Mezzo-Soprano Doris Soffel Earns Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

(Photo: Boris Orlob) Famed mezzo-soprano Doris Soffel was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany on Oct. 27, 2025 in a ceremony led by Senator for Arts & Culture, Sarah Wedl-Wilson, on behalf of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The honor recognizes Soffel’s exceptional lifetime achievements and extraordinary contributions to German and international opera. “During several decades, {…}

May 22, 2025

Doris Soffel Honored by Deutsche Oper Berlin

Doris Soffel has been named an Honorary Member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin for her outstanding performances as a unique “Sängerdarstellerin.” The singer was awarded the distinction during the presentation of the 2025-26 season on May 19. For more than four decades, Soffel has been a regular guest at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. She made her debut in 1985 with the {…}

Mar 14, 2025

Jonas Kaufmann, Rosa Feola, Christian Immler, Anastasia Bartoli, Lucy Crowe & Sara Jakubiak Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. It’s a big week for releases with a leading tenor releasing a DVD, a major soprano making her debut album and several world premieres. There are also several rare pieces and a big verismo piece you have to hear. O Listen! To the {…}

Aug 19, 2023

Francesco Meli, Elīna Garanča & Laura Strickling Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get a chance to listen to a tribute album to one of the greatest sopranos in history, two new DVDs and a soundtrack to one of this year’s most acclaimed films. The Distances Between SOMM Recordings releases “The Distances Between,” the second volume of songs – including 17 first recordings – by Stephen Dodgson marking the {…}

Jun 3, 2023

Eleonora Buratto, Javier Camarena & Francesco Meli Lead Palau de les Arts’ 2023-24 Season

Valencia’s Palau de les Arts’ 2023-24 season featuring opera, recitals, concerts, and zarzuela. Opera Dima Orsho and Carla Nahadi Babelegoto star in “Women at Point Zero.” Performance Date: Sept. 15, 2023 James Gaffigan conducts Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” in Richard Jones’ production. The cast includes Arsen Soghomonyan, Doris Soffel, Ekaterina Guseva, Elena Maximova, Roman Burdenko, and Nikolay Zemlianskikh. Performance {…}

Mar 24, 2023

Camilla Nylund, Amanda Majeski & Lise Lindstrom Lead Semperoper Dresden’s 2023-24 Season

The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the operatic productions of the season. Premieres Puccini’s “Turandot” is set to star Elisabeth Teige, Aleksei Kulagin, Yonghoon Lee, and Elbenita Kajtazi. Ivan Repušić conducts the new production by Marie-Eve Signeyrole. Performance Dates: Oct. 7-Nov. 25, 2023 Mary Plazas, Katerina von Bennigsen, Peter Tantsits, and Andrew Nolen {…}

Nov 19, 2021

Anja Harteros, Angela Meade, Yusif Eyvazov, Nicole Car & Alex Esposito Lead Deutsche Oper’s December 2021 Performances

(Credit: Klaus Frahm) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its upcoming December 2021 performances. Mezzo-soprano Doris Soffel will give a concert singing lieder by Gustav Mahler and Kurt Weill. Performance date: Dec. 2, 2021 Soprano Anja Harteros gives a concert featuring Wagner’s “Wesendonck-Lieder” and “Liebestod” from “Tristan und Isolde.” The orchestra will also present Richard Strauss’ “Tod und Verklärung” op. {…}

Oct 19, 2021

Doris Soffel to Celebrate 100th Opera Role

(Credit: Boris Streubel) On Oct. 24, 2021, German mezzo-soprano Doris Soffel will celebrate her 100th opera role. Soffel will sing the role of “Staraya Barynya” in Shostakovich’s “The Nose” at the Bayerische Staatsoper in a new production by Kirill Serebrennikov. Vladimir Jurowski will conduct the production which is set to star Boris Pinkhasovich, Sergei Leiferkus, Laura Aikin, Andrey Popov, Sergey {…}

Jun 20, 2021

Kristine Opolais, Michael Volle, Angela Gheorghiu & Evelyn Herlitzius Lead Semperoper Dresden’s 2021-22 Season

The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, revivals, jung oper, and Chamber works. Premieres Gaetano d’Espinosa conducts a new production of Peter Konwitschny Bellini’s “Norma” with Yolanda Auyanet in the title role. The cast will also include Dmytro Popov, Alexandros Stavrakakis, and Stepanka Pucalkova. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-31, 2021 Ivan Repušić conducts a new production of {…}

Jun 14, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Renée Fleming, Sonya Yoncheva, Anita Rachvelishvili & Lise Davidsen Headline Berlin Philharmonic’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Dario Acosta / Andrew Eccles/Decca / Javier del Real / Dario Acosta / Ray Burmiston) The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2021-22 season, spotlighting some of the world’s greatest performers. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works. Here is the full slate: The Bundesjugendchor presents works by Brahms, Schumann, di Laso, Harvey, Rihm, and {…}

May 10, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Sonya Yoncheva & Asmik Grigorian Headline Osterfestspiele Baden Baden’s 2022 Festival

The Osterfestspiele Baden Baden has announced its 2022 season. For this article, we will highlight the operatic and vocal performances of the season. The festival will open with a production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades” directed by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier. Kirill Petrenko conducts the production starring Asmik Grigorian, Arsen Soghomonyan, Doris Soffel, and Vladislav Sulimsky. Performance Dates: {…}