(Photo: Padraig Grant) In 1752, Händel’s final complete composition, his oratorio “Jephtha,” was premiered at London’s Covent Garden Theatre, bringing to an end the composer’s illustrious career. Just over ten years earlier, he had premiered his opera “Deidamia” at London’s Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre, in what proved to be another significant landmark; it was to be the last of his {…}
Carl Heinrich Graun’s “Adriano in Siria”—set to a libretto by Pietro Metastasio—is a compelling example of mid-18th-century opera seria, a genre that once dominated the European stage. First performed in Berlin in 1746, Graun’s setting was one of more than seventy opera settings of Metastasio’s libretto between 1732 and 1828, attesting to its immense popularity. This new live recording from {…}
On July 14, the Concert de Paris will be held at the Eiffel Tower and will be broadcast on France 2. The Chœur de Radio France, Maîtrise de Radio France, and Orchestre National de France will be led by Cristian Măcelaru. Soloists this year will include Aida Garifullina, Julie Fuchs, Bruno de Sá, Elīna Garanča, Benjamin Bernheim, Florian Sempey, Gautier Capuçon, Dom La Nena, and Bomsori Kim. {…}
(Photo credit: Stefan Gloede) The world premiere recording of Carl Heinrich Graun’s opera, “Adriano in Siria” is set to be released on June 13. “Adriano in Siria” was presented in a production by the Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci and recorded in June 2024. The cast features the countertenor trio of Valer Sabadus, Bruno de Sá, and Federico Fiorio, alongside sopranos Roberta Mameli {…}
(Photo credits: Rial, Lores, & Guryanova) Knechtsteden Early Music Festival announces its 2025 line up. This article only features vocal concerts. The modern world premiere of Francesco Conti’s “La Colpa Originale” (“Original Sin”) stars Timothy Morgan, Jiayu Jin, David Tricou, Alice Lackner, and Luigi di Donato, with Ensemble 1700. Artist in residence Dorothee Oberlinger directs. A pre-concert talk is scheduled. {…}
(Photo: Íris Zanetti) At the start of October, the show “O Grão da Voz” (The Grain of the Voice) with the acclaimed Brazilian male soprano Bruno de Sá was presented at Theatro São Pedro, in São Paulo. Bruno and Ligiana Costa, the show’s stage director, gave an interview to João Marcos Copertino on OperaWire. The concert is available on YouTube. {…}
The Wexford Festival Opera has announced its autumn 2025 festival. The festival will run for 16 days between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1 and will explore the theme of Myths & Legends. In a statement, Rosetta Cucchi said, “Journey through the timeless and boundless realm of myth and legend, woven into the fabric of lyric opera. This art, grand and {…}
(Photo: Íris Zanetti) Bruno de Sá is a star. As the first Brazilian singer to sign a contract with a major record label, he has every reason to be the pride of a nation. However, it was not until recently that he received the proper honors in Brazil. As part of his artistic residency at São Paulo’s Teatro São Pedro, {…}
The National Forum of Music announces its 2024-25 and tenth anniversary season. For the purposes of this article only vocal works are included. Andrzej Kosendiak conducts the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic and soloists Anett Fritsch, Anna Mikołajczyk-Niewiedział, Krystian Adam Krzeszowiak, and Paweł Horodyski in Mozart’s “Mass in C minor,” KV 427. They are joined by the NFM Choir under the direction {…}
Bayreuth Baroque has announced its 2023 festival slate. The company announced that it will kick off with Händel’s “Flavio, Re de’ Longobardi.” The opera will be directed by Max Emanuel Cencic and conducted by Benjamin Bayl. It will star Max Emanuel Cencic, Julia Lezhneva, Sreten Manojlovic, Rémy Brès-Feullet, Sonka Runje, and Yuriy Mynenko. Performance Dates: Sept. 7 – 17, 2023 {…}
The Opéra de Rouen Haute-Normandie has announced its 2022-23 season featuring a number of productions, concerts and special guests. Here is a look. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Rigoletto” starring Sergio Vitale, Rosa Feola, Pene Pati, Agnès Letestu, and Paul Gay. Ben Glassberg conducts the production by Richard Brunel. Performance Dates: Sept. 22-Oct. 2022 “Mon amant de Saint-Jean” will {…}