(Credit: Ken Howard) This week, The Dallas Opera opens a starry production of Verdi’s epic “Don Carlo.” The production showcases some of the lead interpreters of the opera as well as some house debuts. Among them is that of baritone Étienne Dupuis, who will make his Dallas Opera debut in one of his signature roles. The baritone first sang the role {…}
The etymology of the Italian word “maschera” (and its English equivalent “mask”) is rather obscure. It’s derived from the Arabic word “maskara,” meaning buffoonery and/or harsh derision. Indeed, a closer look at “Un ballo in maschera” reveals a higher degree of caustic bite far beyond the final act’s famous masked ball. Amelia seeks help from the soothsayer Ulrica to rid {…}
The Dallas Opera (TDO) is set to close its 2025-26 Season with a new production of Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” TDO first presented Don Carlo in 1988 and was set to present it in a semi-staged production in March 2020 but was unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new production will be directed by Louis Désiré who said, “It {…}
Opéra National de Paris has announced cast change for its production of “Un Ballo in Maschera.” The company said that Igor Golovatenko has withdrawn from the production and will be replaced by Étienne Dupuis on Jan. 27, 30 and February 2, 2026. Dupuis made his Paris debut in 2009 and has since performed in productions of “Pelléas et Mélisande,” “Don {…}
(Credit: Deutsche Oper) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Detlev Glanert ‘s “Die drei Rätsel” will be conducted by Dominic Limburg and directed by Brigitte Dethier. The production will star Martina Baroni, Philipp Jekal, Chance Jonas-O’Toole, Joel Allison, Padraic Rowan, Maria Vasilevskaya, and Alexandra Oomens. Performance Dates: Oct. 11, 2025-Feb. 15, 2026 Sir Donald Runnicles will {…}
The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Giampaolo Bisanti conducts Gound’s “Faust” in Thaddeus Strassberger’s production. The cast includes John Osborn, Erwin Schrott, Nino Machaidze, Markus Werba, and Elmina Hasan. Performance Dates: Sept. 12-20, 2025 Sieva Borzak conducts Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” with a cast that includes Francesca Dotto, Josè Maria Lo Monaco, Maxim Mironov, Vittorio Prato, {…}
Australian soprano Nicole Car, will perform alongside her husband, French-Canadian baritone Étienne Dupuis, in a Verdi Gala in Melbourne at Opera Australia. The gala will be held on April 30 and May 4, 2025 at Hamer Hall with the repertory spotlighting the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. The duo will be joined by tenor Paul O’Neill, and the gala will be {…}
Opera Comique has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” with Michael Spyres, Héloïse Mas, Amina Edris, and Jean-Sébastien Bou. Pierre Dumoussaud conducts the production by Lotte De Beer. Performance Dates: Sept. 25-Oct. 5, 2025 Gluck’s “Iphigénie en Tauride” will star Tamara Bounazou, Theo Hoffman, Philippe Talbot, Jean-Fernand Setti, Léontine Maridat-Zimmerlin, Fanny Soyer, and Lysandre Châlon. Louis {…}
The Opéra National de Lyon has announced its 2025-26 season. Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godounov” will be conducted by Vitali Alekseenok and directed by Vasily Barkhatov. The production will star Dmitri Ulyanov alongside soloists from the Opera de Lyon studio. Performance Dates: Oct. 13-25, 2025 Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” will be directed by Damiano Michieletto and will star Joshua Guerrero, Amina Edris, Clémentine {…}
The Dallas Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Mainstage The season opens with Bizet’s “Carmen.” The company will present the United States premiere of a new production that recreates the original Opéra-Comique production with sets and costumes faithfully designed as they were in 1875. The production will be directed by Romain Gilbert. Marina Viotti sings the title role in her company {…}
It is time to wrap up the year and look back at our favorite moments and performers. After releasing our favorite performances of 2024 and showcasing our rising stars of the year, it’s time for OperaWire’s annual tradition of naming our top 11 singers of the year, performers that we thought stood out. Performers who had major breaks, headlined major productions or simply had {…}