(Credit: Catherine Ashmore) David McVicar’s new production of Britten’s late masterpiece “Death in Venice” is a brooding and elusive meditation on the tribulations of aging creativity and its relationship to death and desire. Peter Pears confided that “Ben is writing an evil opera, and it is killing him,” which no doubt prompts cured autobiographical readings of the work. But here {…}
The Royal Opera will make a return to Japan during the 2019-20 season. The company will perform two classic works of the standard repertory including Verdi’s “Otello” and Gounod’s “Faust.” Antonio Pappano will conduct all of the performances. “Faust” will open on tour on Sept. 12, 2019 and will feature tenor Vittorio Grigòlo in the title role. He will be {…}
The Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia has announced its 2019-20 season featuring some of the world’s most renowned soloists. For this article we will only focus on the concert featuring vocal performances. The season opens with Antonio Pappano conducting Javier Camarena in Berlioz’s Requiem “Grande Messe des morts.” Performance Dates: Oct. 10-12, 2019 Mikko Franck conducts Verdi’s Messa da Requiem {…}
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra has announced its 2019-20 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus primarily on vocal performances. The season will open with a concert led by Frank-Steffen Elster featuring the GewandhausJugendchor. They will perform works by Clara and Robert Schumann, Fanny Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Performance Date: Sept. 15, 2019 Elster will lead the GewandhausJugendchor, and {…}
On April 2, 2019, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden will showcase its new production of “La Forza del Destino” in cinemas. The production, which is directed by Christof Loy stars Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann as the tragic lovers of Verdi’s epic opera. Alongside them will be Ludovic Tézier and Ferruccio Furlanetto. The production is conducted by Antonio Pappano. {…}
This review is for the performance on March 24, 2019. The crux of its concept a curse, Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” relies on motifs as portentous as ravens. With its harrowing theme of inescapable fate rearing its head in the overture, the early murder of the Marquis of Calatrava heralds the “maledizione:” a hounding lethal curse that will hunt {…}
San Francisco Symphony has announced its 2019-20 season, which marks the 25th and final season of Michael Tilson Thomas’ distinguished tenure as Music Director. For the purposes of this article, we will focus primarily on vocal performances. The season will start off with a concert led by Michael Tilson Thomas featuring tenor Nicholas Phan and cellist Oliver Herbert, along with {…}
On Jan. 22, 2019, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden will present Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” in cinemas around the world. The production will be directed by directed by Stefan Herheim whose previous work with the company includes “Les Vêpres Siciliennes” and will feature Aleksandrs Antonenko as Gherman; the Latvian tenor has previously performed in such operas as “Otello,” {…}
Opera Magazine has revealed a number of role debuts and operas scheduled for upcoming seasons. According to the February 2019 edition, Sir Antonio Pappano will conduct a new production of “Samson et Dalila” at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 2022. The Magazine also revealed that Rolando Villazón will continue directing opera at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and next season {…}
We had the unexpected pleasure of attending the last Cycle of the Keith Warner production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (September 26 through November 2, 2018). Warner’s production, like most modern productions, had several insightful touches and many silly ones. The performance begins and ends with the Rhine Maidens in a “natural state” {…}
The Tanglewood Festival has announced its 2019 season. As with other programs of this sort, we will limit ourselves to the vocal and operatic selections on display. For the full program, click here. Verdi’s Requiem will get a performance with Kristine Opolais, Oksana Volkova, Jonathan Tetelman, and Ryan Speedo Green. Andris Nelsons will conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Performance Date: {…}