The Dutch National Opera is set to present Mozart’s “Idomeneo.” The company will present a production by choreographer and director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, who has choreographed for pop stars such as Beyoncé (at her 2017 Grammy Award performance) and Madonna (on her #CelebrationTour). The production will feature dancers from his own company Eastman and sets by the Japanese artist Chiharu {…}
(Photo credit: © SF Marco Borrelli) Is it possible to be merciful with fascists? In Robert Carsen’s reading of Mozart’s “La Clemenza di Tito” the answer must be a reverberant “No”—otherwise, the moment one turns their back, they will not miss the opportunity to stab it. Robert Carsen often enjoys updating opera plots, making them reflections of current politics—often achieving {…}
(Photo credit: Clive Barda) It’s curtain down, the opera has just ended and the cast are – dressed in 18th century attire – each taking their turns to bow to the applause, to the sound of “Così’s” ouverture. Confused? Well, that was just the start to an evening that was as whacky as it was amusing, if not also a {…}
(Credit: Matthias Horn) The Whitsun Festival in Salzburg this year is titled “Tutto Mozart” and is dedicated to the city’s most famous son. The program features only one full opera, “La clemenza di Tito,” written by Mozart in 1791 while he was finishing “The Magic Flute,” making it his final opera. Created to commemorate the coronation of Emperor Leopold II {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. For the final edition of the year, we look at the last releases that 2023 has to offer including a unique album dedicated to Strauss and Wagner and Menotti’s famed Christmas opera. Enjoy these releases and Happy New Year! We can’t wait for {…}
The Teatro alla Scala has announced its streaming schedule for La ScalaTV in 2024. The company will begin its streaming season with Filarmonica della Scala’s concert conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. Streaming Date: Jan. 2024 The following stream will be “Simon Boccanegra” starring Luca Salsi, Ain Anger, and Roberto De Candia. Streaming Date: Feb. 2024 Benjamin Britten’s ‘The Little Sweep” will {…}
(Credit: © Marta Syrko) The Dutch National Opera is set to present Wagner’s “Lohengrin.” Lorenzo Viotti will make his Wagnerian debut after having performed in “Der Rosenkavalier” and “Turandot.” The cast will include tenor Daniel Behle in the title role, soprano Malin Byström as Elsa, baritone Thomas Johannes Mayer as Telramund, and soprano Martina Serafin as Ortrud. Björn Bürger and {…}
This week audiences will get a chance to listen to a tribute album to one of the greatest sopranos in history, two new DVDs and a soundtrack to one of this year’s most acclaimed films. The Distances Between SOMM Recordings releases “The Distances Between,” the second volume of songs – including 17 first recordings – by Stephen Dodgson marking the {…}
(© Semperoper Dresden/Matthias Creutziger) Semperoper Dresden is set to bring back Willy Decker’s production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” this February. This revival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this staging’s first performances and the first in five years. In sum, there will be two cycles – one starting on Jan. 27 and running through Feb. 1 and a second {…}
The Dutch National Opera is set to present Humperdinck’s “Königskinder” this October. The production will reunite Marc Albrecht and Christof Loy who collaborated in “Tannhäuser” at Dutch National Opera in 2019. The work stands in sharp contrast to Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel,” which sees the goose girl and the prince discover that a person’s true worth is measured by how {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper official website) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced the slate of operas that it will be presenting on its streaming platform over the next week. First up is a performance of Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” from 2016 which will showcase Valentina Naforniţă, Stephen Costello, Marco Caria, and Erwin Schrott. Marco Armiliato conducts a production by Otto Schenk. Streaming date: {…}