Franco Vassallo, Maria Kataeva & Ruzil Gatin Lead Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna’s 2025-26 Season

The Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna has announced its 2025-26 season. Franco Vassallo, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Marily Santoro, and Matteo Falcier star in Verdi’s “Macbeth.” Giuseppe Finzi conducts. Performance Dates: Jan. 30 & Feb. 1, 2026 Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” will star Giorgio Caoduro, Gloria Tronel, Barbara Skora, Giuseppe De Luca, Ruzil Gatin, Laura Verrecchia, and Vincenzo Taormina. Alessandro Cadario conducts the {…}

Sep 14, 2025

Macerata Opera Festival 2025 Review: Macbeth

(Photo: Alia Simoncini) Giuseppe Verdi’s “Macbeth,” with libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, is based on William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (1606) and was first performed in Florence at Teatro della Pergola on March 14, 1847. This year, for Macerata Opera Festival’s 61st season, the opera is revived by Federico Gagliardi along with Director Emma Dante and Conductor Fabrizio Maria Carminati. {…}

Sep 12, 2025

CD Review: Naxos’ ‘Nerone’

An obsession more than just a pet project, the decade-long history of “Nerone” is but an imperfect indicator of the gargantuan scale Arrigo Boito envisioned for his imperial tragedy. The opera is an unwieldy amalgamation of music that–like the scapigliatura movement itself–occupies a liminal space: neither conformist nor truly progressive, but somehow perpetually discontent. “Nerone” very much fits the {…}

Sep 6, 2025

Cast Change: Teatro Real de Madrid Has New Baritones for ‘Otello’

The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced a cast change for its production of “Otello.” The company said that Igor Golovatenko and Artur Rucinski, who were originally announced for the production, will be replaced by Gabriele Viviani, Vladimir Stoyanov and Franco Vassallo. Viviani will perform on Sept. 19, 22, 25, 28, and Oct. 2 and 5 meanwhile, Stoyanov will perform {…}

Mar 14, 2025

Jonas Kaufmann, Rosa Feola, Christian Immler, Anastasia Bartoli, Lucy Crowe & Sara Jakubiak Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. It’s a big week for releases with a leading tenor releasing a DVD, a major soprano making her debut album and several world premieres. There are also several rare pieces and a big verismo piece you have to hear. O Listen! To the {…}

Nov 26, 2024

Nahuel di Pierro, Mikheil Sheshaberidze & Stanislas de Barbeyrac Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. As the holiday arrives, audiences will be able to experience a Puccini extravaganza as well as world premiere recording and debut albums. There are also two DVDs that should be seen. Giacomo Puccini – The Warner Classics Edition Celebrated for his masterful compositions {…}

Nov 11, 2024

Teatro Carlo Felice to Present ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ with Nina Minasyan

The Teatro Carlo Felice is set to present Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” as its second production of the 2024-25 season. The work will be performed from Nov. 15 through Nov. 24, 2024 and will be conducted by Francesco Ivan Ciampa. Lorenzo Mariani brings his Bilbao Opera production, which received rave reviews. OperaWire said, “The production directed by Lorenzo Mariani was {…}

Sep 13, 2024

Jessica Pratt, Irina Lungu, Markus Werba, & Gregory Kund Lead Teatro Massimo Bellini’s 2024-25 Season

The Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera The season opens with Bellini’s “Norma” with Leonardo Sini conducting a production by Hugo De Ana. The cast will include Jessica Pratt and Irina Lungu in the title role alongside Antonio Poli, Elisa Balbo, Aya Wakizono, Carlo Lepore, and Alessio Cacciamani. Performance Dates: Jan. 18-26, 2025 Mozart’s “Don {…}

Jun 25, 2024

Iván Ayón Rivas, Maria Josè Siri, Erika Grimaldi, Piero Pretti & Olga Peretyatko Lead Teatro Carlo Felice’s 2024-25 Season

Genova’s Teatro Carlo Felice has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the operas and concerts. Opera The season will open with a double bill featuring the play “Giro di vite” by Henry James and Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw.” Davide Livermore directs the production with Riccardo Minasi at the podium. The cast for Britten will {…}

May 31, 2024

Nicolas Phan, Asmik Grigorian & Anastasia Bartoli Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week don’t miss the world premiere recordings of several pieces classic and modern and the second complete recording of Asmik Grigorian’s Rusalka. We Lived Happily During the War Composer Mathew Rosenblum’s new work gets a release. In a statement the composer said, {…}

Apr 2, 2024

Medici.TV to Broadcast Palau de les Arts’ ‘Un Ballo in Maschera’

On April 25, Medici.TV is set to present a live broadcast of Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera.” The production will be shown from the Palau de les Arts in a new production by Rafael R. Villalobos. The cast will be led by Francesco Meli as Riccardo and Anna Pirozzi as Amelia. They will be joined by Franco Vassallo as Renato, Marina Monzó as {…}