The Opus Klassik Awards have announced its 2024 winners. The Female Singer of the Year went to Anna Prohaska for “Maria Mater Meretrix,” while the Male Singer of the Year went to Konstantin Krimmel for Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin.” The Conductor of the Year award went to Klaus Mäkelä for Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring & The Firebird,” while the {…}
When the Bayerische Staatsoper opens Kornél Mundruczó’ s new production of “Tosca” this week, it will feature two role debuts. One of those will belong to tenor Charles Castronovo. Even if this is the U.S. singer’s his first Cavaradossi, he’s no stranger to Puccini’s repertory. Over the years he has performed Rodolfo in “La Bohème” as well as Ruggero in {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper is set to perform a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Kornél Mundruczó. Eleonora Buratto will take on the title role making her role debut. She will be joined by Charles Castronovo for the eight performances in May and June, and Jonas Kaufmann for the three remaining performances in July as Cavaradossi. Ludovic {…}
Opernhaus Zürich has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Samuel Penderbayne’s “Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig” will be conducted by Thomas Barthel and Ann-Katrin Stöcker. Claudia Blersch directs the production which will star Liliana Nikiteanu, Sylwia Salamonska, Irène Friedli, Philipp Mayer, Stanislav Vorobyov, Valeriy Murga, Gary Martin, Martin Zysset, Carl Hieger, Christian Sturm, Indyana Schneider, Céline Akçağ, Sylwia Salamonska, and Rebeca {…}
(Photo credit: Vincent Pontet-OnP) A few years ago, when Bieito’s staging of “Simon Boccanegra” premiered at the Paris Opera, the reviews were abysmal. Few things are as catchy in the opera world as negative consensus. I got to see the same production with a very similar cast last weekend, and, somehow, I think it was one of the most emotional {…}
The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the vocal performances. Opera in Production Bach’s “Passion selon Saint” will be conducted by Leonardo García Alarcón and directed by Sasha Waltz. The cast will include Sophie Junker, Georg Nigl, Christian Immler, Benno Schachtner, Valerio Contaldo, and Mark Milhofer. Performance Dates: Nov. 4 & 5, 2024 Poulenc’s “Dialogues des {…}
The Teatro alla Scala TV is set to livestream Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra on Feb. 14, 2024. The performance will star Luca Salsi in the title role alongside Ain Anger, Roberto De Candia, Andrea Pellegrini, Eleonora Buratto, and Charles Castronovo. Lorenzo Viotti will conduct the new production by Daniele Abbado. “Simon Boccanegra” was presented in its final form at La Scala {…}
Happy New Year! For the first edition of the year, we look at the first releases of 2024. This week we get a new album by a leading tenor and a remastering of a legendary recording conducted by the composer himself. Out of the Ashes Navona releases the USD Chamber Singers and Dr. David Holdhusen’s new album. The CD will {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is in the midst of reviving “Un Ballo in Maschera” for the first time since 2015. Considered one of Verdi’s masterpieces, the work has some of the greatest arias and ensembles the composer ever wrote. For this revival, the Met brought a solid cast in an unfortunate production that should have {…}
(Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera) Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time since 2015. The opera will be presented in David Alden with Italian maestro Carlo Rizzi leading the orchestra. The cast will include Charles Castronovo, Angela Meade, Quinn Kelsey, Liv Redpath, and Olesya Petrova. Alden’s production was first performed at the {…}
Torino’s Orchestra Rai has announced its 2023-24 season. Here are the vocal highlights. Philippe Jordan conducts Kate Lindsey in a program of music by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Ernest Chausson, Benjamin Britten, and Claude Debussy. Performance Dates: Dec 14 & 15, 2023 Michele Gamba conducts Francesco Meli and Markus Werba in a Puccini concert. Performance Date: March 20, 2024 Andres Orozco-Estrada conducts {…}