Welcome back for the first edition of 2026’s CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. The year kicks off with star-studded new releases including a new Verdi recording and an Offenbach opera that features some of today’s greatest performers. Luigi Gordigiani: Romantic Florence – Songs For Voice And Piano Dynamic releases mezzo-soprano Marina Comparato’s latest album. She is {…}
The English National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with “Mozart’s Women: A Musical Journey,” which will be directed by ENO’s Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon and will star international opera soloists including Golda Schultz, Nardus Williams, Bethany Horak-Hallet, Ailish Tynan, Rainelle Krause, and Filipe Manu. Cleila Cafiero conducts the performance. The concert will be hosted by TV {…}
The Norwegian Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Puccini’s “Tosca” will be revived. Performance Dates: August 23-Sept. 4, 2025 Sara Jakubiak headlines Dvořák’s “Rusalka” alongside Dmytro Popov, Birgitte Christensen, Jerzy Butryn, Jennifer Johnston, and Magnus Ingemund Kjelstad. Edward Gardner conducts the production by Tatjana Gürbaca. Performance Dates: August 24-Oct. 9, 2025 Sir Wayne McGregor’s “Jocasta’s Line” will be performed. Performance {…}
(Photo ©2024 Camilla Greenwell) In a recent interview with director Damiano Michieletto at the Venice production of “The Tales of Hoffmann,” he said: “At its heart it is a journey into fantasy. It is opera fantastique, after all!” One definition of the French word fantastique is: a term for a literary and cinematic genre and mode that is characterized by {…}
Photo credit: Agathe Poupeney-OnP Thomas Adès’s “The Exterminating Angel” is one of the most successful contemporary operas of the century. Beyond its many productions—the Parisian one being the best of them all—, the opera quickly entered the symphonic repertoire with a very well-crafted symphonic suite. The opera, based on Luís Buñuel’s homonymous film, follows its source material: more than a {…}
(Photo: ENO’s Peter Grimes 2023 © Tom Bowles) David Alden’s “Peter Grimes” begins with the curtain up. Upstage the people of the Borough mill about restlessly, occasionally breaking into shouts of anger and impatience. Alden’s 2009 production, on its second revival, breaks with any wistful or bucolic notions about the seaside community of the Borough, who drive the equally unrelenting {…}
(Photo credits: Chris Sorensen, Victoria Cadisch, Andrew Staples) The English Concert has announced its 2023-24 season. This article features vocal works only. Countertenor Iestyn Davies returns to the BBC Proms to perform “Late Night Bach.” Davies will perform two of Bach’s solo cantatas, “Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust” and “Geist und Seele wird verdwirret” at the Royal Albert Hall. Performance Date: {…}
(Photo: Marc Brenner) “Tristan und Isolde” isn’t an opera generally known for its laughs. Indeed, sniggers from the audience generally indicates that something has gone drastically wrong in the direction department with this particular work. But in the this new production from Grange Park Opera, just outside of London, a sprinkling of giggles and smiles are testament to the zippy {…}
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner English National Opera has had a stay of execution from the swinging cuts imposed on them by Arts Council England before Christmas. At least another year of funding is guaranteed, though it has not come without casualties; the “Siegfried” planned as the next installment of their burgeoning “Ring” has reportedly been pulled. A pity, as Richard {…}
Mezzo-soprano Christine Rice has received the MBE in the New Year Honours. The honour was presented by his Majesty The King who is recognizing a host of leading and influential figures in music. Rice is receiving the honour for her services to opera. She is among others who include musical director Dr. Mike Thomas, who receives an MBE for services {…}
The Olivier Awards have announced their 2022 nominations. For the purposes of this article, we will only focus on the two opera categories. In the category of Outstanding Achievement in Opera, the nominees are Christine Rice for her performance in “4/4” at the Royal Opera House, takis for set and costume design of “HMS Pinafore” by English National Opera, and {…}