Luciano Pavarotti may have enjoyed the moniker “King of the High ‘Cs,” but the TRUE high “C” king of the 21st Century, having flitted effortlessly through a career filled with an abundance of top notes, finds himself the star of this Richard Jones revival, a production now in its fourth year. I WAS to have reviewed Juan Diego Flórez’s debut {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) Classical Everywhere will present a unique interpretation of Händel’s “Messiah,” on December 6, 2022 at the Theater Royal Drury Lane. The event will immerse audiences in a powerful and theatrical new stage, featuring world-class musicians and innovative and imaginative lighting design, visual effects, choreography and staging, under director Neil Connolly. Händel’s timeless oratorio will feature an internationally acclaimed {…}
The Glyndebourne Festival has announced its 2023 slate. New Productions Kicking off the proceedings will be a new production of “Don Giovanni” starring baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky as Don Giovanni, Russian soprano Venera Gimadieva as Donna Anna, and Armenian soprano Ruzan Mantashyan as Donna Elvira. Mariame Clément directs with Evan Rogister conducting the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Performance Dates: {…}
The English National Opera has announced its 2022-23 season featuring eight productions and seven operas. Leo Hussain conducts Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Christof Loy. The cast will include Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, Adam Smith, and Noel Bouley. Performance Dates: Sept. 30–Nov. 4 2022 Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Yeomen of the Guard” will include Anthony Gregory, Neal Davies, Alexandra Oomens, Heather {…}
The London Philharmonic has announced its 2022-23 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights. Edward Gardner conducts Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with Lise Lindstrom, Karen Cargill, David Butt Philip, Robert Murray, and James Creswell. Performance Date: Sept. 24, 2022 Edward Gardner and soprano Jennifer France team up for Tchaikovsky, Dutilleux, Walker, and Dvořák. Performance Date: Sept. 28, 2022 Vaughan Williams’s {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced a cast change for Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” The company noted that in all “Don Pasquale“ performances from May 29, Danielle de Niese takes over the role of Norina for Rosa Feola, who has canceled due to her pregnancy. De Niese has performed the role of Norina at the Glyndebourne Festival and the {…}
(Credit: Frances Marshall) The London Händel Festival has announced its 2022 lineup, which will be entitled “New Beginnings.” For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances only. Opening Night will feature Laurence Cummings leading the Academy of Ancient Music and the National Youth Choir of Great Britten as well as the Chamber Choir {…}
Danielle De Niese is opening up about suffering a miscarriage hours before her performance in “La Bohème” at the Royal Opera House. The soprano told The Guardian that she sang through the opening night performance with the pain of the ordeal. She had been in the hospital in severe pain from a miscarriage hours before. According to The Guardian, the {…}
This week’s recommendations feature a operatic mini-series, a notable gala, a recital dedicated to songs of protest, another recital about the historic migration of African Americans from the South to the North, a concert of opera singers turning to jazz, and another concert focused on music of medieval times. And then there’s some Mozart, Rossini, and Wagner for good measure. {…}
The Edinburgh International Festival has announced its 2021 slate. For the purposes of this article, we will only focus on operatic or vocal performances. Opening the season will be “A Grand Night of Singing” starring Danielle de Niese, Kim Criswell, Anna-Jane Casey, Damian Humbley, and Richard Morrison. Wayne Marshall leads the Edinburgh Festival Ensemble. Performance Dates: August 8-13, 2021 Thomas {…}
The Glyndebourne Open House series is set to return this May with four streamed operas on its official website and YouTube channel. “Last year’s Open House broadcasts were hugely popular so we’re delighted to be offering more free online operas, and hope that people will once again take the opportunity to create their own Festival experience at home,” said Stephen {…}