(Photo Credit: Staatstheater Kassel) When COVID-19 spread quickly across the globe earlier this year, the entire opera world was forced into a lengthy shutdown. And despite continued concerns over the deadly virus, companies slowly found ways to return to some degree of normalcy. Thomas Bockelmann, the Intendant of the Staatstheater Kassel, took on this challenge head-on and recently spoke to {…}
(Credit: Melos Opera Facebook page) Italian baritone Lucio Gallo will take over the title role in the concert performance of Verdi’s “Falstaff” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on Oct. 30 & 31, 2020, replacing Misha Kiria. Gallo will join a cast that includes Thomas Lehman in the role of Ford, Mingjie Lei as Fenton, Andrew Dickinson as Doctor Cajus, Gideon {…}
The Dallas Opera has announced that it will be streaming its 2018 production of “Carmen” for free for a limited time. The video stream is set to debut on Oct. 9, 2020 via the company’s official website. The performance will be available for repeat viewings through Nov. 8, 2020. The production stars Stéphanie d’Oustrac in the title role with Stephen {…}
Credits: (Dragana Branković / Intermusica Official website / Egils Silins official website) The Staatstheater Kassel has announced the complete casts for its 2020-21 season. Here is the full rundown. Premieres “L’Ultimo Sogno,” one act opera by Giuseppe Verdi and Carlo Ciceri will feature Vlada Borovko in the role of Violetta Valéry, Giordano Lucà as Alfredo Germont, while Cozmin Sime and {…}
(Credit: Simon Pauly) “The music is giving me what I need. Music has always given me what I needed in my life.” When the COVID-19 hurricane struck humanity in full force in March, tenor Martin Muehle was about to begin rehearsals for the supernatural opera “The Queen of Spades” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. At that moment it was obvious {…}
(Credit: Staatsoper unter der Linden Facebook page) The Staatsoper unter der Linden in Berlin has announced changes to its 2020-21 season. The productions of Verdi’s “Macbeth,” Wagner’s “Tannhäuser,” and Britten’s “The Turn of The Screw” have been canceled, per an official press release. Instead, the opera house will offer three presentations of the gala concert “Viva Verdi!,” on Oct. 4, {…}
(Credit: Oberon’s Grove) French coloratura soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre has died at the age of 88. Eda-Pierre was born in Fort-de-France, capital of Martinique. She came to France to finish her studies at Conservatoire de Paris and in 1957, she made her professional debut in the role of Leïla in Bizet’s “Les pêcheurs de perles.” She went on to perform at {…}
(Credit: © Gregor Hohenberg) The Metropolitan Opera Stars Live in Concert series continued this Sunday with a performance by the celebrated French-Italian tenor Roberto Alagna and Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak on the hilltop medieval village of Èze, France. On the outdoor terrace located at the Château de la Chèvre d’Or, Alagna and Kurzak were accompanied by the Vienna Morphing Quintet. {…}
(Credits: Piotr Lempa’s Facebook Page/ Baltic Opera) The Baltic Opera in Gdansk has announced its fall season. In keeping with safety regulations due to ongoing concerns over COVID-19, spectators will be required to wear facemasks at all times and maintain a 1,5 m social distance. Here is the look at the upcoming slate. Rossini’s operatic masterpiece “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” {…}
Opera San José has announced plans to create the Fred Heiman Digital Media Studio, a state-of-the-art performance space housed within Opera San José headquarters in Northern California. The project demonstrates OSJ’s commitment to presenting the first half of its 2020 – 21 season while safeguarding audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded by Opera San José trustee Peggy Heiman in honor {…}
In the 1940s and 1950s, Risë Stevens was one of the Metropolitan Opera’s brightest stars. The mezzo-soprano was born Risë Gus Steenberg on June 11, 1913, in New York City. She studied at Juilliard and made her debut in Thomas’ “Mignon” in Prague. After singing at the Vienna State Opera, Teatro Colón, and Glyndebourne, Stevens returned to the United States {…}