This Weekend Internationally (7/26-29)

The weekend is here and there are five star-studded operas that we think you cannot miss. Here is a look at our recommendations. Adriana Lecouvreur – Salzburg Festival, Austria Anna Netrebko brings her signature role in Cilea’s masterpiece to Salzburg for the first time with Anita Rachvelishvili. When the two divas performed the opera at the Metropolitan Opera, OperaWire noted {…}