Jakub Józef Orliński, Malin Byström, Aigul Akhmetshina, Tomasz Konieczny, Monika Radecka, Evelyn Herlitzius, Ausrine Stundyte, Artur Ruciński Lead Polish National Opera’s 2026-27 Season

The Polish National Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. New Productions Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts the world premiere of Maxim Kolomiiets’ “The Mothers of Kherson” in a production by Barbara Wysocka. The cast includes Izabela Matuła, Hanna Sosnowska-Bill, Weronika Wojtkowska, Elissa Pfaender, Małgorzata Walewska, Jadwiga Postrożna, Andrei Bondarenko, Katarzyna Wietrzny, Tomasz Rak, Ólafur Sigurdarson, Tadeusz Szlenkier, and Adrian Domarecki. Performance Dates: Oct. 16-27, 2026 Paweł Mykietyn’s {…}

Apr 15, 2026

Saioa Hernández, Xabier Anduaga, Aleksandra Kurzak, Roberto Alagna, Tomasz Konieczny, Federica Lombardi, Julieth Lozano, Elsa Dreisig, & Juliana Grigoryan Lead Deutsche Oper Berlin’s 2026-27 Season

The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2026-27 season. Premieres “Mittwoch aus Licht” will be conducted by Maxime Pascal and directed by Susanne Kennedy. Performance Dates: Sept. 19-27, 2026 Wagner’s “Der fliegende Holländer” will be conducted by Anna Handler and Giedrė Šlekytė and directed by Milo Rau. The opera will star Tareq Nazmi, Aušrine Stundytė, Attilio Glaser, Stephanie Wake-Edwards, Omar {…}

Mar 26, 2026

Nadine Sierra, Lise Davidsen, Pretty Yende, Juan Diego Flórez, Tamara Wilson, Brian Mulligan, Julia Bullock, Saioa Hernández & Aušrinė Stundytė Lead Opéra National de Paris’ 2026-27 Season

The Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Tyshawn Sorey’s “Perle noire : méditations pour Joséphine” will star Julia Bullock and Tyshawn Sorey on piano. Peter Sellars directs. Performance Dates: Sept. 9-19, 2026 Lea Desandre, Marina Viotti, Huw Montague Rendall, Andrzej Filończyk, Jack Swanson, Josh Lovell, Nicola Alaimo, and Adolfo Corrado star in Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” {…}

Mar 19, 2026

Sonya Yoncheva, Lucy Crowe, Ausrine Stundyte, Davóne Tines & Julia Bullock Lead LA Philharmonic’s 2026-27 Season

The LA Philharmonic has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. Emmanuelle Haïm conducts Handel’s “Messiah” with Lucy Crowe, Carlo Vistoli, Lunga Eric Hallam, and Ashley Riches. Performance Date: Dec. 15, 2026 Emmanuelle Haïm conducts Le Concert d’Astrée Choir in the Christmas concert featuring Corelli and Vivaldi. Performance Date: Dec. 18-20, 2026 Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Schoenberg, Webern, and Mahler {…}

Feb 22, 2026

Donald Runnicles Leads Dresden Philharmonic in ‘Elektra’

On March 12 and 15, 2026, the Dresden Philharmonic will perform Richard Strauss’ “Elektra” in concert form at the Dresden Kulturpalast. The work will be conducted by chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles, who has become an acclaimed interpreter of Strauss’ masterwork following performances at the Wiener Staatsoper, BBC Proms, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. {…}

Jan 31, 2026

Ausrine Stundyte Joins MWA Management

(Credit: Petra Baratova) Lithuanian soprano Ausrine Stundyte has joined MWA Management. Stundyte is known for being one of the most compelling singing actresses in her generation. Among her most recent memorable performances include “Elektra” at the Salzburg Festival, Emilia Marty in the first ever production of “The Makropulos Case” at the Royal Ballet&Opera and Katerina Izmailova in “Lady Macbeth of {…}

Dec 23, 2025

Wiener Staatsoper 2025-26 Review: Elektra

(Photo: Ashley Taylor) Richard Strauss’s one-act opera “Elektra” (1909), with a searing libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, stands as a monumental achievement in 20th-century music drama. A radical adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy, it plunges the listener into the tormented psyche of Elektra, obsessed with avenging her father Agamemnon’s murder by her mother, Klytämnestra, with the help of her lover Aegisth. {…}

Nov 6, 2025

Royal Ballet & Opera 2025–26 Review: The Makropulos Case

(Photo: Camilla Greenwell) Pinching twitching nerves, Czech master Janáček’s angst-ridden “The Makropulos Case” warns of extra life. Lead role Emilia Marty’s present incarnation joins a palimpsest: Eugenia Montez, Ellian MacGregor, Ekaterina Myshkin, Else Müller and the titular Elina Makropulos. A magical elixir has sustained her for three centuries. Strife drives the aria-void work. Through strings unhinged, alarming accidentals and duplicitous {…}

Aug 12, 2025

Nicky Spence, Ausrine Stundyte, Bogdan Volkov & Sara Swietlicki Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will be able to listen to the world premiere of a new work, a DVD of Weinberg’s opera from Salzburg, and a rarely performed opera by Giacomelli. Adoration Bright Shiny Things releases “Adoration,” the world premiere live recording of an {…}

May 28, 2025

Dutch National Opera 2024-25 Review: Die Frau Ohne Schatten

(Photo: Ruth Walz) Like other fairytales, Richard Strauss’ opera, “Die Frau ohne Shatten,” with its cast of human and supernatural beings, otherworldly locations and a magical plot, makes use of symbols and metaphor to carry deeper messages and thus opens itself up to a wide range of interpretations. Katie Mitchell, the director for Dutch National Opera’s recent production, certainly took {…}

Apr 2, 2025

Anna Netrebko, Freddie De Tommaso, Marina Rebeka, Bryn Terfel, Aigul Akhmetshina, Lisette Oropesa, Juan Diego Flórez & Pretty Yende Lead Royal Ballet & Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Oliver Mears. Anna Netrebko and Aleksandra Kurzak share the title role. Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley also star. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 7, 2025 Speranza Scappucci conducts Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” in a revival of Stefan Herheim’s production. Marina {…}