Weekend Preview – USA (3/31-4/2): New York City Opera, Diana Damrau & Vittorio Grigolo Or Carmen Giannattasio; Take Your Pick

A number of major operas premiere new productions this weekend. Here are the major highlights of the weekend. The New York City Opera is back in action this weekend with a rare performance of Resphigi’s “La Campana Sommersa.” The rarely performed opera stars Fabio Armiliato and will be showcased on March 31 and April 1 with subsequent performances during the {…}

Weekend Preview USA (3/24-26): Diana Damrau, Plácido Domingo & Vittorio Grigolo Open “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at LA Opera

Diana Damrau, Vittorio Grigolo, and Plácido Domingo will take the opera world by storm this weekend when they join forces for Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at the Los Angeles Opera. The first performance of the six-show run takes place this Saturday evening. Damrau was originally scheduled to sing all four heroines but has since rescinded this commitment, opting for only {…}

‘Les Pêcheurs de Perles’ DVD Review: Damrau, Polenzani, Kwiecien Shine in Must-Buy Metropolitan Opera Production of Bizet’s Gem

For decades Bizet’s “Les Pêcheurs de Perles” was rarely ever performed. We would hear the famed “Friendship Duet” or get the occasional recording here and there, but seeing a staged performance was a thing of dreams. But now opera lovers can enjoy a live performance of Bizet’s often-ignored work from the comfort of their living rooms. Mind you, the Metropolitan {…}