At the heart of “Romeo and Juliet” lies an archetypal story rooted in antiquity, Ovid’s tale of Pyramus and Thisbe from the “Metamorphoses.” A fatal misunderstanding, a false report of death, and a double suicide beside a tomb: Shakespeare transferred this ancient mechanism of tragedy onto the stage, making youth itself hostage to the feuds of an older world. When {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2026-27 season. Shirin Neshat directs Verdi’s “Aida” with four sopranos taking on the title role. Anna Netrebko, Anna Pirozzi, Olga Maslova, and Ewa Plonka star alongside Ekaterina Semenchuk, Ksenia Dudnikova, Fiorenza Cedolins, Yusif Eyvazov, Piotr Beczała, Arsen Soghomonyan, Artur Ruciński, Igor Golovatenko, Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Riccardo Fassi, George Andguladze, Manuel Fuentes, Alexander Köpeczi, {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Sondra Radvanovsky and Saioa Hernández lead Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” with Lucas Meachem, Szymon Mechliński, Brian Jagde,, Michael Fabiano and Jorge de Leon. Nicola Luisotti conducts Carlos Wagner’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 23-Oct. 11, 2026 Paul Agnew conducts Handel’s “Riccardo Primo, rè d’Inghilterra” with Jakub Józef Orliński, Melissa Petit, Alex Rosen, {…}
The 33rd annual Schubertiada of Vilabertran has announced its festival from August 14 to 31, 2025, and will pay tribute to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Here are the vocal performances. Carles Pachon and Berta Brull perform songs by Baldrís, García Cardona, Guinovart, Pagès-Corella, Ortega, Toldrà, and others. Performance Date: August 14, 2025 Elionor Martínez, Ferran Albrich, and Victoria Guerrero headline a recital {…}
(Photo: Arts Fotografía) Palau de Les Arts opened the season with Massenet’s “Manon,” in a production from the Paris Opera, and two international stars in the main roles: Lisette Oropesa and Charles Castronovo. Vincent Huguet directed the Paris Opera production. He set the action in Paris around 1920, in the Charleston era, and introduced the revolutionary artist Josephine Baker (who {…}
Valencia’s Palau de les Arts’ 2023-24 season featuring opera, recitals, concerts, and zarzuela. Opera Dima Orsho and Carla Nahadi Babelegoto star in “Women at Point Zero.” Performance Date: Sept. 15, 2023 James Gaffigan conducts Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” in Richard Jones’ production. The cast includes Arsen Soghomonyan, Doris Soffel, Ekaterina Guseva, Elena Maximova, Roman Burdenko, and Nikolay Zemlianskikh. Performance {…}
After two years of lockdowns, cancelations, and COVID, 2022 seemed like it would be an easier year. But alas it wasn’t as the world was struck with a war, human rights violations that were met with worldwide protests, and governments that threatened to rewind time and take away rights. There were also major cuts in funding for opera that has {…}
The International Singing Competition Neue Stimmen has announced the winners of the 2022 edition. Italian soprano Francesca Pia Vitale and Spanish baritone Carles Pachon went home with the top prize of 15.000 €. Vitale also won the audience award. Second prize went to French Mezzo-Soprano Eugénie Joneau and South African bartione Sakhiwe Mkosana. Both took home a cash prize of {…}