(Photo: Mirco Magliocca) The Versailles Royal Opera successfully staged one of the most curious titles of the eighteenth century: Baldassare Galuppi and Piero Chiari’s “L’uomo Femina.” Galuppi, once a popular Venetian composer—especially known for what is now recognized as opera buffa—has largely fallen into obscurity. Today, his name resonates only among the most hardcore early music enthusiasts—the same audiences likely {…}
Details of the 2025 Innsbruck Festival of Early Music have been made public. For the purposes of this article only vocal performances are featured. Concerts First Prize winner of the 2020 Cesti International Singing Competition Margherita Maria Sala performs works by Galuppi, Marcello, Vivaldi, Ristori, and Handel. Sala is accompanied by the Ensemble Locatelli led by Thomas Chigioni. Performance Date: {…}
Acte 4 has announced its 2024-25 season. This article only features vocal works. Sopranos Emőke Baráth and Lauranne Oliva, countertenor Tim Mead, tenor Robin Tritschler, and baritone Benjamin Appl are soloists in Handel’s “Messiah.” They are joined by The Spiritual Concert orchestra and choir and directed by Hervé Niquet. Performance Dates: December 11, 2024 Mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre sings Sapho, Iphise and Eglé {…}
The Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Spain has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Palau 100 Sarah Connolly jons Anima Aeterna Brugge and Pablo Heras-Casado for Mahler’s “Rückert Lieder.” The program also includes music by Bruckner. Performance Date: Oct. 24, 2024 Philippe Herreweghe leads a program that includes pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout, Collegium {…}
The record industry is at the forefront of modern musicology, digging up the original versions of long-established classics. In recent years, for instance, Opera Rara has paved the way with publications like the 1867 version of “Don Carlos,” “Simon Boccanegra,” and, in 2019, “Le Willis.” The latter marks Puccini’s entrance onto the operatic stage and may reasonably be considered one {…}
The Opéra national du Capitole, Toulouse has announced its 2023-24 season featuring seven productions and recitals. Opera Victorien Vanoosten conducts Bizet’s “Les pêcheurs de perles” with Thomas Lebrun Mise directing. The cast includes Anne-Catherine Gillet, Mathias Vidal, Alexandre Duhamel, and Jean-Fernand Setti. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 8, 2023 Andris Poga conducts Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” in a production by Olivier Py. The {…}
The Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala has announced its 2022-23 season featuring many operatic performances and vocal highlights. Here is a look. Marta Mathéu and Alex Potter join the Vespres d’Arnadí and Dani Espasa for works by Händel, Porpora, Geminiani, Steffani, and Bononcini. Performance Date: Oct. 5, 2022 “Only the sound remains” by Kaija Saariaho will feature Michał Sławecki, {…}
(Credit: Festival de Saint-Denis official website) The Festival de Saint-Denis has announced its 2022 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the vocal works only. Soprano Selene Zanetti, mezzo-soprano Marianna Pizzolato, tenor Xabier Anduaga, and bass Gianluca Buratto perform Mozart’s “Ave Verum” and Rossini’s “Stabat Mater” alongside conductor Myung-Whun Chung, the Chœur de Radio France, and {…}
(Credit: Staatsoper Unter den Linden / Marcus Ebener) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin has announced its Barocktage. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on vocal works only. Here is a look. Baritone Adam Kutny kicks off the festival with the children opera “Theseus’ Reise in die Unterwelt.” Carolina Nees is the moderator. Performance Dates: Nov. {…}
(Credits: Staatsoper Berlin official website / © Raphael Brand / Felix Broede / Marie Staggat) The Munich Philharmonic has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the vocal performances only. Soprano Julia Lezhneva and contralto Sara Mingardo perform works by Bach, Mozart, and Vivaldi alongside conductor Andrea Marcon and the Philharmonischer Chor München. {…}
(Credits: © Aymeric Giraudel / Fabien Monthubert / © Simon Fowler) Opéra de Rouen Normandie, France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will only focus on the operatic and vocal performances. Here is the full slate. Opera and Musicals Verdi‘s “Il Trovatore” opens the season with Lionel Lhote as Count di Luna, Brigitta Kele {…}