On the evening of April 21, 1990, the curtain rose at Teatro alla Scala for what could have been yet another “La Traviata” in Italy, an event destined to go largely unnoticed. Instead, it was the then-new production by Liliana Cavani. More than 35 years have passed since that evening, and this now-historic production continues to sell out within the {…}
(Credit: © Guergana Damianova – OnP) Ralph Fiennes knows a thing or two about Alexander Pushkin’s novel in verse, “Eugene Onegin.” It turns out he has a touch for opera, too, based on his directorial debut at the Paris Opera. His staging of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” at the Palais Garnier is rooted in tradition, but he controlled the action on {…}
(Credit: © Julia Wesely, © Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Music, © Sarah Katharina) The Wiener Staatsoper is set to launch its 2025-26 season with an open-air gala concert on Sept. 7. The gala marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation from National Socialism and the establishment of the Second Republic and will also celebrate the 70 years of the State {…}
Opernhaus Zürich has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Samuel Penderbayne’s “Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig” will be conducted by Thomas Barthel and Ann-Katrin Stöcker. Claudia Blersch directs the production which will star Liliana Nikiteanu, Sylwia Salamonska, Irène Friedli, Philipp Mayer, Stanislav Vorobyov, Valeriy Murga, Gary Martin, Martin Zysset, Carl Hieger, Christian Sturm, Indyana Schneider, Céline Akçağ, Sylwia Salamonska, and Rebeca {…}
(Credit: © Peter Mayr) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced multiple cast changes for its upcoming production of Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” Following the replacement of Asmik Grigorian in the role of Elisabetta di Valois; Ain Anger replaces Dmitry Ulyanov as the Grand Inquisitor; while René Pape replaces Anger in the role of Philippo II. The rest of the cast includes María {…}
(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 {…}
(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 {…}
(Credit: Bayerische Staatsoper official website) The Bayerische Staatsoper has canceled the run of Verdi‘s “Falstaff” which was set to be performed between May 16 and May 22, 2021. The opera was supposed to star Boris Pinkhasovich as Ford, Bogdan Volkov as Fenton, Kevin Conners as Dr. Cajus, Olga Bezsmertna in the role of Mrs. Alice Ford, Emily Pogorelc as Nannetta, {…}
(Credit: Ilona Sochorova) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced multiple cast changes for its upcoming performances. Per an official statement on the opera houses’ website, tenor Carlos Osuna will perform the role of Narraboth and Robert Bartneck will take on the role of the Third Jew in Richard Strauss’ “Salome” on Oct. 6, 2020. Osuna and Bartneck will join a cast {…}
(Credit: Opéra National de Paris official website) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that Italian baritone Nicola Alaimo will take over the title role in Donizetti and Ruffini’s opera “Don Pasquale,” replacing Erwin Schrott. Alaimo will perform for the presentations on Oct. 13, 17, 21, and 24, 2020. The Italian baritone will join a cast that includes Dmitry Korchak in the {…}
(Credits: © Algirdas Bakas / Julian Baumann) The Wiener Staatsoper has confirmed that it will reopen on September 7, 2020. Vienna’s operatic behemoth will restart its performances after a six-month hiatus with the production “Madama Butterfly.” The strict COVID-19 rules for the audiences will include mandatory facemasks at all times, except when seated during the performance, and at least one {…}