(Photo: Michael Bode) For its final production of the year, the Baden-Baden Festival presented Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” from December 19 to 21. It was conducted by Iván Fischer with baton and on the plateau, because the conductor, like Karajan before him, also directed the staging. The foremost quality of this production was undoubtedly the silky smoothness and harmony of the {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2026 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Franck Ollu conducts Pascal Dusapin and Rita de Letteriis’s “Passion” starring Sarah Aristidou, Georg Nigl, and Schola Heidelberg. Performance Date: July 23, 2026 Asmik Grigorian stars as Bizet’s “Carmen” alongside Jonathan Tetelman, Kristina Mkhitaryan, and Davide Luciano. Teodor Currentzis conducts the production by Gabriela {…}
(Photo: © Monika Rittershaus) “Don Giovanni” is an opera of seductions and escapes, moral wreckage and divine retribution, a shimmering mosaic of comedy, tragedy, farce, and existential dread. Yet “the mother of all operas” is also a uniquely treacherous work—at once alluring and intractable, irresistibly open yet elusive. Music’s sublimity rarely fails to connect with audiences, even in a less-than-stellar {…}
Welcome back to another look at the latest CD and DVD releases of the week. This week, audiences will get to hear Jonas Kaufmann’s complete Decca catalog, a new “Tristan und Isolde”, and a Mozart CD. SO SMOOTH, SO SWEET Parma Recording releases a collection of vocal works from Harvard University composer Allen Sapp spanning from his early compositions in {…}
The lineup for Schubertiade 2026 has been announced. This article only features opera and classical vocal performances. Baritone Konstantin Krimmel and pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz open the season with an all Schubert program. Performance Date: April 29, 2026 Mezzo-soprano Sophie Rennert, pianist Joseph Middleton, and Vocalis are up next. Performance Date: April 30, 2026 Baritone Konstantin Krimmel Baritone is joined by {…}
The Fondazione l’Unione Musicale has announced its 2025-26 season. Here are the vocal performances for the season. Fiamma & Foco Perform music by Luzzaschi, Frescobaldi, Strozzi, Falconieri, Sances, Merula, and Monteverdi. Performance Date: Oct. 27, 2025 at the Teatro Vittoria Sentieri Selvaggi Perform music by Vacchi, Galante, Colombo Taccani, Montalbetti, Boccadoro, Francesconi, del Corno, and Colla. Performance Date: Nov. 4, {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with “The Cunning Little Vixen,” featuring Peter Mattei, Anaïs Masllorens, David Alegret, Elena Tsallagova, Alejandro López, Milan Perišić, Sara Bañeras, Angela Brower, Mireia Pintó, Laura Brasó, and Mercedes Gancedo. Josep Pons conducts the production by Barrie Kosky. Performance Dates: Sept. 20-30, 2025 Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” will star Anthony Roth Costanzo, {…}
The 33rd annual Schubertiada of Vilabertran has announced its festival from August 14 to 31, 2025, and will pay tribute to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Here are the vocal performances. Carles Pachon and Berta Brull perform songs by Baldrís, García Cardona, Guinovart, Pagès-Corella, Ortega, Toldrà, and others. Performance Date: August 14, 2025 Elionor Martínez, Ferran Albrich, and Victoria Guerrero headline a recital {…}
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has announced its 2025 festival. Opera First up is “Don Giovanni” in a production by Robert Icke starring Andrè Schuen, Krzysztof Bączyk, Golda Schultz, Magdalena Kožená, Amitai Pati, Clive Bayley, Madison Nonoa, and Paweł Horodyski. Sir Simon Rattle conducts. Performance Dates: July 4 – 18, 2025 Charpentier’s “Louise” stars Elsa Dreisig, Adam Smith, Sophie Koch, Grégoire Mour, Roberta {…}
(Photo credit: Clive Barda) It’s curtain down, the opera has just ended and the cast are – dressed in 18th century attire – each taking their turns to bow to the applause, to the sound of “Così’s” ouverture. Confused? Well, that was just the start to an evening that was as whacky as it was amusing, if not also a {…}
The Schubertiade Schwarzenberg and Hohenems has announced its 2025 season. Here is a breakdown of the vocal performances on offer. Hohenems Bass Lukas Lemcke and pianist Helmut Deutsch perform works by Schubert, Wolf, and Loewe. Performance Date: April 26, 2025 Soprano Katja Maderer joins forces with Amadeus von Wiesensee for a Schubert recital. Performance Date: April 27, 2025 Baritone Liviu {…}
