National Sawdust 2024 Review: Silent Light

(Photo credit: Jill Steinberg at National Sawdust) National Sawdust’s 10th Anniversary opening season kicked off with Artistic Director/Co-Founder & composer Paola Prestini and librettist Royce Vavrek‘s foley chamber opera world premiere “Silent Light,” featuring director & scenic designer Thaddeus Strassberger and conductor Christopher Rountree. The cast includes powerhouse soprano Brittany Renee as Esther, bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch as Johan, soprano Julia {…}

Nov 9, 2023

San Francisco Opera 2023-24 Review: Omar

Omar is a man, forcibly taken from his home in West Africa in 1807, and brought through the Middle Passage to America. He is sold into slavery in South Carolina and treated with brutality. He maintains his Muslim faith and eventually while in captivity, writes his autobiography in Arabic. “Omar” is an opera created by MacArthur Fellowship recipient Rhiannon Giddens, {…}

Apr 3, 2023

Boston Lyric Opera to Present New England Premiere of ‘Omar’

Boston Lyric Opera is set to present the New England premiere of “Omar,” a new opera by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels. The work is set to be performed on May 4-7, 2023 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater with a cast led by tenor Jamez McCorkle in his BLO debut as Omar, mezzo-soprano Cierra Byrd in her BLO debut {…}

May 17, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča, Anja Harteros, Sonya Yoncheva, Piotr Beczała Highlight Opernhaus Zürich’s 2021-22 Season

The Opernhaus Zürich has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is the full slate. Operas – Premieres Richard Strauss‘ “Salome” will star Elena Stikhina, Kostas Smoriginas, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Michaela Schuster, Mauro Peter, and Siena Licht Miller. Simone Young conducts the production by Andreas Homoki. Performance dates: Sep. 12 – Oct. 17, 2021 Verdi‘s “Il Trovatore” will spotlight Quinn Kelsey, Marina Rebeka, {…}

Dec 4, 2020

Karine Babajanyan, Daniel Okulitch & Lucio Gallo Lead Seattle Opera’s Spring Digital Season

The Seattle Opera has announced its Spring digital series after canceling its originally planned 2020-21 season. Andrew Stenson presents a recital on YouTube Streaming Date: Jan. 29, 2021 Jasmine Habersham and WIll Thomas in Recital will perform a new recital. Streaming Dates: Feb. 19-March 12, 2021 Randall Scotting, Jeni Houser, Joshua Kohl, Karen Vuong, Maya Gour, Margaret Gawrysiak, Joseph Lattanzi, {…}

Oct 24, 2020

Pacific Opera Announces ‘ Live from the Baumann’ Concert Series

Pacific Opera in Victoria, Canada has announced the “Live from the Baumann” concert series. The live in-person performances invites audiences for a socially-distanced showcase at the Baumann Center where they can see some of opera’s rising stars. First up will be Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch and soprano Lara Secord-Haid as they take on music by Osvaldo Golijov, Carlos Guastavino, André Previn, {…}

Mar 5, 2020

Rame Lahaj, Layla Claire & Daniel Okulitch Highlight Opéra de Montréal’s 2020-21 Season

The Opéra de Montréal has announced its 2020-21 season with five productions highlighting the season. The season opens with Verdi’s “La Traviata” starring Marie-Josée Lord in the title role, Rame Lahaj as Alfredo, and Jean-François Lapointe as Germont. Jordan De Souza conducts Alain Gauthier’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 1, 2020 Marianne Fiset sings the title role in Janáček’s “Jenůfa” with Samuel {…}

Jan 9, 2020

Francesco Meli, Irina Lungu & Lawrence Brownlee Highlight New National Theatre, Tokyo’s 2020-21 Season

The New National Theatre, Tokyo has announced its 2020-21 season, featuring four new productions and six revivals. Here is a look at what to expect next season. New Productions The new season Opens with the company premiere of Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a new production by David McVicar originally seen at La Monnaie in Brussels. The opera is {…}

Jan 2, 2020

Saioa Hernández, Gregory Kunde & Joyce El-Khoury Headline Seattle Opera’s 2020-21 Season

The Seattle Opera has announces its 2020-21 season featuring an all-star lineup and some ambitious productions. Here is a look: The season opens with the double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” with Gregory Kunde headlining both productions in a rare U.S. appearance. He will share the run with Arsen Soghomonyan. Melody Moore and Marcy Stonikas will share the role {…}

Jun 10, 2019

Spoleto Festival USA Announces New Opera For 2020

The Spoleto Festival USA has announced that it will be producing a new untitled opera that will be the first opera by Rhiannon Giddens. The work will center on the 1831 autobiography of Omar Ibn Said, an enslaved Muslim-African who came to Charleston’s Gadsden’s Wharf in 1807. Giddens, will be composer and librettist on the project. She is a Grammy {…}

Feb 26, 2019

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Etienne Dupuis & Nicole Car Among Stars Of Opéra de Montréal’s 2019-20 Season

The Opéra de Montréal has announced its 2019-20 season featuring five staged operas and an opera in concert version. The season will open with Tchaïkovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” with real-life couple Etienne Dupuis and Nicole Car as Onegin and Tatiana. They will be accompanied by tenor Owen McCausland, mezzo Carolyn Sproule, bass Denis Sedov, mezzo Christiane Bélanger, with a guest appearance {…}