Rolando Villazón, René Pape, Sonya Yoncheva & Michael Volle Lead Berlin State Opera’s 2022-23 Season

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, {…}

Apr 2, 2022

Michelle Bradley, Brian Jagde, Kenneth Overton, Allegra Da Vita & Leona Mitchell Headline Tulsa Opera’s 2022-23 Season

Tulsa Opera has announced its 75th anniversary season. The company will kick things off with the company premiere of Rossini’s “The Italian Girl.” The opera will star Allegra De Vita, Aaron Crouch, Robert Mellon, Ashraf Sweailam, Abigail Raiford, and V. Savoy McIlwain. Leslie Dunner conducts the production by Kimille Howard. Performance Dates: Oct. 28 & 30, 2022 Next up is {…}

Mar 24, 2022

Metropolitan Opera 2021-22 Review: Madama Butterfly

(Credit: Richard Termine) While there’s no doubt that Puccini’s operas bring with them a level of difficulty, perhaps none is more complex or challenging than the central role in his “Madama Butterfly.” Modern issues of interpretation aside (and this opera brings forth a great deal, many of which have been contended for decades and some that are now being questioned {…}

Mar 15, 2022

Eleonora Buratto Headlines Puccini’s ‘Madama Butterfly’ at the Metropolitan Opera

(Credit: Metropolitan Opera / Ken Howard) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” The production by Anthony Minghella, will return for 11 performances from March 19 to May 7 and will star Eleonora Buratto in her role debut as Cio-Cio-San. This will mark her return to the stage of the Met and will be one of two {…}

Dec 30, 2021

Brian Jagde & Pretty Yende Lead Teatro La Fenice’s New Year’s Eve Concert

On Jan. 1 the Teatro La Fenice is set to televise the New Year’s Eve concert. The concert, which will be presented on WDR + ARTE DE and ARTE FR, will be conducted by Fabio Luisi and will star Pretty Yende and Brian Jagde. The evening will showcase the orchestra performing Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No 9 in e minor in the first {…}

Dec 13, 2021

Peter Mattei, Freddie De Tommaso, Angela Meade & Ekaterina Semenchuk Headline Verbier Festival’s 2022 Season

The Verbier Festival has announced its 2022 season, featuring operas and several concerts. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works. Operas Mozart’s opera “Don Giovanni” kicks off the festival with Olga Peretyatko as Donna Anna, Magdalena Kožená as Donna Elvira, Bogdan Volkov as Don Ottavio, Mikhail Petrenko as Leporello, Alexandros Stavrakakis as Il Commendatore, Julien {…}

Dec 4, 2021

Metropolitan Opera 2021-22 Review: Tosca

On Dec. 2, 2021, the Metropolitan Opera opened this season’s run of Puccini’s “Tosca” with Sir. David McVicar’s production remaining a breathtaking immersion into the unfolding drama, faithfully capturing the Italian setting in a way that celebrates the work’s verismo nature. Under the baton of Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the evening’s cast was comprised of highly-experienced artists who brought their gifts to {…}

Dec 1, 2021

Sondra Radvanovsky, Aleksandra Kurzak & Roberto Alagna Lead Metropolitan Opera Revival of ‘Tosca’

(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) Puccini’s masterpiece “Tosca” returns to the Metropolitan Opera for 15 performances. The opera, which is set to open on Dec. 2, 2021, will first star Sondra Radvanovsky reprising her acclaimed turn which OperaWire said put her on, “a different level as Puccini’s Tragic Heroine.” She will be joined by Brian Jagde and George Gagnidze. {…}

Dec 1, 2021

Royal Opera House Announces Cast Changes for ‘Tosca,’ ‘Lohengrin’ & ‘Don Pasquale’

(Credit: Royal Opera House official website) The Royal Opera House has announced multiple cast changes for its upcoming productions of Puccini’s “Tosca,” Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” and Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Per an official press release, Oksana Lyniv will conduct the full run of Tosca in 2021, replacing Francesco Ivan Ciampa who was due to conduct the performances on Dec. 11, 14 & {…}

Nov 30, 2021

George Gagnidze Replaces Evgeny Nikitin in Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Tosca’

(Credit: © Dario Acosta) The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Evgeny Nikitin will not be appearing in the role of Scarpia in Puccini’s “Tosca” for the performances between Dec. 2 – 18, 2021 due to illness. As a result, George Gagnidze will take over the role. Gagnidze joins a cast that includes Brian Jagde as Mario Cavaradossi and Sondra Radvanovsky {…}

Nov 2, 2021

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Cast Change For ‘Adriana Lecouvreur’

(Credit: Lombardo Associates official website) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that tenor Brian Jagde was forced to cancel his performance in the role of Maurizio in Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur” on Nov. 2, 2021, due to illness. Jagde released a personal statement, saying “I am incredibly sad to have to cancel tonight’s performance of Adriana Lecouvreur at the Wiener Staatsoper. I’ve {…}

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