Every year, one superstar rises above the rest to become one the centerpieces of a particular Metropolitan Opera season. With the 2018-19 season, there is no doubt that this will continue to be the case with a number of singers getting chances to really stake their claim as major forces at the Met for years to come. This season we {…}
The 2018-19 Paris Opera will celebrate a double anniversary including the signing, in 1669, of the letters patent authorizing Perrin to establish an Academy of Opera – rapidly named the Royal Academy of Music and that of the inauguration of the Opéra Bastille in 1989. The season will feature a number of new productions, classic revivals, and world premieres. It {…}
In recent years, Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” has slowly but surely established a potent foothold in the Metropolitan Opera’s standard repertory. The main reason? David McVicar’s striking and still awe-inspiring interpretation of Verdi’s middle-period masterwork. A Master At Work The inspiration of Francisco de Goya and his tableaus is obvious from the opening curtain and onwards. At the core of it {…}
When is it the right time? That is the question most singers ask when choosing to explore new repertoire. There is always a risk in singing heavier works at a young age because it can damage the voice. And then there is a risk of being pigeonholed into singing one role. Ever since her breakout in 2009, Anita Rachvelshvili has {…}
Sony Classical has announced Anita Rachvelishvili’s debut album. The new album which is scheduled for release later this year will include arias from “Carmen,” “Werther,” “Don Carlo,” “Il Trovatore,” and “Samson et Dalila.” It will also include rarely performed Georgian songs. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts the CD, which features the Orchestra Sinfónica Nazionale Della Rai. Rachvelishvili is currently rehearsing for a {…}
The Rome Opera has announced its 2017-18 season showcasing a number of new productions. New Productions The season opens on Dec. 6, 2017, with Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust.” Conducted by Daniele Gatti, the opera will get a new production by Damiano Michieletto, who recently directed a highly acclaimed “Il viaggio a Reims” for the company. The opera will star {…}
It’s a weekend filled with many stars, premieres and role debuts. And there is something for any opera lover interested in exploring the classic repertoire. Austria “Rigoletto” continues its run at the Vienna State Opera with Yosep Kang, Roberto Frontali, and Aida Garifullina while “Don Pasquale” also gets one presentation with Michele Pertusi, Antonino Siragusa, and Danielle de Niese. The weekend {…}
Anita Rachvelishvili has announced her first solo album for Sony Classical. The mezzo-soprano announced on her website that she had teamed up with Sony for her first album which will feature popular mezzo works. She also noted that it would be recorded with RAI National Symphony Orchestra. Rachvelishvili is the latest artist to sign with Sony Classical, as the company {…}
The International Opera Awards have announced its annual nominees with many of the greatest stars, companies and conductors getting nominated for the prestigious prize. This year Anna Netrebko and Anita Rachvelishvili will compete for the Best Female Singer award with Maria Bengtsson, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Christiane Karg and Daniela Sindram. Netrebko’s nominations marks her third time she is up for this award. She was previously {…}
The weekend kicks off with numerous companies performing some of Verdi’s timeless classics. There will also be Mozart, Wagner and some rare gems by Weill and Heggie. Check out what’s playing near you! Austria At the Vienna State Opera Puccini’s “Tosca” kicks off with Sae-Kyung Rim in the title role alongside Aleksandrs Antonenko and Marco Vratogna. On Saturday the company will {…}
What are you doing this weekend? Do you have any plans? If not the world’s greatest houses have some great offerings this weekend. Among the artists performing include Placido Domingo, Juan Diego Florez, Lise Lindstorm and Francesco Meli. Austria The weekend kicks off with Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” at the Vienna State Opera. The production stars Aida Garifullina and Juan {…}