The Boston Lyric Opera is set to present a new production of Gaetano Donizetti’s “La Fille du Regiment.” The new production will be directed by John de los Santos with new English dialogue by OBIE Award-winning Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge. The opera will be conducted by Kelly Kuo and will star Brenda Rae, Spencer Britten, Kenneth Kellogg, Sandra Piques Eddy, {…}
(Photo: Glodow Nead press) Festival Napa Valley celebrates its 20th anniversary July 4–19, 2026, featuring the world premiere of composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer’s new opera, “The Judgement of Paris.” This opera is commissioned by the festival and includes conductor Kent Nagano and director Jean-Romain Vesperini, alongside a stellar cast including soprano Danielle De Niese, baritone Quinn Kelsey, {…}
Seattle Opera has announced its 2026-27 season, featuring six productions presented between October 2026 and May 2027 at McCaw Hall and the Opera Center. The season opens with Strauss’s “Salome,” returning to Seattle Opera for the first time since 2002. The production is directed by Bruno Ravella and conducted by Benjamin Manis. Soprano Brenda Rae sings the title role, with {…}
The Palau de les Arts has announced its 2025-26 season. Lorenzo Viotti conducts Gounod’s “Faust” in a production by Johannes Erath. Iván Ayón-Rivas, Alex Esposito, Ruth Iniesta, Florian Sempey, and Ekaterine Buachidze. Performance Dates: Oct. 3-15, 2025 Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s “La descente d’Orphée aux enfers” will star Josipa Bilić, Camille Chopin, Sarah Fleiss, Tanaquil Ollivier, Sydney Frodsham, Richard Pittsinger, Bastien Rimondi, Attila {…}
The Boston Lyric Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Norman Garrett headlines Verdi’s “Macbeth” with Alexandra LoBianco, David Junghoon Kim, and Zaikuan Song. David Angus conducts the production by Steve Maler. Performance Dates: Oct. 10 & 12, 2025 Christine Goerke and Morris Robinson lead Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” with David Angus conducting. Performance Dates: Nov. 12, 2025 Andris Nelsons conducts the {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello,” starring Brian Jadge, Jorge de León, and Angelo Villari in the title role. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Artur Ruciński, Gabriele Viviani, Airam Hernández, Asmik Grigorian, and Maria Agresta. Nicola Luisotti and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct the production by David Alden. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}
(Photo credit: Nile Scott Studios) What can one expect from an opera that the one and only Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed when he was a mere fourteen years young? It is impressive considering the age of its composer and disappointing if we bear in mind what came next—like listening to Wagner’s “Die Feen,” Verdi’s “I Due Foscari” or even Puccini’s {…}
Oper Frankfurt has announced a cast change for its production of Berg’s “Lulu.” The company said that Vera-Lotte Boecker has withdrawn from the production and will be replaced by Brenda Rae. Rae took to social media and said, ” Sometimes things fall into place in the most amazing ways. After a disappointing cancellation this coming fall, I got the call {…}
Boston Lyric Opera is set to open its new season with Mozart’s “Mitridate, Re di Ponto,” an early opera seria triumph. The work, which will be presented between Sept. 13 and 15 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre, will showcase Lawrence Brownlee in the title role. The production will also include soprano Brenda Rae in the role of Mitridate’s fiancée {…}
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Luca Salsi and Anna Netrebko team up for Verdi’s “Nabucco.” Ivan Magrì, Marina Prudenskaya, and René Pape join them. Anastasia Bartoli also performs. Bertrand de Billy conducts the new production by Emma Dante. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-26, 2024 Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” receives a new production featuring multiple casts. {…}
(Credit: Kristin Hoebermann) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its performance of Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” on Sept. 6, 2023. The company said that Brenda Rae will sing the role of Amina replacing Pretty Yende. Rae has previously performed the opera at the Oper Frankfurt during the 2017-18 and 2014-15 seasons. This season she is set to appear {…}