(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 {…}
The production history of Jacques Offenbach’s “La Princesse de Trébizonde” is convoluted to say the least. It premiered twice, once in Baden-Baden and once at the Bouffes-Parisiens in 1869. In between both versions, it was reworked extensively; pastiches from the unpublished “La Baguette” were removed and Offenbach wrote a whole new act in a bid to align the narrative of {…}
Opera Rara is set to present Offenbach’s “La Princesse de Trébizonde” on Sept. 16, 2022 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The opera, which will feature Paul Daniel conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra, will star Anne-Catherine Gillet, Virginie Verrez, Christophe Gay, Josh Lovell, Katia Ledoux, Antoinette Dennefeld, Loïc Félix, and Christophe Mortagne. This marks the UK premiere of the {…}
This week audiences will get to see two rarely performed works on DVD and a new album of PSALMS. Here is a look: La finta giardiniera Naxos releases Mozart’s early work “La finta giardiniera” from the Teatro alla Scala with a cast that includes Krešimir Špicer, Julie Martin du Theil, Bernard Richter, Anett Fritsch, Giulia Semenzato, Lucia Cirillo, and Mattia {…}
The Opéra National de Bordeaux in France has announced its 2020-21 season featuring five operas and several recitals and concerts. Opera Paul Daniel conducts a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” by Pierre Rambert. Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Elbenita Kajtazi alternate the role of Violetta with Benjamin Bernheim and Kevin Amiel as Alfredo and Lionel Lhote and Anthony Clark-Evans as Germont. {…}
The Opéra de Lyon has announced its 2019-20 season featuring some of the greatest stars in the world and a number of new productions of some of the great masterworks in the world. Nicola Alaimo takes on Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” with Daniele Rustioni conducting a production by Tobia Kratzer. The cast also includes Enkeledja Shkoza, Jennifer Courcier, John Osborn, Jean Teitgen, and Jane Archibald. Performance {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has made a major casting change for its upcoming production of Verdi’s “Falstaff.” Nicola Alaimo, who was originally scheduled to take on the title role of Falstaff, will no longer perform. Per Platea Magazine, the bass-baritone has canceled due to health reasons. In his stead, the company has brought in two singers to share the {…}
This week’s CD releases feature a new album from a famed Hungarian artist alongside a number of releases from Naxos for your viewing pleasure. Giants, tragedians, comedians, heroes Levente Molnar releases his first solo album on Universal. The CD entitled “Giants, tragedians, comedians, heroes” includes 13 arias from “Bank Ban,” “Pagliacci,” “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Rigoletto,” “Falstaff,” “Andrea Chénier,” and {…}