The International Opera Awards have announced the nominees for its 2020 Awards. The annual event, which celebrates achievement in opera around the globe over the 2019 calendar year, recognizes excellence in a wide range of categories that cover performance, design and direction, as well as education and outreach. This year, two opera companies topped the 2020 nominees with three a {…}
The Vienna State Opera will live stream Verdi and Boito’s “Otello” on Feb. 7, 2020. The opera will feature Stephen Gould in the title role with Krassimira Stoyanova as Desdemona, and Carlos Álvarez as Iago. The Adrian Noble production will be conducted by Jonathan Darlington. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time. That’s around 1p.m. EDT and 10 {…}
(Credit: ROH / CATHERINE ASHMORE) Sony Classical has announced a new recording of Verdi’s “Otello” starring Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. The new recording is also set to star Carlos Alvarez as Iago and Federica Lombardi as Desdemonda with Antonio Pappano conducting the orchestra and choir Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The new recording will mark Kaufmann’s first CD {…}
(Credit: Catherine Ashmore / ROH) Smothered in monochrome, Keith Warner’s 2017 production of Verdi’s “Otello” is a humorless parody of art deco design. Tar-colored towers hold its personages in a chokehold; escorting them onstage with sliding trays resembling CD player disc drives. Vertical slots in the abyss and square-shaped patterns often visible on casual sweaters sever the obscurity. In its {…}
(Credit: Moritz Schell Fotografie/Catherine Ashmore/Yasuko Kageyama / TOR) Three rarely performed works highlight the international weekend with three other repertory staples. There are also two new productions opening with one company premiere. Here is a look at what we recommend. Halka – Theater an der Wien, Austria Łukasz Borowicz conducts a new production of Moniuszko’s masterpiece. Mariusz Treliński directs the {…}
The Teatro Cervantes de Málaga has announced its 150th anniversary season with part of its 2020-21 season. The theater previously announced its 2019-20 season which you can find here. The two new operatic performances are as follows. Carlos Álvarez sings the title role in Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” in a production by Curro Carreres. The opera also stars Rocío Ignacio, Rodrigo {…}
(Credit: Cory Weaver/Metropolitan Opera) On Oct. 25, 2019 Puccini’s “La Bohème” will open at the Metropolitan Opera reviving Franco Zeffirelli’s classic production. The Mimì’s This season the production will feature three acclaimed Mimì interpreters who have performed the role throughout their Met careers. Ailyn Pérez will open the production in a role she has been hailed for. OperaWire stated, “Pérez’s Mimì {…}
The Festival Castell de Peralada has announced that it will present Verdi’s “Aida” in 2020. Festival director Oriol Aguilá announced the new production of Verdi’s opera, which will be directed by Paco Azorin and will star soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role with tenor Piotr Beczala as Radamès. Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili will sing the role of Amneris, a portrayal for {…}
The Teatro Cervantes de Málaga has announced its 2019-20 season featuring four staged productions and a concert performance. Berna Perles, César Gutiérrez, Roman Ialcic, Beatriz Díaz, Pablo García López, Luis López, and José Antonio López star in Beethoven’s “Fidelio” with José Carlos Plaza directing and Manuel Hernández Silva conducting. Performance Dates: Nov. 1 & 3, 2019 Javier Camarena performs a concert with music García, Rossini, and Zingarelli with {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has revealed he is recording “Otello” for Sony Classical. The tenor posted a photo on Instagram with Antonio Pappano and Carlos Alvarez revealing that he is recording Verdi’s penultimate opera alongside Federica Lombardi in the role of Desdemona. The new recording comes after Kaufmann’s role debut in 2017 at the Royal Opera. He went on to perform the {…}
Credit: Opera de Pairs/Teatro alla Scala/Wiener Staatsoper/Opera Royal de Wallonie It’s a weekend filled with broadcasts, premieres and new productions that are not be missed. Tosca – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Piotr Beczala receives his Kammersänger honor after the performance of Puccini’s masterpiece. He is joined by Nina Stemme and Carlos Álvarez. The starry cast is joined by Marc Armiliato in the {…}