(Credit: Opus 3 Artists official website) The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced that the Italian bass-baritone Alex Esposito has been awarded the honorary title of the Kammersänger of the state of Bavaria. Esposito is regarded as one of the most talented opera singers of his generation. He has appeared on the leading stages, including Teatro alla Scala, Wiener Staatsoper, Royal Opera {…}
(Credit: Michael Cooper) “People are craving music and all the healing, soothing, and bonding elements it provides.” American-Canadian soprano superstar Sondra Radvanovsky was in Rio de Janeiro on March 13, 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in full force. Radvanovsky was slated to perform at the Theatro Municipal, but the performance ended up being canceled. Faced with a {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Another step back on the road to a post virus normality was taken at Teatro La Fenice with its performance of Donizetti’s “Roberto Devereux.” Seats were returned to the stalls, the orchestra was back in the pit and the singers back on stage. Yes, there were still some restrictions in place, so that face masks were still {…}
(Credit: Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Music Entertainment) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that tenor Juan Diego Flórez will sing the role of Nemorino in Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” on Sept. 21, 2020. The tenor will replace Liparit Avetisyan, who is ill, in the final performance of the run. Flórez is the latest artist in a series of cast changes at the {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced two cast changes for the upcoming performances of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’amore” and “La fille du régiment.” Per an official statement on the company’s website, Swedish soprano Johanna Wallroth will take over the role of Giannetta in the presentations of “L’Elisir d’amore” on Sept. 17 & 21, 2020. Per the same statement, conductor {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper) A performance of Franz Lehár operetta “Die lustige Witwe” at the Theater in der Gumpendorfer Straße on Sept. 6, 2020 in Vienna has caused a series of COVID-19 infections. In all, 46 cases have been confirmed so far. As a result, the Wiener Staatsoper had to make two changes to the cast of Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” on {…}
(Credit: Chris Singer) Only seven days before the COVID-19 pandemic fell on our heads, American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato was in New York portraying the role of Agrippina at the Metropolitan Opera House. Taking on the role of the cunning queen, DiDonato already had been in the eye of the storm. At that moment very few people really understood well what {…}
(Credit: Oberon’s Grove) French coloratura soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre has died at the age of 88. Eda-Pierre was born in Fort-de-France, capital of Martinique. She came to France to finish her studies at Conservatoire de Paris and in 1957, she made her professional debut in the role of Leïla in Bizet’s “Les pêcheurs de perles.” She went on to perform at {…}
The Opéra National de Paris has announced that it will reopen its doors to the public after the six-month hiatus. The opera house has confirmed in the press release that the Opéra Bastille will reopen on November 23, with the premiere of the first night of the Ring Festival in the concert form. Per the press release, the fully staged {…}
(Credit: Elena Cherkashyna / Merri Cyr) Soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Xabier Anduaga will appear together in a concert on Sep. 9, 2020. The performance, entitled “A Celebration of Opera” will also feature pianist David Aronson. Concert, which will not include a live audience, will be organized by the Gibraltar Philharmonic Society. Sierra will perform “Ah, je veux vivre” from {…}
(Credit: Opera Naţională Română din Timişoara official website) Romanian soprano Constanța Adriana Mesteș passed away in Bucharest at the age of 64. She graduated from the singing section of the Timișoara’s High School of Arts “Ion Vidu” in 1975. That same year, she got her first job at Opera Naţională Română din Timişoara, at first as a member of the {…}