Bayreuth Festival 2026 Review: Der fliegende Holländer

(Photo: Enrico Nawrath) The night, replete with artistry on all sides, belonged to the Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian, who spun a brilliant column of sound throughout her fiercely emotional storytelling. Vocal pyrotechnics were amplified by Grigorian’s astonishing physical dexterity, her restless, near-gymnastic body language. Her interpretation of the role of Senta, daughter of influential villager Daland, unleashed a rebellion against {…}

Aug 12, 2026

Asmik Grigorian, Piotr Beczała, Juan Diego Flórez, Ludovic Tézier lead Wiener Staatsoper’s Open Air Concert

On Sept. 6, the Wiener Staatsoper is set to broadcast an open air concert on Vienna Burggarten at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be broadcast this year on ORF III, as well as on Film Festival auf dem Wiener Rathausplatz. The concert will feature superstars Asmik Grigorian, Piotr Beczała, Juan Diego Flórez, Ludovic Tézier as well as Jenni Hietala, Maria {…}

Aug 11, 2026

Daniela Mack, André Schuen, Ryan McKinny, Asmik Grigorian, Lucia Lucas & Joshua Guerrero Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week audiences will get to hear a world premiere recording of an important LGBT work, the first ever recording from Heartbeat Opera, a recording from the Houston Grand Opera, and the debut of an acclaimed mezzo. Here are the highlights for this week’s releases. {…}

Jul 22, 2026

Asmik Grigorian, Jonathan Tetelman, Cecilia Bartoli & Christina Nilsson Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2026 Broadcasts

The Salzburg Festival has announced three opera broadcasts. The first broadcast will be Bizet’s “Carmen” in a new production by Gabriela Carrizo and conducted by Teodor Currentzis. Asmik Grigorian, Jonathan Tetelman, Kristina Mkhitaryan, and Davide Luciano star. ORF and Mezzo will broadcast. Broadcast Date: August 8, 2026 Cecilia Bartoli, Marina Viotti, Mélissa Petit, Tara Erraught, Edgardo Rocha, Dmitry Korchak, Ildebrando {…}

Jul 5, 2026

Bayerische Staatsoper 2025-26 Review: Macbeth

(Photo: Geoffroy Schied) Such an inspired work ought to offer fertile ground for a stage director. Yet Martin Cicvák’s production, now almost two decades old, remains a striking example of Regietheater at its least illuminating. Whatever power it may once have possessed to scandalize has long since dissipated, leaving only a succession of provocations that obscure rather than deepen Shakespeare’s {…}

May 6, 2026

Jessica Pratt, Javier Camarena, Leonor Bonilla, Asmik Grigorian & Joyce El-Koury Lead ABAO Bilbao Opera’s 2026-27 Season

The ABAO Bilbao Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Jessica Pratt, Javier Camarena, and Gabriele Viviani star in Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts the production by Mario Pontiggia. Performance Dates: Oct. 17-26, 2026 Andrzej Filończyk, Leonor Bonilla, Santiago Ballerini, Sabrina Gárdez, and José Manuel Díaz star in Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” Pedro Bartolomé conducts the production {…}

Apr 28, 2026

Juan Diego Flórez, Asmik Grigorian, Lucy Crowe, Jacquelyn Wagner, Fleur Barron Lead Hong Kong Philharmonic’s 2026-27 Season

The Hong Kong Philharmonic has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. Michele Spotti conducts Juan Diego Flórez’s gala performance. Performance Dates: Oct. 22, 2026 at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall & Oct. 24, 2026 Guangzhou Xinghai Concert Hall Tarmo Peltokoski conducts Mahler’s Symphony No.8 with Jacquelyn Wagner, Chen Reiss, Louise Kwong, Catriona Morison, Sasha Cooke, Tuomas Katajala, Rinalds Kandalincevs, and Shenyang. Performance {…}

Apr 27, 2026

Anna Pirozzi, Lisette Oropesa, Freddie De Tommaso, Sondra Radvanovsky, Serena Sáenz & Sara Blanch lead Liceu Opera+’s 2026-27 Season

The Liceu Opera+ has announced its 2026-27 streaming season. The season opens with “Aida” with Anna Pirozzi, Ksenia Dudnikova, Piotr Beczała, and Igor Golovatenko. Shirin Neshat directs the production. Stream Date: Oct. 25, 2026 Adrian Noble directs Bellini’s “I Capuleti e I Montecchi” with Marko Mimica, Lisette Oropesa, Raffaella Lupinacci, and Iván Ayón Rivas. Stream Date: Nov. 22, 2026 Giacomo {…}

Apr 27, 2026

Anna Netrebko, Lise Davidsen, Asmik Grigorian, Lisette Oropesa, Sondra Radvanovsky, Nicholas Brownlee, Freddie De Tommaso, Ermonela Jaho, Jack Swanson, Sara Blanch & Serena Sáenz Lead Gran Teatre del Liceu’s 2026-27 Season

The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2026-27 season. Shirin Neshat directs Verdi’s “Aida” with four sopranos taking on the title role. Anna Netrebko, Anna Pirozzi, Olga Maslova, and Ewa Plonka star alongside Ekaterina Semenchuk, Ksenia Dudnikova, Fiorenza Cedolins, Yusif Eyvazov, Piotr Beczała, Arsen Soghomonyan, Artur Ruciński, Igor Golovatenko, Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Riccardo Fassi, George Andguladze, Manuel Fuentes, Alexander Köpeczi, {…}

Apr 24, 2026

Asmik Grigorian & Iurii Samoilov lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Eugene Onegin’ Live in HD

(Credit: Evan Zimmerman) The Metropolitan Opera’s 2025–26 Live in HD season will continue with Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” on May 2, 2026. The performance will star Asmik Grigorian as Tatiana baritone Iurii Samoilov in the title role, Maria Barakova as Olga, Stanislas de Barbeyrac as Lenski, and Alexander Tsymbalyuk as Prince Gremin. Conductor Timur Zangiev leads the production by Deborah Warner. {…}

Apr 16, 2026

Teatro San Carlo Under Investigation for Mishandling of Funds; Jonas Kaufmann Responds

The Napoli Public Prosecutor’s Office has announced a an investigation into the Teatro San Carlo. According to La Repubblica, 12 individuals are under investigation including former Superintendent Stephane Lissner, former Director General Emmanuela Spedaliere. According to reports, the alleged offenses include fraud, embezzlement, and forgery. Meanwhile, several international artists, such as tenor Jonas Kauffman, directors Krzysztof Warlikowski and Claus Guth, {…}