Johan Reuter, Susan Bullock, Natalya Romaniw, Elisabet Strid, Ricarda Merbeth & Russell Thomas Lead Finnish National Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel” will get a new production by Richard Jones and will be presented for the first time since 1996. The new Finnish translation by Mikko Koivusalo will star Tommi Hakala, Samuli Takkula, Tuija Knihtilä, Maiju Vaahtoluoto, Elli Vallinoja, Polina Liiv, Suvi Väyrynen, Emma Mustaniemi, Dan Karlström, and Roland Liiv. Antony Hermus conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}

Apr 27, 2024

Dame Sarah Connolly Stars in the 2024 Pažaislis Music Festival

Details of the 2024 Pažaislis Music Festival have been announced. This article only features vocal works. Mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly performs the works of Berlioz and Ravel with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Chief Conductor Gintaras Rinkevičius. She is joined by the Kaunas State Choir. Performance date: May 31, 2024 Mezzo-soprano Vilija Mikštaitė and tenor Mindaugas {…}

Apr 19, 2024

Opernhaus Zürich Announces Cast Change for ‘Carmen’

Opernhaus Zürich has announced a cast change for its production of Bizet’s “Carmen.” The company said, “Edgaras Montvidas takes over the role of Don José in the ‘Carmen’ performance on Friday, April 19, 2024, replacing Saimir Pirgu.” Montvidas has performed with the Opéra National du Rhin Strasbourg, the Bregenzer Festspiele, the Opernhaus Zürich, Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Teater an {…}

Jun 13, 2023

Thomas Hampson & Jennifer Holloway Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get to hear rarely performed works. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. A Fine Agitation Navona Records releases Michael J. Evans’ work which is an eight-part stage work based on Susan B. Anthony’s letters during her infamous voting trial. The recording features the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava, conductor Stanislav Vavřínek, the National Moravian-Silesian Theater {…}

Jul 18, 2022

Angela Brower, Gun-Brit Barkmin, David Kim & Michele Angelini Lead Den Norske Opera’s 2022-23 Season

Oslo’s Den Norske Opera has announced its 2022-23 season. Beate Mordal, Astrid Nordstad, Sakarias Fredriksen Tranvåg, Aleksander Nohr, Bernt Ola Volungholen, Petteri Lehikoinen, and Simen Bredesen star in “Wonderful Bernstein!” Karen Kamensek conducts. Performance Dates: August 20-26, 2022 Wagner’s “Parsifal third act” will be conducted by Asher Fisch and will feature Yngve Søberg, Franz-Josef Selig, and Daniel Brenna. Performance Dates: {…}

Dec 14, 2021

Opéra National du Rhin Cancels ‘Carmen’ Due to COVID-19

(Credit: Visit Alsace official website) The Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg has announced the cancelation of a performance of Bizet’s “Carmen” on Dec. 15, 2021. “The health situation has deteriorated in the last few days among the teams participating in our production of ‘Carmen’,” said the opera house in an official statement. The opera was set to star Edgaras {…}

Dec 8, 2021

Andreas Schager, Scott Hendricks, Elena Guseva, Maria Barakova & Annalisa Stroppa Lead Bregenz Festival 2022 Season

(Credit: Bregenz Festival official website) The Bregenz Festival has announced its 2022 slate, featuring four operas and international stars. Here is the full slate. Operas Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” stars Maria Barakova as Isabella, Alberto Comes as Mustafa, Sarah Yang as Elvira, and Spencer Britten as Lindoro. The cast also includes Florence Losseau, Hubert Kowalczyk, and Pierpaolo Martella. Jonathan Brandani {…}

Jun 21, 2021

Roberto Alagna, Juan Diego Flórez, Ildar Abdrazakov, María José Siri & Zuzana Marková Lead Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège’s 2021-22 Season

Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège in Belgium has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. Here is the full slate. Opera Verdi‘s “La Forza del Destino” will star Marcelo Álvarez as Don Alvaro, María José Siri as Donna Leonora, and Simone Piazzola as Don Carlo di Vargas. The cast also {…}

May 19, 2021

Joyce DiDonato, Jonathan Tetelman, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Jakub Józef Orliński Headline Opéra National du Rhin’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: © McQueen / Deutsche Oper am Rhein official website / © Jean-Baptiste Millot / Jiyang Chen) Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, France has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is the full slate. Operas Hans Abrahamsen’s “The Snow Queen” will spotlight Lauren Snouffer, Rachael Wilson, Helena Rasker, David Leigh, Michael Smallwood, Owen Willetts, Floriane Derthe, and Moritz Kallenberg. Robert {…}

Apr 13, 2021

Royal Opera House Announces Spring & Summer Schedule

The Royal Opera House has announced a Spring and Summer schedule. The Spring and Summer will consist of in-person and streamed performances beginning May 17, 2021. For the in-person presentations, there will be a socially distanced audience. The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera will host world premieres, repertory favorites, and the world’s first opera in hyper-reality. For the purposes {…}

Feb 3, 2021

Q & A: Tenor Edgaras Montvidas on COVID-19, New Operas, & Picking the Right Repertory

Edgaras Montvidas, one of the most famous Lithuanian tenors, took 2020 as a bouquet of various experiences. Living in London since 2001 and working at the Covent Garden Opera House, he was a soloist at the Frankfurt Opera House between 2003-2006 and began last year’s season with his debut at the world premiere of Christian Jost’s “Egmont.” But what was {…}