The 2018-19 Paris Opera will celebrate a double anniversary including the signing, in 1669, of the letters patent authorizing Perrin to establish an Academy of Opera – rapidly named the Royal Academy of Music and that of the inauguration of the Opéra Bastille in 1989. The season will feature a number of new productions, classic revivals, and world premieres. It {…}
The International Opera Award nominations have bee announced. The organization, which seeks to recognize the best of the industry recognizes 18 categories. This year the nominees for Female Singer are Malin Byström, Carmen Giannattasio, Barbara Hannigan, who recently won the Grammy, Hui He, Ermonela Jaho and Eva-Maria Westbroek. In the Male Singer category, Piotr Beczała is nominated alongside Günther Groissböck, Peter Mattei, Eric Owens, {…}
The Grammy Awards have been announced with numerous opera singers winning the prestigious award. The producer of the year award went to David Frost, who produced Verdi’s “Otello” for the Metropolitan Opera. The DVD stars Aleksandrs Antonenko, Sonya Yoncheva, and Zeljko Lucic. Günther Groissböck and Dimitri Pittas round out the cast. The award for Best Opera recording went to the {…}
On Saturday, Oct. 21, Sir Antonio Pappano, soprano Barbara Hannigan, and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome) presented an impressive program with two pieces from opposite ends of the musical spectrum. The world-class orchestra, combined with Pappano’s infectious energy, brought the hall to life. It has become common practice among orchestras to mix up the evening by programming {…}
George Benjamin’s “Written on Skin” makes its return to the Royal Opera House on Friday, Jan. 13 for five performances. The opera, Benjamin’s first full-length work in the genre, had its premiere at the 2012 Aix-en-Provence Festival and then arrived at the Royal Opera House in 2013. The work is divided into 15 scenes and takes place in 13th Century {…}