The Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2020-21 season featuring a number of new productions revivals. Here is a look. Domingo Hindoyan and Keri-Lynn Wilson lead performances of Bizet’s “Carmen” with Clémentine Margaine, Elīna Garanča, and Varduhi Abrahamyan sharing the title role and Vittorio Grigolo and Charles Castronovo as Don José. Adam Plachetka and Lucas Meachem alternate as Escamillo, {…}
The Dutch National Opera has announced its 2020-21 season featuring new productions and a number of world premieres. Boito’s “Mefistofele” opens the season with a new production by Tatjana Gürbaca. Marco Armiliato conducts the production with Christian Van Horn in the title role, Charles Castronovo, Olga Busuioc, and Guanqun Yu. Performance Dates: Sept. 5-24, 2020 Paula Murrihy, Sandrine Piau, Tuomas {…}
The Boston Lyric Opera is set to showcase Bellini’s “Norma” for the first time in 40 years. The production will be directed by Stephanie Havey with set designs by Julia Noulin-Mérat, costume designs by Charles Neumann, and lighting designs by Pablo Santiago as part of the production team. Elena Stikhina makes her debut in the title role alongside Sandra Piques-Eddy {…}
(Credit: Thomas Aurin/Arena di Verona) This weekend will feature the celebration of a major milestone for the living legend Plácido Domingo. But there are also a few fascinating productions around Europe (though to be fair, 80 percent of our choices are located in two countries) that you definitely have to check out if you have the chance. Médée – Salzburg Festival, {…}
(Credit: Daniil Rabovsky) Cherubini’s “Medée” has never been a major repertory staple. After all the work requires a star soprano who can bring the drama to life not only through fearless singing, but equally potent acting. Maria Callas, for many, is the last truly iconic interpreter of the title role. For the new production by Simon Stone, the Salzburg Festival has {…}
(Credit: Julien Benhamou / ONP) Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” is undeniably one of the most complex to stage. Not only is it a tremendous challenge for each of the major singers cast in the work, but it presents unique obstacles for any director who opts to take it on. The opera, despite being by one the greatest opera composers {…}
Sonya Yoncheva has canceled her final performance of “Tosca” at the Opera de Paris. The Paris Opera announced that due to illness the soprano would no longer be able to perform on June 5. As a result, Elena Stikhina will replace Yoncheva, singing the title role of “Tosca.” This will be the second performance for Stikhina, who replaced Yoncheva on {…}
Sonya Yoncheva has canceled her first performance of Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Opera de Paris. The company announced that due to health reasons, Yoncheva will be unable to perform. As a result, Elena Stikhina will replace Yoncheva. Stikhina is currently rehearsing Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” with the company, which opens on June 6. The soprano is set to alternate with {…}
The Grand Theatre Geneve has announced its 2019 season featuring eight productions. Check it our right here. The season opens with Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s monumental opera “Einstein on the Beach.“ The work is set to be conducted by Titus Engel with Daniele Finzi Pasca directing the work. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-18, 2019 Serena Farnocchia and Elena Stikhina share the {…}
The BBC Proms has announced its 2019 festival featuring some of the great singers, performers and orchestras in the world. For this season announcement we will concentrate on the vocal performances. Omer Meir Wellber leads the BBC Proms Youth Choir and BBC Philharmonic in Haydn’s “The Creation.” He is joined by soloists Sarah-Jane Brandon, Benjamin Hulett, and Christoph Pohl. Performance Date: July 29, {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced that Elena Stikhina will be taking over the lead role in “Medée” this summer. Sonya Yoncheva was originally supposed to take on the opera after tremendous success in a previous production. However, the soprano is currently awaiting her second child and regulations with Austrian maternity protection laws will not allow her to participate in rehearsals {…}