It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and there is arguably no art form that captures the essence of love moreso than opera. With that in mind, we looked around and picked operas that probably won’t cater to ideal feelings of love, but are powerful in their own rights and would probably make for unbelievable nights at the opera. Frida – Anchorage Opera, {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper/InArt Management/Marius Baragan/Kristen Hoebermann/Opus Artist) Every year the Metropolitan Opera includes certain elements of surprise in its season planning, whether in repertoire or in casting choices. Sometimes those casting choices are unexpected and include important returns to the stage. This season, OperaWire is spotlighting six major artists that have not performed on the Met stage in years and {…}
Staatstheater Wiesbaden has just announced its May Festival program, featuring seven operas and number of vocal works. Operas Wagner’s ‘Tristan und Isolde” will spotlight Catherine Foster, Lance Ryan, Andreas Schager, René Pape, Tobias Kehrer, Thomas de Vries, Margarete Joswig, Andreas Karasiak, Julian Habermann, and Erik Biegel. Ryan and Schager will alternate in the title role of Tristan, while Pape and Kehrer will {…}
(Credit: Pictures courtesy of the Lyric Opera of Chicago) The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s has announced its 2020-21 season celebrating its 66th season. The season will include three Lyric premieres, two Lyric Original productions, nine operas, three concert events and one musical. Main Stage The first production of the season will be the famed double bill of Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” {…}
(Credit: Washington National Opera) The Washington National Opera has announced its 2020–2021 season offering up some ambitious repertoire. The season with WNO’s new production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio.” Robert Spano makes his WNO debut conducting a cast that includes Elza van den Heever, Brandon Jovanovich, Brian Mulligan, Ryan Speedo Green, Joshua Blue, and Eric Owens. Performance Dates: Oct. 24–Nov. 9, 202o {…}
Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” is set to return to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Lyric’s principal conductor Sir Andrew Davis returns to the work that inaugurated his first season as Lyric’s music director in 2000, leading Richard Jones’ acclaimed production. The opera is set to star Brandon Jovanovich as Gherman and Sondra Radvanovsky in her role debut as Lisa. {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago is set to revive Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” marking the 16th time the Lyric has presented the work. Ana María Martínez will bring her signature Cio-Cio San to the company for the first time opposite Brian Jagde. The production will also star Lianna Haroutounian who will make her Lyric debut and Brandon Jovanovich portraying Butterfly and {…}
This weekend its all about star performances, repertory staples, new productions and a season opening. Check out what we believe you need to see. Eugene Onegin Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Marina Rebeka continues the run in her first Tatiana alongside a star cast that includes Boris Pinkhasovich in the title role, Pavol Breslik as Lenski and Ferruccio Furlanetto as Gremin. The {…}
(Credit: © BAUS) Canadian director Robert Carsen is one of the most solicited directors in every major opera house nowadays and he proved why in his new production of the famous double bill of “I Paglliacci” and “Cavalleria Rusticana,” which opened the opera season at the Dutch National Opera. It is a production where he plays with theatre-within-theatre concept, making {…}
This weekend a number of classics will be presented in new productions and with some of the top stars. Here are the top showcases that we recommend. I Puritani – Opéra de Paris, France Elsa Dreisig makes her role debut as Elvira alongside a remarkable cast that includes Javier Camarena, Nicolas Testé, and Igor Golovatenko. Riccardo Frizza conducts Laurent Pelly’s {…}
The Verbier Festival has announced that Nina Stemme, Brandon Jovanovich, and Matthias Goerne will not perform Strauss’ “Die Frau Ohne Schatten.” The festival announced that the artists were obliged to cancel. As a result, Finnish Soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä will be performing the role of Die Färberin, the role of Der Kaiser will be sung by the tenor Gerhard Siegel, and the Swedish {…}