(Credit: Toni Suter) In 1850, Richard Wagner premiered a new opera inspired by a figure from medieval German literature: Lohengrin, a member of the Grail Knights’ brotherhood and the son of Parsifal, its king. The story draws from the Legend of the Knight of the Swan, in which a mysterious knight arrives on a magical swan to rescue a damsel {…}
Semperoper Dresden is set to present a concert performance of Verdi’s “Attila” for the first time in the company’s history. The famed Verdi opera will feature Georg Zeppenfeld, Andrzej Dobber, Anna Smirnova, Tomislav Mužek, Timothy Oliver, and Tilmann Rönnebeck, under the baton of Jordi Bernàcer. Zeppenfeld will be making his role debut as the title character while Mužek will take {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) David Alden’s 2018 production of “Lohengrin,” Wagner’s hokey fable of love, fidelity, and politics, is receiving its first revival from Peter Relton at the Royal Opera House. Alden’s setting is generic postwar Europe, all bombed out windows and bare brick, with buildings at precariously jaunty angles (sets by Paul Steinberg). In the ruins of this world Konig {…}
The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2022-23 season featuring five new productions and its Italian festival. Premiere Tomislav Mužek, Maria Kataeva, Elbenita Kajtazi, and Guanqun Yu lead Bizet’s “Carmen” in a new conducted by Yoel Gamzou and directed by Herbert Fritsch. Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2022-May 23, 2023 Kent Nagano conducts a new production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” with {…}
The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2022-23 season featuring seven new productions. Premieres R.Strauss’ “Arabella” will be conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles in a new production by Tobias Kratzer. Albert Pesendorfer, Doris Soffel, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Elena Tsallagova, and Russell Braun. Performance Dates: March 18-April 6, 2023 Arne Gieshoff and Franziska Angerer’s “Bear” will have its world premiere. Performance Dates: {…}
(Credit: Jonas Holthaus) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced that it will not be able to present Verdi’s “Aida” as a fully staged production by Benedikt von Peter due to the pandemic. As a result, the opera house has canceled the second performance in the run on Jan. 24, 2022, and will present the opera on Jan. 22 & 29, {…}
(Credit: Royal Opera House official website) The Royal Opera House has announced multiple cast changes for its upcoming productions of Puccini’s “Tosca,” Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” and Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Per an official press release, Oksana Lyniv will conduct the full run of Tosca in 2021, replacing Francesco Ivan Ciampa who was due to conduct the performances on Dec. 11, 14 & {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, revivals, jung oper, and Chamber works. Premieres Gaetano d’Espinosa conducts a new production of Peter Konwitschny Bellini’s “Norma” with Yolanda Auyanet in the title role. The cast will also include Dmytro Popov, Alexandros Stavrakakis, and Stepanka Pucalkova. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-31, 2021 Ivan Repušić conducts a new production of {…}
(Credit: Met Opera / Ken Howard / Marty Sohl) The Metropolitan Opera has announced the 24th week of its nightly streams. For the final week of August, the company will be dedicated to presenting operas by Verdi. This is the second time that the company places a focus on one composer, having done a similarly themed marathon of Wagner operas. {…}
(Credit: Gregor Hohenberg / Marius Baragan / Pavel Vaan & Leonid Semenyuk) The Vienna State Opera has announced its streaming slate for the month of June. Here is a rundown of the opera performances audiences can check on the company’s official website. June 1 – Die Frau Ohne Schatten Performance of Oct. 18, 2019 starring Stephen Gould, Camilla Nylund, Mihoko {…}
Another week in quarantine, but yet another week of exciting opera options. For those who have followed this series, you know that the 10 we usually recommend are a mixed bunch, with the intention of filling all diverse opera appetites with a wide-ranging menu. This week is no different and perhaps, because of the unique options on offer, it might {…}
