Irene Roberts, Golda Schultz, Sasha Cooke, David Portillo & Joélle Harvey Lead San Francisco Symphony’s 2025-26 Season

The San Francisco Symphony has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Donald Runnicles conducts Alban Berg’s Seven Early Songs and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Irene Roberts is a soloist. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-28, 2025 Jane Glover conducts Händel’s “Messiah” with Heidi Stober, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Josh Lovell, and Will Liverman. Performance Dates: Dec. 5 {…}

Mar 18, 2025

Malin Byström, Natalya Romaniw, Elena Stikhina, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Jakub Józef Orliński, Federica Lombardi & Joshua Guerrero Lead Dutch National Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Dutch National Opera has announce dits 2025-26 season. Elena Stikhina and Natalya Romaniw star in Puccini’s “Tosca” with Joshua Guerrero and Gevorg Hakobyan. Nathalie Stutzmann conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 3-25, 2025 “Operetta Land” will be performed featuring music by Johann Strauss II, Jacques Offenbach, and Arthur Sullivan. Steef de Jong, Raoul Stefani, Marc Pantus, Laetitia Gerards, Elenora Hu, Frederik {…}

Feb 10, 2025

Sasha Cooke, Heidi Stober, David Portillo, J’Nai Bridges & Jarrett Ott Lead Seattle Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Seattle Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance.” The cast includes Reginald Smith, Jr. as the Pirate King, Thomas Glass as Major-General Stanley, David Portillo as Frederic, Vanessa Becerra as Mabel, and Katharine Goeldner as Ruth. David Charles Abell will conduct Sean Curran’s production. Performance Dates: Oct. 18-Nov. 1, {…}

Jan 3, 2025

Michael Tilson Thomas, Francesca Dotto, Jacquelyn Wagner Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. Happy New Year! For the first week of the year, there are many rarely performed operas on offer and a some world premiere recordings that will be intriguing for opera fans. Grace: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas In celebration of his 80th {…}

Dec 28, 2024

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: The Magic Flute

(Photos: © Met Opera) This holiday season’s production of Metropolitan Opera’s “The Magic Flute” brings joy and grandiosity to Met Opera’s stage, and audience members of all ages. Julie Taymor’s beloved production is a nostalgic showcase of thoughtful set designs, costume designs, and dancing. This is the abridged, English adapted version of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” designed to run in under {…}

Oct 18, 2024

Aleksandra Kurzak, Matt Haimovitz, Lester Lynch & David Portillo Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get to hear a world premiere recording of a new opera. There are also three solo albums including one historic recording and one from a great diva of our time. Here is a look! Jacqueline Pentatone releases the new {…}

May 11, 2024

David Portillo, Michael Chioldi, Claudia Boyle & Soraya Mafi Lead Irish National Opera’s 2024-25 Season

The Irish National Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. The company will open with a double bill featuring “Mary Motorhead” and “Trade.” Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Oisin O’Dalaigh, and John Molloy star in the production. Elaine Kelly conducts and Tom Creed directs. Performance Date: August 8–Oct. 23, 2024 Paula Murrihy and David Portillo lead Berlioz’s “Béatrice and Bénédict,” alongside Anna Devin, {…}

Mar 29, 2024

Véronique Gens, David Portillo, & Sofia Fomina Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get a chance to listen to several baroque albums, a world premiere recording of a new opera, a French solo album, and rarely performed composers. Pergolesi Stabat Mater & Vivaldi Nisi Dominus PRJCT Amsterdam and its artistic director Maarten {…}

Dec 20, 2023

Haymarket Opera Company Unveils its 2024 Season

(Photo credit: Elliot Mandel) Haymarket Opera Company has announced its 2024 season. The season kicks off with “La decollazione di San Giovanni Battista.” Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron makes her Haymarket debut, along with bass-baritone Christian Pursell as Herod and tenor Eric Ferring. Sopranos Erica Schuller and Kristen Knutson return to Haymarket. Craig Trompeter leads the chamber ensemble. Performance Date: March 22, {…}

Nov 10, 2023

Lawrence Brownlee, Julia Bullock, Latonia Moore & Anthony Roth Costanzo Lead Classical Grammy Nominees

The Grammy nominations have been announced. The Best Opera Recording nominees are Blanchard’s Champion featuring Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore, and Eric Owens with David Frost as the producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus); and Corigliano’s “The Lord Of Cries” featuring Gil Rose, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Kathryn Henry, Jarrett Ott, and David Portillo with Gil {…}

Jul 4, 2023

David Portillo Awarded 2024 Sphinx Medal of Excellence

(Credit: Kristen Hoebermann) David Portillo has been awarded the Sphinx Medal of Excellence for 2024. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, recognizing extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. The award includes a $50,000 career grant and annually recognizes three artists who early in their career demonstrate artistic excellence, outstanding work ethic, a spirit of determination, {…}

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