(Photo: Roberto Ricci) I first heard Vasilisa Berzhanskaya as Rosina in a 2022 Florence production of “Il barbiere di Siviglia.” For the first time, I wasn’t sure if it was the standard version with a mezzo Rosina, or the less frequently performed soprano version. While the timbre was distinctly mezzo, the dazzling coloratura was more soprano than mezzo. Fast forward {…}
(Photo: Mattia Gaido) Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” (1817) is quite different from the familiar children’s tale most of us grew up with. Librettist Jacopo Ferretti (1784-1852) opted for a more realistic Italian view of the fairy tale. His Cinderella is bereft of fairy godmother, magic carriage or glass slippers. Some attribute this rational approach to the Enlightenment, while others believe it {…}
The Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Fabrizio Maria Carminati conducts Verid’s “Aida” in a production by Marco Vinco. The production will star Oksana Dyka and Valentina Boi in the title role alongside Jorge de León, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Nino Surguladze, Irene Savignano, Franco Vassallo, Alberto Gazale, Insung Sim, and Simón Orfila. Performance Dates: Jan. 20-28, {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat has unveiled its 2025-26 season. Here are the operas and classical vocal performances on offer. The season opens with the world premiere of Hisham Gabr and Nader Salah El Din’s “Sinbad: The Omani Sailor.” Co-produced with Müpa Budapest, the opera features singers, soloists, and choirs from across the Arab World. Joining them is the Hungarian {…}
The Teatro Filarmonico in Verona has announced its 2025 season featuring rarely performed works and concerts. Opera Salieri’s “Falstaff” opens the season with Francesco Ommassini conducting a production by Paolo Valerio. The cast includes Giulio Mastrototaro, Gilda Fiume, Marco Ciaponi, Michele Patti, Laura Verrecchia, Romano Dal Zovo, and Eleonora Bellocci. Performance Dates: Jan. 19-26, 2025 Catalani’s “La Wally” will be {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is set to present a double bill “Gianni Schicchi / L’heure espagnole.” The production will be directed by Ersan Mondtag and conducted by Michele Mariotti. “Gianni Schicchi” will star Carlo Lepore, Vuvu Mpofu, Sonia Ganassi, and Giovanni Sala. It will be rounded by Ya-Chung Huang (Gherardo), Roberto Accurso (Betto), Nicola Ulivieri (Simone), Daniele Terenzi (Marco), Domenico {…}
Verona’s Teatro Filarmonico has announced its 2024 season. Opera Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” will be conducted by Gianna Fratta and directed by Ivan Stefanutti. The opera will star Alexander Vinogradov, Matteo Mezzaro, Anna Siminska, Gilda Fiume, Giulia Bolcato, Michele Patti, and Matteo Macchioni. Performance Dates: Jan. 21-Jan. 28, 2024 Puccini’s “La Rondine” will be conducted by Alvise Casellati and directed by {…}
©Sandrine Expilly The world premiere of Antonio Salieri’s opera “Kubla Khan” (“Cublai, Gran Kan De Tartari”) is among the many highlights of Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques’ 2023-24 season. Here is the full rundown of what audiences can expect this year. Starting off, sopranos Marie Lys and Judith van Wanroij perform “Ave Maris Stella” with Christophe Rousset at the {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has announced its 2023-24 season. The season opens with Botio’s “Mefistofele” with Simon Stone directing. Michele Mariotti conducts a cast that includes John Relyea, Maria Agresta, and Joshua Guerrero. Performance Dates: Nov. 27-Dec. 5, 2023 Michele Mariotti conducts Puccini’s “Tosca” with Anna Pirozzi, Vittorio Grigolo, and Erwin Schrott. Performance Dates: Dec.9-14, 2023 Damiano Michieletto directs Mozart’s “Die {…}
The Theater an der Wien has announced its 2023-24 season featuring opera productions and opera in concert. Opera Jérémie Rhorer conducts Donizetti’s “Les Martyrs” with Cezary Tomaszewski directing. Roberta Mantegna and John Osborn lead the cast, which also includes Mattia Olivieri, David Steffens, Nicolò Donini, and Patrick Kabongo. Performance Date: Sept. 18-28, 2023 Philip Venables’s “Denis & Katya” will star {…}
As part of this week’s CD / DVD releases, audiences will get to hear rarely performed works, a Rossini album, a documentary, a streamed opera, and a solo album by one of the great tenors of his generation. George Walker The fifth audio release on The Cleveland Orchestra’s own label showcased Music Director Franz Welser-Möst performing music by American composer {…}
