Jonas Kaufmann, Elīna Garanča, Luca Salsi, Lisette Oropesa, Elena Stikhina, Asmik Grigorian Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2022 Season

(Credit: Anne Zeuner) The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2022 season, featuring eight operas, concerts, and international opera stars. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the vocal works only. Operas The season opens with Romeo Castellucci’s production of Béla Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle.” The opera stars Mika Kares and Aušrinė Stundytė in the lead roles, alongside soprano {…}

Dec 7, 2021

CueTV to Stream Teatro Real’s ‘Rusalka’

CueTV is set to stream Dvorak’s “Rusalka” in a production from the Teatro Real de Madrid. The new production showcases Dvorak’s main character as a ballet dancer with injured feet who relies on crutches to aid her movement. Directed by Christof Loy, the production is set in the foyer of an opera house. Ivor Bolton conducted a cast that included {…}

Dec 7, 2021

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Reopening & Cast Changes for ‘Don Carlo’

(Credit: © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that it will reopen its doors to the public with a performance of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” on Dec. 13, 2021 after a three-week closure due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The opera had its live online premiere on Dec. 5. “Don Giovanni” stars Hanna-Elisabeth Müller as Donna {…}

Nov 5, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Sabine Devieilhe, Dawn Upshaw & Asmik Grigorian Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences can experience a new solo album by one of opera’s reigning divas, two new albums by a great coloratura, a world premiere and two new DVDs from recent productions. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Amata dalle Tenebre Deutsche Grammophon releases Anna Netrebko’s new album “Amata Dalle Tenebre,” which marks the soprano’s first studio {…}

Oct 6, 2021

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Cast Change for ‘Eugene Onegin’

The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its upcoming revival of “Eugene Onegin.” The company noted that Asmik Grigorian will take over the role of Tatiana for the first two performances of the run on Oct. 15 and 18 while Elena Guseva will sing the role on Oct. 21, 24, and 26, 2021. Both sopranos will replace Nicole {…}

Oct 1, 2021

Royal Opera House 2021-22 Review: Jenůfa

((c) ROH 2021) The Royal Opera House’s first new production of Leoš Janáček’s “Jenůfa” in over twenty years was one of the first casualties of the 2020 lockdown, shelved on the cusp of opening in March that year. A starry cast made it an especially hot ticket then, especially given the involvement of imaginative German director Claus Guth, and {…}

Sep 11, 2021

Anna Pirozzi, Asmik Grigorian, Karita Mattila, Salome Jicia Headline Royal Opera House’s Fall 2021 Streaming Slate

(Credit: Clive Barda / Royal Opera House / ArenaPAL) The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has announced an autumn streaming program as part of its 2021-22 season. The company will present productions of “The Magic Flute,” “Macbeth,” and “Jenufa” as well as such ballets as “Giselle,” and “The Dante Project.” Additionally, the company will also stream the Irish National Opera’s {…}

Aug 31, 2021

Asmik Grigorian Clarifies Vaccine Status Following Interview Comments

(Credit: T. Kolesnikov) Asmik Grigorian has clarified her vaccine status following comments she made during an interview with The Times U.K. The Lithuanian soprano took to social media and noted, “I’m vaccinated. I chose to get vaccinated. In my recent interview with ‘The Times,’ I said that I don’t like to be forced into getting vaccinated in order to do {…}

Jun 14, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Renée Fleming, Sonya Yoncheva, Anita Rachvelishvili & Lise Davidsen Headline Berlin Philharmonic’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Dario Acosta / Andrew Eccles/Decca / Javier del Real / Dario Acosta / Ray Burmiston) The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2021-22 season, spotlighting some of the world’s greatest performers. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works. Here is the full slate: The Bundesjugendchor presents works by Brahms, Schumann, di Laso, Harvey, Rihm, and {…}

Jun 11, 2021

Renée Fleming, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Lise Davidsen & Ian Bostridge Lead Elbphilharmonie Hamburg’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Operabase official website / Jiyang Chen / Simon Pauly / Ray Burmiston / Opus 3 Artists official website) The Elbphilharmonie Hamburg has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. Baritone Matthias Goerne presents works by Richard Wagner alongside conductor Manfred Honeck. Performance date: Aug. 29, 2021 Soprano Diana {…}

Jun 6, 2021

Charles Castronovo, Aušrine Stundyte & Asmik Grigorian Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week two new DVDs will be available. One comes from the archives while the other comes from an exceptional production recorded last summer. Soprano Julia Bullock also previews her new album with the first single. Here is a look. Mireille Gounod’s “Mireille” will get a reissue on Naxos from the Paris Opera. The production hails from the 2009–10 season {…}