Bard Summerscape has announced its 20th anniversary season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. The centerpiece of the program will be a new production of Saint-Saëns’ “Henri VIII.” Leon Botstein conducts a cast starring Alfred Walker in the title role, Amanda Woodbury as Catherine of Aragon, and Lindsay Ammann as Anne Boleyn. {…}
(© 2022 ROH. Photograph by Clive Barda) Camille Saint–Saëns’ “Samson et Dalila” received its first new production – indeed first performance – at the Royal Opera House in nearly 20 years, replacing Elijah Moshinsky’s, which had a vintage of 1981 (before this reviewer was even born). It’s a tricky work to get right – traditionalist stagings feel uncomfortably Orientalist, sometimes {…}
Despite his relatively subdued presence in contemporary performance repertoire, during his time Camille Saint-Saëns was known across the world for his exceptional aptitude and fiercely developed intellect. Having begun life as a piano prodigy and gaining compositional mastery shortly after with his “First Symphony” at the age of only 17, Saint-Saëns is possibly one of France’s most transformative, yet erroneously {…}
(Credit: Achim Graf) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča will not be appearing in the title role of Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera “Samson et Dalila” on Dec. 5, 2021. As a result, mezzo-soprano Anna Lapkovskaja will take over the role. The mezzo joins a cast that includes Michael Volle, Jongmin Park, Paul Gay, Magnus Dietrich, Benjamin {…}
(Credits: Holger Hage / David Jerusalem / Carsten Sander) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden will present Camille Saint-Saëns’ and Ferdinand Lemaire’s “Samson et Dalila” in December 2021. Mezzo-soprano superstar Elīna Garanča and famed Austrian heldentenor Andreas Schager star in the title roles, while baritone Michael Volle appears as Le Grand-Prêtre de Dagon. The cast is rounded out by Jongmin Park, {…}
(Credit: Theater Dortmund) The Oper Dortmund has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look at the opera and the vocal performances of the season. Premieres Gabriela Scherer and Stéphanie Müther share the title role in Puccini‘s “Tosca.” James Lee performs Mario Cavaradossi, and Michael Volle and Mandla Mndebele alternate as Scarpia. Gabriel Feltz conducts a production by Nikolaus Habjan. {…}
(Credits: © Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical / Jiyang Chen / Chris Singer / Paul Schirnhofer/DG / Opus 3 Artists official website) Philharmonie Essen has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. Christine Goerke and Klaus Florian Vogt perform works by Richard Wagner. Andris Nelsons conducts the Bayreuther Festspielorchester. {…}
(Credits: LA Opera official website / Kristen Hoebermann / Dario Acosta / Opéra National de Paris official website) Opéra de Lille has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look. Operas André Campra’s “Idoménée” spotlights Tassis Christoyannis, Samuel Boden, Chiara Skerath, Hélène Carpentier, Eva Zaïcik, Yoann Dubruque, Victor Sicard, Enguerrand de Hys, and Frédéric Caton. Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the production {…}
Radio France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus only on the vocal works. Here is a look. Operas Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les sortilèges” spotlights Jodie Devos, Clara Guillon, Adèle Charvet, Marie Lenormand, Élodie Méchain, Antoine Normand, Régis Mengus, and Paul Gay. Mikko Franck conducts. Performance date: Oct. 1, 2021, Philharmonie de Paris {…}
(Credits: Dario Acosta / © Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical / Angela Gheorghiu official website / Michael Cooper / Kasskara/DG / Chris Singer) The Royal Opera House Covent Garden has announced full details of its exciting 2021-22 season, which will star some of the world’s greatest performers. The Royal Opera House Live Cinema Season and digital program will be announced {…}
(Credit: © Fidelio Artist – Fernando Vázquez Morago) The Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria has announced that it will honor the centenary of the death of composer Camille Saint-Saëns by performing a concert featuring mezzo-soprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera. The concerts will take place on March 11 & 12, 2021. The program for the concert includes various works by Saint-Saëns, such {…}