Wolfgang Koch is one of today’s leading baritones who has mastered many of the great German roles by Wagner and Strauss. He has performed all over the world and has also become well known for his interpretation of Wotan in Wagner’s “The Ring Cycle.” This week, he adds another role to his repertoire in an unknown modern masterpiece. Koch will {…}
This week, the San Diego Opera will showcase “Florencia en el Amazonas” for the first time in the company’s history. And with it, the company will highlight one of today’s promising young stars, the Cuban-American soprano Elaine Alvarez. The soprano, who came into prominence in 2007 when she made her debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, will make her highly {…}
David Bizic is one of today’s most promising baritones, singing all over the world and performing leading roles in his home country of France. This week, he takes on another milestone in his career singing his first Enrico in “Lucia di Lammermoor.” The baritone will take on the immense role at the Opera de Toulon, a theater where he had {…}
For the past years, Ailyn Pérez has quickly risen to stardom, creating memorable performances all around the world and at the greatest theaters. This past year, she broke out at the Metropolitan Opera in memorable performances of Massenet’s “Thaïs” and most recently in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” OperaWire noted that Perez’s voice “must be heard.” This week, Pérez returns {…}
Elizabeth DeShong is one of today’s biggest rising stars singing at some of the world’s greatest stages and performing some of the toughest mezzo roles in the repertoire. And this week, the mezzo takes on her biggest Metropolitan Opera assignment yet as Arsace in Rossini’s “Semiramide.” For years DeShong has been a huge proponent of Rossini’s music, performing it in {…}
Layla Claire has become one of the most promising lyric sopranos of her generation. Throughout the past years, she has specialized in the works of Mozart and Handel as well as Britten. And this week she will add yet another major role to her repertory, “Alcina.” After canceling her highly anticipated debut in the role earlier this year at the {…}
On Monday, soprano Evelyn Herlitzius kicks off her first year on the North American opera scene. For years, the German soprano has dominated Europe as a leading interpreter of the German repertoire. She has dominated Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, Baden-Baden, Salzburg, and Paris, among others, in such operas as “Elektra,” “Tristan und Isolde,” “Wozzeck,” “Lohengrin,” and Wagner’s “Der Ring des {…}
Massenet’s “Manon” is known as the pinnacle of the lyric soprano repertoire. It is a massive five-act grand opera that showcases a soprano’s vocal fireworks as well the dramatic potential. And this week, Irina Lungu will take on the role for the first time at the Bilbao Opera. Lungu’s assumption of “Manon” is the culmination of what has been two seasons {…}
Over the past years, Vittorio Grigolo has become one of the biggest stars in the opera world for his magnetic and charismatic stage presence. His performances have been heralded by critics in numerous lyric roles including Nemorino in “L’Elisir d’Amore,” Edgardo in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” Rodolfo in “La “Boheme,” and Hoffmann in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann.” And now the tenor is {…}
LThe Teatro La Fenice continues its 2016-17 season presenting a rarely heard Rossini work, “L’Occasione fa il Ladro.” The work, which is rarely performed, requires agility and virtuosic coloratura that can give any artist a chance to shine. And this week, rising star Rocio Perez continues her ascent in the opera world, taking on her first Berenice. Perez is no {…}
Liana Aleksanyan has had a rollercoaster year making an unexpected debut at the Teatro alla Scala and establishing herself as one of the most acclaimed Cio-Cio Sans of her generation. This week she continues her ascension in the opera world headlining “Aida” at the Macerata Opera Festival. The assumption of Aida brings Aleksanyan to another stage in her career as she takes {…}