Every year, one superstar rises above the rest to become one the centerpieces of a particular Teatro alla Scala season. This season, OperaWire pointed out five major artists that are poised to make high profile debuts or returns or headline major productions that are sure to see their profiles surge. Saioa Herenandez The Spanish soprano is set to make her {…}
The Teatro alla Scala has announced its 2018-19 season featuring a number of new productions and operatic classics. The season will once again include a number of Italian operas continuing the theater’s initiative to bring back Italian opera. Here is a look! Productions The season opens with a new production of Verdi’s “Attila” starring Ildar Abdrazakov. David Livermore directs the {…}
Cecilia Bartoli will return to the Teatro alla Scala for a three-year Baroque music collaboration. According to the AP, Bartoli said, “Baroque Music is somewhat forgotten in Italy. We live in Baroque cities. We breathe Baroque in Italy. For this I say it is interesting to bring back to light compositions and authors of Baroque operas.” The Baroque program will {…}
Salzburg’s Whitsun Festival hosted a Gala on Monday evening, May 21, 2018. Conducted by Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle, Berlin, it was a splendid event. Cecilia Bartoli and Jonas Kaufmann did the vocal honors after Rolando Villazón canceled for health reasons. Bartoli and Barenboim included additional music to supplement the absent singer, and Jonas Kaufmann sang solo from the Wesendonck {…}
What could be a more wondrous opera evening than a marvelous ensemble performance that showcases a brilliant opera star? Salzburg’s Whitsun Festval’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” was one such instance. Directed by Moise Leise and Patrick Caurier, and headlining mezzo-soprano par excellence Cecilia Bartoli, the production exceeded all expectations. This Opera Buffa, written when Rossini was a mere 21-years-old and here conducted {…}
The Salzburg Whitun Festival has announced its 2019 season, which also included a special message from its artistic director Cecilia Bartoli. “It is no coincidence that I can realize the idea now, when discussions about the abuse of the bodily integrity of artists have become so topical,” Bartoli stated in a press released. “In the name of art, thousands of {…}
The weekend will offer a lot of Bel canto, verismo, 20th-century masterpieces, and one world premiere that should not be missed by anyone. And it also includes a number of legendary stars, as well as some of the most famous in the world. Here are top six to see this weekend. L’Italiana in Algeri – Salzburg Festival, Austria Cecilia Bartoli {…}
The Opera de Monte-Carlo has announced its 2018-19 season, featuring a number of important stars and numerous productions. Here is a look at the unique season Monte Carlo will offer. The season opens with an evening entitled Opera-Comique at the Chapelle Musicale Reine-Elizabeth. Performance Dates: Oct. 13-14, 2018 A screening of “La Veuve Joyeuse” continues the season. Performance Dates: Oct. 25, {…}
Opera Zürich has announced its 2018-19 season slate, which is among the largest in the world. It will feature a whopping 12 new productions, among a glut of exciting revivals. Let’s dive in. Premieres Gisbert Näther’s “Konrad oder das Kind aus der Konservenbüchse” gets a new production by Claudia Blersch. Ann-Katrin Stöcker conducts two cast which will include Irène Friedli, Katharina Peetz, Flurin {…}
The Mozarteum in Salzburg has announced its programming for Mozart week in 2019. It will feature a wide range of music including theatrical, vocal, orchestral, and chamber music. As has been our policy with other season announcements, OperaWire will stick to the vocal performances only in this article. The company will kick things off with a production of “T.H.A.M.O.S.,” a {…}
The International Opera Award nominations have bee announced. The organization, which seeks to recognize the best of the industry recognizes 18 categories. This year the nominees for Female Singer are Malin Byström, Carmen Giannattasio, Barbara Hannigan, who recently won the Grammy, Hui He, Ermonela Jaho and Eva-Maria Westbroek. In the Male Singer category, Piotr Beczała is nominated alongside Günther Groissböck, Peter Mattei, Eric Owens, {…}