(Credit: Julian Hargreaves) Berlin Staatsoper Unter Linden’s General Director is defending his choice to bring back Anna Netrebko in a fall production of “Macbeth.” In a recent statement, Matthias Schulz said, “Anna Netrebko is a great artist” and “she has now clearly positioned herself with her actions. As far as it was possible for her, she also showed character. I think {…}
Countertenor Jochen Kowalski has announced his retirement at the age of 68. In a statement Staatsoper Unter den Linden said, “the career of Berlin Kammersänger Jochen Kowalski began at the Komische Oper Berlin. His roles, many in productions by Harry Kupfer, made him popular worldwide and guest appearances have taken him to all the leading opera houses in Germany as {…}
Daniel Barenboim has canceled his participation in the new production of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Berlin State Opera due to health reasons. As a result, the tetralogy, which will be staged by Dmitri Tcherniakov, will be conducted by Christian Thielemann for the first and third cycles and Thomas Guggeis for the second cycle. In a statement, {…}
The Berlin State Opera has announced its 2022-23 season featuring a new Ring Cycle. The Ring Cycle Daniel Barenboim conducts a new production of Wagner’s epic The Ring Cycle by Dmitri Tcherniakov. Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” is set to star Michael Volle, Lauri Vasar, Siyabonga Maqungo, Rolando Villazón, Claudia Mahnke, Anett Fritsch, Anna Kissjudit, Johannes Martin Kränzle, Stephan Rügamer, Mika Kares, {…}
(Credit: Brinkhoff/Mögenburg) The Berlin State Opera is set to revive Bartlett Sher’s production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” The production, which premiered in 2019, will star Christopher Maltman who reprises the title role, Erin Morley as Gilda, and Saimir Pirgu as the Duke of Mantua. Grigory Shkarupa and Marina Prudenskaya round out the cast as Sparafucile and Maddalena. Ivan Repušić conducts. When {…}
(Credit: Achim Graf) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča will not be appearing in the title role of Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera “Samson et Dalila” for the entire run ending Dec. 19, 2021. The mezzo-soprano already missed the opening night performance on Dec. 5 and was replaced by mezzo-soprano Anna Lapkovskaja. Lapkovskaja will now take over {…}
(Credit: Victor Santiago) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that the Liederabend with soprano Sonya Yoncheva has been postponed for the 2022-23 season. Yoncheva was slated to sing music by Henri Duparc, Pauline Viardot-García, Ernest Chausson, Gaetano Donizetti, Léo Delibes, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Martucci, Paolo Tosti und Giuseppe Verdi alongside pianist Malcolm Martineau. The soprano is scheduled to return {…}
(Credit: Bolshoi Theatre official website) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that tenor Yusif Eyvazov will not be appearing in the role of Calaf in Puccini’s “Turandot” for performances between July 1 – 10, 2022. As a result, tenor Murat Karahan will take over the role. Karahan joins a cast that includes Graham Clark, René Pape, Grigory Shkarupa, Olga {…}
(Credit: dpa) The Senate of Berlin has announced new measures in order to stem the exponential spread of new and highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants in the capital of Germany. Per the decision, theaters, concert venues, and opera houses will remain closed until April 18, 2021. Thus, the Senate has opted to align its decision with the latest extension of the {…}
Aerialist noun : one who performs feats in the air or above the ground, especially on the trapeze. Does singing “Der Hölle Rache,” the famous Queen of the Night aria, upside down while suspended by yards of silk count as a “feat?” If not, it should because that’s exactly what soprano Rainelle Krause does. Whether in the air or on the {…}
(Credits: Dragana Branković/Katarina Bradić) Known for her deep and diverse vocal versatility and also theatrical prowess, Katarina Bradić swiftly conquered the major European opera stages—Teatro Real, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper unter der Linden, Komische Oper Berlin, Theater Basel, Bolshoi Theater, Theater an der Wien, Den Norske Opera, Opernhaus Zürich, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Bayerische Staatsoper, La Monnaie, De Nationale Opera {…}
