(Photo: Michele Crosera) Given that Venice is the city of Vivaldi’s birth and the scene of most of his musical successes, it is fitting that La Fenice has been one of the leading companies in the movement toward rehabilitating staged performances of his operas. This season’s production of the composer’s 1735 work “La Griselda” will mark the fifth consecutive year {…}
(Photo: Musacchio, Ianniello e Pasquini) As part of its 2021-22 concert series the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia brought together an impressive cast which included baroque specialists Vivica Genaux and Ann Hallenberg for a performance of Vivaldi’s only surviving oratorio “Juditha Triumphans,” under the direction of the Vivaldi specialist Federico Maria Sardelli. Written in 1716 to a libretto by Giacomo {…}
(Credits: © Örjan Jakobsson / Bayerische Staatsoper official website) Mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg and baritone John Lundgren have been appointed Royal Court Singers by His Majesty King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. Hallenberg and Lundgren join a long list of famed opera singers who carry this designation, including Nina Stemme, Peter Mattei, Anna Larsson, Miah Persson, Michael Weinius, Malin Byström, Katarina {…}
(Credit: Markus Gårder) The Drottningholms Slottsteater in Sweden was forced to cancel the premiere of Georg Friedrich Händel’s opera “Agrippina” due to COVID-19. On August 7, 2021, the theater’s General Manager Anna Karinsdotter alongside director Staffan Valdemar Holm informed the audience that one of the singers in the production tested positive for the virus and as result, the theater was {…}
(Credits: Dario Acosta / Andrew Eccles/Decca / Javier del Real / Dario Acosta / Ray Burmiston) The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2021-22 season, spotlighting some of the world’s greatest performers. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works. Here is the full slate: The Bundesjugendchor presents works by Brahms, Schumann, di Laso, Harvey, Rihm, and {…}
(Credits: www.opera-online.com / © Katrin Penschke) The Musikfest Berlin has announced its 2021 slate. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. The Inaugural concert will feature the Bundesjugendchor performing choral works by Brahms, Schumann, di Lasso, Harvey, Hofmeyr, Rihm, Denner, and MacMillan. Anne Kohler conducts. Performance date: Aug. 28, 2021 Famed American soprano {…}
The Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe in Germany has announced its 2021-22 season featuring ballet, theater, and opera. For this article, we will only highlight the opera productions. Premieres Mozart’s “La Finta Giardiniera” will get a new production with Yura Yang conducting and Anja Kühnhold directing. Premiere Date: Oct. 23, 2021 Emmerich Kálmán’s “Grafin Mariza” gets a new production with Georg Fritzsch {…}
As the holiday season arrives there are new holiday albums, rarely performed gems, and world premiere recordings. Here is a look at what audiences can stream this week. White Christmas Joseph Calleja has released a single of the holiday classic on Decca Classics. The new track features Mantovani and His Orchestra and marks Calleja’s first Christmas recording. Rising W/The Crossing {…}
(Credits: Daniil Rabovsky / Gisela Schenker / Monteverdi Choir & Orchestras official website) The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be returning to the stage on August 28, 2020. The Orchestra has announced its fall season which will last until December 23, 2020. For the purpose of this article, we will focus only on the vocal works. Mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg will perform {…}
(Image Source: Palau de les Arts Official Website) The Palau de les Arts has announced its streaming program for the first half of June 2020. It all kicks off with Wagner’s “Götterdämmerung” in a performance starring Franz-Josef Kapellman, Lance Ryan, Matti Salminen, and Jennifer Wilson. Streaming Dates: June 1-2 Manuel de Falla’s “La Vida Breve” takes over with Jorge de {…}
(Credit: Örjan Jakobsson) The Teatro de la Maestranza has announced a cast change for its upcoming recital “Donne disprezzate.” The theater announced that mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg will replace Anna Bonitatibus, who was forced to cancel due to laryngitis. Hallenberg is a well-known baroque singer who has performed at the Theater an der Wien, BBC Proms, LA Philharmonic, and Palau de {…}