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 {…}
There will be two important CD releases this week, one from a legendary artists and a second from a historical opening night performance. Here is a look. Farinelli Cecilia Bartoli celebrates over three decades on the Decca Classics label with her latest album commemorating the life and career of the most famous opera singer of the 18th century: the castrato {…}
Cecilia Bartoli will become the new director of Opéra de Monte-Carlo. At a press conference on Dec. 3 at the Garnier Hall, the President of the Board of Directors of the Opera de Monte-Carlo, announced that Bartoli would succeed Jean-Louis Grinda in 2023. Bartoli will become the first woman to lead the opera house and stated, “It is a great {…}
Les Chorégies d’Orange has announced its 2020 festival featuring two operas and a number of concerts. Here are the vocal highlights of the season. The season opens with Saint-Saens’ “Samson et Dalila” conducted by Yves Abel. The production will be directed by Jean-Louis Grinda and will star Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Roberto Alagna in the title roles. Ludovic Tézier rounds out {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2020 season celebrating its 100th anniversary with a number of operatic productions from many repertory staples and numerous rarely performed gems. Here is a look at the operatic works to be performed. Opera Franz Welser-Möst is set to conduct a new production of R. Strauss’ “Elektra” with Krzysztof Warlikowski. Aušrine Stundyte sings the title {…}
Cecilia Bartoli has announced her upcoming album celebrating over three decades on the Decca Classics label. The mezzo-soprano will release a brand new album commemorating the life and career of the most famous opera singer of the 18th century: the castrato Farinelli. The new album will include arias by Farinelli’s older brother Riccardo Broschi and his teacher and mentor Nicola {…}
Danielle De Niese is set to make her Teatro alla Scala debut. The soprano was tapped to replace Cecilia Bartoli in the role of Cleopatra in Robert Carsen’s new production of Handel’s “Giulio Cesare.” De Niese will join a cast that includes Philippe Jaroussky, Sara Mingardo, and Bejun Mehta under the baton of Giovanni Antonini. The Australian soprano is currently {…}
This week audiences are in for six brand new DVDs with some of the worlds greatest singers. It will be hard to pick one from these new releases. Here is a look! L’Italiana D’Algeri Cecilia Bartoli’s acclaimed role debut in Rossini’s classic gets released through Unitel. She is joined by Ildar Abdrazakov, Edgardo Rocha, and Alessandro Corbelli. Moshe Leiser and {…}
Cecilia Bartoli has released a new statement after a controversial social media post on June 21, 2019. The mezzo-soprano, who stated that she had never signed to do a production of Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” clarified that she withdrew from the production in solidarity to Alexander Periera’s ousting at the Teatro alla Scala. She stated “When it was communicated on June {…}
Cecilia Bartoli has announced that she will not participate in the Teatro alla Scala’s production of “Giulio Cesare.” She announced via social media that she was never scheduled to do the production. The mezzo-soprano stated, “Dear friends and fans of Cecilia Bartoli, Cecilia Bartoli has taken note of the fact that the Teatro alla Scala is indicating that she will sing {…}
Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli has extended her contract as Artistic Director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival until 2026. “On May 21, the Board of Trustees extended the contract of our highly successful Artistic Director, Markus Hinterhäuser. His first official act was to ask the wonderful Cecilia Bartoli to extend her own contract as Artistic Director until 2026, giving the Whitsun {…}