(Credit: Jann Wilken) Three hundred and ten years after its inception, George Frideric Handel’s “Brockes-Passion”—his only sacred work set in his native German, based on a libretto from Hamburg—came back home tonight as a living exploration of deep-seated psychological landscapes. This performance, led by Maarten Engeltjes and the ensemble PRJCT Amsterdam, succeeded in achieving a delicate balance between the work’s {…}
(Credit: Daniel Dittus) Leonardo García Alarcón has already established an impressive track record in early North Italian opera, with his acclaimed “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria” at the 2024 Aix-en-Provence Festival and his masterful Cavalli’s “Pompeo Magno” at Bayreuth in 2025. His interpretation with Cappella Mediterranea and the Chœur de Chambre de Namur was imbued with the freshness and vitality {…}
The Brighton Festival announces its 2026 and 60th anniversary season. This article only features classical voice concerts. Nick Pritchard, Benjamin Schilperoort, Benjamin Schilperoort, and Edward Grint make up the cast of Bach’s “St John Passion.” They are joined by soloists Lauren Lodge Cambell, Helen Charlston, Bastien Rimondi, Olivier Bergeron, and the Brighton Festival Chorus and Youth Choir. James Morgan conducts {…}
(Photo credit: Anna Kucera) In his notes on the work, Erin Helyard, conductor of Pinchgut Opera’s recent “Messiah,” states that there are “about 10 identifiably different versions of ‘Messiah’ that Händel appears to have approved, developed, or tolerated following its composition in 1741.” “Why perform the first version,” he asked, posing a question by which to judge this, Pinchgut’s final {…}
Radio France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus only on the vocal works. Here is a look. Operas Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les sortilèges” spotlights Jodie Devos, Clara Guillon, Adèle Charvet, Marie Lenormand, Élodie Méchain, Antoine Normand, Régis Mengus, and Paul Gay. Mikko Franck conducts. Performance date: Oct. 1, 2021, Philharmonie de Paris {…}
Opera has always been known as the instrument of psychic and social health. But last year it also became a risk of physical health. Just when we needed culture the most, 2020 became a year of pandemic and a year without opera. Therefore both artists and opera institutions are confronting a crisis of their own. The arts generated a greater {…}
(Credit: Balthasar Denner) London Handel Festival will take place from March 5 to April 10, 2020, featuring number of vocal and orchestral works. The oratorio “Susanna” will feature Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, Patrick Terry, Yaritza Véliz, April Koyejo-Audiger, Michael Mofidian, Andrés Presno, and Blaise Malaba. Patrick Milne will conduct the production by Isabelle Kettle. Performance Dates : March 5, 7, 11, 12 {…}