The Viennese Opera Ball is set to be held at Cipriani 42nd Street in a celebration of culture, tradition and timeless glamour, for its 70th annual gala, marking a major milestone for one of New York City’s most enduring and distinguished international social and cultural events on Friday, May 8, 2026. This year’s Ball carries added resonance as it also {…}
The Orchestre Métropolitain de Montreal has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts Sarah Dufresne in Massenet and Auber. The program also includes music by Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and Grandval. Performance Dates: Nov. 11-15, 2027 Léa Moisan-Perrier conducts the Noël choral à la Basilique with the Chœur Métropolitain. Performance Date: Dec. 8, 2027 Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Des airs de fêtes {…}
The BBC Proms has announced its 2026 season. Here are the vocal performances. The festival opens on with pianist Yunchan Lim and tenor Thomas Atkins joining Dalia Stasevska and the BBC Symphony Orchestra for music by Ravel, Copland, Gershwin and Finzi. There will also be a world premiere by Josephine Stephenson. Performance Date: July 17, 2026 Gianandrea Noseda leads Beethoven’s Symphony {…}
(Photo Credit: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) I’ve seen “La Bohème” many times, which means I usually know within a few minutes how it’s going to go. Puccini doesn’t ask for permission to rip your heart out; an unrelenting sense of tragedy is the hallmark of his work. At some point, the opera either grabs you, or it doesn’t, and {…}
San Francisco Performances announces its 2026-27 season. Here’s a look at the classical voice events. Tenor Nicholas Phan and pianist Myra Huang give the concert, “Fellow Citizens.” The program featuring works by Franz Schubert, Ruth Crawford Seeger, as well as a new work by Shawn Kkpebholo that reflects on contrasting narratives in American history. Performance Date: October 22, 2026 Soprano {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. Angel Blue headlines Floyd’s “Susannah” alongside Rod Gilfry, Bille Bruley, Aaron Blake, Deborah Nansteel, and Malcolm MacKenzie. James Gaffigan conducts Patricia Racette’s production. Performance Dates: Oct. 23-Nov. 8, 20-26 Matthew Polenzani headlines Gounod’s “Faust” with Pretty Yende, Ildebrando d’Arcangelo, Sean Michael Plumb, and Sun-Ly Pierce. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week, audiences can hear a recital by one of the most famous sopranos of our time and discover several baroque works by rarely performed composers. They can also get a glimpse at one of the upcoming operas at the Metropolitan Opera. Here are {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2026-27 season. Premieres The opera premieres begin with Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera,” a new production by Angela Denoke in her Semperoper directorial debut, conducted by Daniele Gatti and Stefano Tanzanian. Francesco Meli, Giorgio Berrugi, Nicole Car, Yulia Matochkina, Rosalia Cid, George Petean, and Lodovico Filippo Ravizza. Performance Dates: Oct. 4, 2026-May 21, 2027 {…}
It is time to wrap up the year and look back at our favorite moments and performers. After releasing our favorite performances of 2025 and showcasing our rising stars of the year, it’s time for OperaWire’s annual tradition of naming our top singers of the year, honoring the opera stars that had major, and in some cases, career-defining, years. So without further ado {…}
The Fondazione Arena di Verona has postponed its upcoming “Aida” in Adelaide, Verona, which was being produced by TEG Live. Limelight is reporting that the production, which was scheduled for Feb. 5 and 6, was postponed “due to unforeseen challenges related to the international transport of artistic assets”, which have upended plans to ship the production’s vast inventory of sets, {…}
(Photo Credit: Evan Zimmerman / Metropolitan Opera) Franco Zeffirelli’s production of Puccini’s “La Bohème” is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera. The production, which opens on Oct. 21, will be performed 20 times. The first cast of five performances will feature soprano Juliana Grigoryan and tenor Freddie De Tommaso alongside soprano Heidi Stober, baritone Lucas Meachem, baritone Sean Michael {…}