(Credit: Vladimir Shirokov) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that it will stream Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” on June 27, 2025. The production by Vera Nemirova will be conducted by Timur Zangiev and will star Anna Netrebko in her role debut as Lisa. She will be accompanied by Yusif Eyvazov in his signature role as Hermann. The cast will also {…}
The Teatro alla Scala has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk,” featuring Alexander Roslavets, Sara Jakubiak, Najmiddin Mavlyanov, Alexander Kravets, Valery Gilmanov, Yevgeny Akimov, Jirí Rajniš, Oleg Budaratskiy, Ekaterina Sannikova, Goderedzi Janelidze, Elena Maximova, Natalya Romaniw, Huanhong Li, and Vasyl Solodkyy. Riccardo Chailly conducts the new production by Vasily Barkhatov. Performance Dates: Dec. {…}
(Credit: Matthias Baus) My first glimpse of Anna Netrebko was in a performance of Donizetti. She was beautiful, bright, and dynamic — singing while darting around the stage and even somersaulting onto a couch. Here was an opera singer who, in one moment, ended the notion that operatic divas are just singing pieces of furniture. At the Staatsoper Unter den {…}
The Philharmonie Luxembourg has announced its 2025-26 season. Here are the vocal performances. The Orchestra and Coro del Teatro alla Scala will be conducted by Riccardo Chailly in music by Verdi and Rossini. Performance Date: Sept. 9, 2025 Sir John Eliot Gardiner will conduct the Luxembourg Philharmonic in Mendelssohn’s “Musik zu Ein Sommernachtstraum” and “Die erste Walpurgisnacht.” Sam Cobb, Rebecca Hardwick, {…}
The Hungarian State Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. New Productions “Lohengrin” will get a new production by András Almási-Tóth. Martin Rajna conducts two separate casts starring Christopher Sokolowski, Szabolcs Brickner, Johanni van Oostrum, Klára Kolonits, Egils Siliņš, Károly Szemerédy, Judit Kutasi, and Szilvia Rálik, among others. Performance Dates: Nov. 15-20, 2025 There will be a world premiere double bill {…}
Les Grandes Voix | Les Grands Solistes has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with a Gala Joséphine Baker starring Pretty Yende, Neima Naouri, and Luan Pommier, among many others. The concert will take place at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Performance Date: Oct. 4, 2025 Jakub Józef Orliński will headline “#LetsBaRock” at L’Olympia. Performance Date: Oct. 12, 2025 Julien Chauvin leads the {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, two of the most famous divas release new albums, both from important concert performances. There are also some world premiere recordings, a Puccini work, and a baroque video recording. Pergolesi: Stabat Mater Deutsche Grammophon continues its joint label Verbier Festival Gold. {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the operas and recitals for the new season. Premieres Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” will get a new production by Dirk Schmeding. The cast will be headed by Franz Xaver Schlecht, Margaret Plummer, Slávka Zámečníková, Ivo Stanchev, Monika Bohinec, Pavol Breslik, Michael Laurenz, Peter Kellner, Matthäus Schmidlechner, Ilia Staple, and Alex Ilvakhin. Tomáš Hanus conducts. A second cast will {…}
(Credit: Vladimir Shirokov) Anna Netrebko’s management has released a statement regarding the April 9 performance in Istanbul being canceled. The soprano’s team released a statement noting, “Anna Netrebko was looking forward to making her debut in Istanbul on 9 April 2025 in Istanbul in a concert at the Volkswagen Arena. Unfortunately, due to the current ongoing situation in the city {…}
(Photo: © Olga Rubio Dalmau) In anticipation of Opernhaus Zurich’s 2025-26 season announcement, it has been confirmed that Anna Netrebko will be back with the company for a production of “La Forza del Destino.” The website Aargauer Zeitung confirmed that the new opera director, Matthias Schulz said, “We’ve also secured Anna Netrebko; she will soon sing Leonora in Verdi’s ‘Forza {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello,” starring Brian Jadge, Jorge de León, and Angelo Villari in the title role. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Artur Ruciński, Gabriele Viviani, Airam Hernández, Asmik Grigorian, and Maria Agresta. Nicola Luisotti and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct the production by David Alden. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}