Emily Pogorelc, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Amina Edris, Elena Villalón, Catherine Martin Headline Detroit Opera’s 2024-25 Season

Detroit Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. First up is “La Traviata” in a new production by Francesca Zambello, conducted by Roberto Kalb. The work stars Emily Pogorelc, Galeano Salas, and Rod Gilfry. The new production moves the action to the 1920s. Performance Dates: Oct. 19 – 27, 2024 Next up is Louisa Proske’s production of “Rinaldo” starring Anthony Roth Costanzo, {…}

Dec 3, 2023

Best of 2023: OperaWire’s Top Ten Rising Stars 2023

It’s been a tough year. Economic hardship. War. Increased social fracturing around the world. In the opera world, we’ve seen numerous companies cutting back on productions or simply canceling their seasons. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything to celebrate. And as we end 2023, here’s a look at some of the young singers who saw their careers shine whether {…}

Nov 1, 2023

Operalia Competition Announces 2023 Finalists

The Operalia Competition has announced its 2023 finalists. Following a day of semifinals, 11 singers will compete in the opera finals while five singers will compete in the Zarzuela finals. Here are the finalists: Finalists Opera Semyon Antakov, baritone, Russia Caitlin Gotimer, soprano, USA Navasard Hakobyan, baritone, Armenia Eugénie Joneau, mezzo-soprano, France Taehan Kim, baritone, South Korea Omer Kobiljak, tenor, {…}

Oct 31, 2023

Operalia Competition Announces Semi-Finalists

The Operalia competition has announced the semi-finalists for its 2023 edition. Following two days of Quarterfinals, the competition selected 22 singers who will compete for a place in the opera finals and 12 singers who will compete in the Zarzuela finals. Here is the list: Semi-finalists Opera Semyon Antakov, baritone, Russia Nicolò Balducci, countertenor, Italy Gabrielle Beteag, mezzo-soprano, USA John {…}

Jul 17, 2023

Elena Villalón Joins MWA Management

(Credit: MWA Management) Cuban-American soprano Elena Villalón has signed with MWA for worldwide management. A recent alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and one of the youngest-ever winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2019, Villalón is set to compete this summer at the Operalia competition. Next season the soprano will sing Susanna in “Le Nozze di {…}

Jul 10, 2023

Operalia Competition Announces 2023 Participants

The Operalia Competition has announced the participants for its 30th-anniversary edition. The 2023 participants hail from such countries as Russia, Italy, USA, Malta, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Armenia, South Korea, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Israel, South Africa, and Bulgaria. The competition will be held at the Capetown Opera and will take place from Oct. 30 through Nov. 5, 2023. Operalia {…}

Jun 7, 2023

Anthony Roth Costanzo, Ryan Speedo Green, Mané Galoyan & Rachel Willis-Sørensen Lead Santa Fe Opera’s 2024 Season

The Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2024 season. Conductor Corrado Rovaris conducts Louisa Muller’s production of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The cast includes Mané Galoyan, Bekhzod Davronov, and Carlos Arámbula. Performance Dates: June 28-August 24, 2024 Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will be conducted by Harry Bicket. Stephen Barlow directs the production with Ryan Speedo Green, Teresa Perrotta, Rachael Wilson, David Portillo, Nicholas Newton, {…}

May 11, 2023

Adriana González, Elena Villalón, Pretty Yende, Nino Machaidze, Varduhi Abrahamyan Headline Oper Frankfurt’s 2023-24 Season

Oper Frankfurt has announced its 2023-24 season. New Productions The season will feature Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” in a production by Caterina Panti Liberovici. Simone De Felice conducts. The opera stars Bozidar Smiljanic, Donato Di Stefano, MIkolaj Tabka, Liviu Holender, Pablo Martinez, Brayan Ávila Martínez Martínez, Bianca Tognocchi, and Clara Kim. Performance Date: Sept. 23 – Oct. 15, 2023 Next up {…}

Oct 20, 2022

Elena Villalón & Kangmin Justin Kim to Star in The Dallas Opera’s ‘Hansel and Gretel’

The Dallas Opera is set to present “Hansel and Gretel” starting on Oct. 28, 2022. The production, which will be subsequently live streamed on Nov. 5, 2022 at 7:30 p.m., will star Kangmin Justin Kim and Elena Villalón in the title roles, respectively. They will be joined by Mark Delavan and Patricia Racette as the father and mother; Racette will {…}

Sep 16, 2022

Ginger Costa-Jackson, Elena Villalón, Liv Redpath, Joélle Harvey Headline The Orchestra of St. Luke’s 2022-23 Season

The Orchestra of St. Luke’s has announced its 2022-23 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. MasterVoices will present Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Lincoln Center (Rose Theater) with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s performing. The opera, which will be conducted by Ted Sperling and directed by Sammi Cannold, will star Ginger Costa-Jackson, {…}

May 17, 2022

Houston Grand Opera to Present Outdoor ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Performances

Houston Grand Opera will present Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” at Miller Outdoor Theater on May 20 and 21, 2022. The showcase will star Ricardo García and Elena Villalón in the title roles alongside Luke Sutliff, Geoffrey Hahn, Nicholas Newton, Donnie Ray Albert, Carlos Enrique Santelli, Sun-Ly Pierce, William Guanbo Su, Emily Treigle, Blake Denson, and Eric Taylor. Benjamin Manis conducts. {…}

elena villalon