(Photos: © Monika Rittershaus, Salzburger Festspiele) In 2020, the Salzburg Festival’s centenary program was reorganized due to restrictions concerning the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Mozart’s opera “Così fan tutte” – which was not initially planned for that summer – had to be shortened and performed without an intermission. Conductor Joana Mallwitz and director Christof Loy had very little time {…}
Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week audiences will get to hear a world premiere recording of an important LGBT work, the first ever recording from Heartbeat Opera, a recording from the Houston Grand Opera, and the debut of an acclaimed mezzo. Here are the highlights for this week’s releases. {…}
The Opus Klassik has announced its 2026 winners. Here are the vocal winners. The Female Singer of the Year went to Anna Lucia Richter for “Gustav Mahler – Songs of Fate” while the Male Singer of the Year went to Andrè Schuen for “Mozart.” The Conductor of the Year went to Andris Nelsons for “Felix Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Oratorios” while {…}
The Philharmonie Luxembourg has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. The Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Möst perform works by Strauss with Golda Schultz as the soloist. Performance Sate: Oct. 5, 2026 Elionor Martínez and Josep Maria Martí Duran join forces for works by Caccini, Campmany, Dowland, Ferrabosco, Händel, Hidalgo, Monteverdi, Nicholson, Purcell, and Strozzi. Performance Sate: Oct. 27, {…}
(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, {…}