As January continues, many of the opera companies are back in session with a number of revivals and new productions on offer. The focus of this weekend’s major choices will be numerous repertory standards. Arabella – Théâtre des Champs Elysées, France Anja Harteros sings her signature role alongside a cast that includes Kurt Rydl, Doris Soffel, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, and Michael Volle. {…}
Can great singing justify the whole opera production? This season director Amélie Niermeyer presented a new production of Verdi’s masterpiece “Otello” at the Bayerische Staatsoper. In this controversial production any heroic as well as historical context was removed. Instead of a story of an exhausted hero, broken under the pressure of doubts and jealousy, we received a story of a {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper will live stream the Dec. 2 performance of Verdi’s “Otello” via its Staatsoper.TV. The free transmission will kick off at 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST and 10 a.m. PST) and is set to feature Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. Anja Harteros will star as Desdemona and Gerald Finley will round out the cast as {…}
This weekend, it’s all about new productions. From South America to Europe, three of Verdi’s greatest opera are getting new productions. Meanwhile, Saint-Saëns’ masterpiece is getting a rare performance while the Festival Donizetti is in full swing. Check it out. La Traviata – Teatro Municipal Enrique Buenaventura, Colombia Federico Figueroa directs a new production of “La Traviata” in Cali starring Gabriela {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its video-on-demand schedule, which will feature a total of seven performances starting in Dec. 2018. The first such performance to stream will be Verdi’s “Otello,” featuring Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros. That performance will be streamed on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, and will be available on demand Dec. 4 for 24 hours. Smetana’s “The Bartered {…}
The 2018-19 season is about to start with numerous new productions, revivals and world premieres. With a ton of selections to be sure in many of the world’s greatest houses, we whittled it down to the 10 Must-See productions operas that you cannot miss this fall. Medée – Berlin State Opera Sonya Yoncheva takes on her 50th role in Cherubini’s rarely {…}
There are only a few artists that have starred throughout the 21st century that could truly find themselves critic-proof. Anja Harteros is one of them. The German soprano, born on July 23, 1972, started voice training at age 14 in Gummersbach while still in school. Even before she had graduated high school, she was already performing concerts and by the {…}
It’s a weekend of firsts with two major stars making major role debuts, while two other major stars headline an important world premiere. But it is also a weekend of endings as one of the greatest opera legends says goodbye to staged opera. Here is a look at what will definitely an incredibly unforgettable weekend. L’Italiana in Algeri-Teatro Colón, Argentina {…}
The 2017-18 season comes to an end and in comes festival season. So where are the big stars and what are interesting works being discovered this year? With a ton of selections to be sure, we whittled it down to the 10 Must-See productions (as we did with the U.S.) that cannot be missed this summer. 10. Tristan und Isolde – {…}
The scene is set: a masked ball, set into the morning audience of King Gustavo III of Sweden – scarlet taffeta capes and gowns, coal-black hats and boots, creme and black masks. Donald Runnicles’, Music Director of the Deutscher Oper Berlin, lifts his baton with the brisk and lively overture to Verdi’s “Un Ballo In Maschera” and the curtain rises. {…}
Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier” is in many ways a sibling of Puccini’s “Tosca.” Both were sired by librettist Luigi Illica and both share the staple verismo ingredients of sex, politics, romantic obsession, frustrated baritones, and a grim end for the protagonists. There is also the common factor of youth in all its sanguine exuberance. Cavaradossi and Chénier are idealists with fatal {…}
