Conductor Louis Langrée once explained the ‘Opéra-Comique’ in these terms: “The Opéra-Comique comes from fairground theater, which is its strength.” Looking at the company’s many successes in bringing great operas into its repertoire—“Pelléas etMélisande,” “Mignon,” “Manon Lescaut”—, it seems that Langrée is right. “Carmen,” however, would at first appear to be a bit different. It is, by far, the most {…}
The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights of the season. Klaus Mäkelä conducts Orchestre de Paris with soloists Bertrand Chamayou, Olga Peretyatko, Pavel Petrov, Alexey Markov, and Bertrand Mandico. The program includes music by Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. Performance Dates: Sept. 6 & 7, 2023 Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Mass in {…}
The Opéra Comique has announced its 2023-24 season. First up is Charles Lecocq’s “La Fille de Angot.” Hervé Niquet will conduct a production by Richard Brunel. The opera will star Hélène Guilmette, Véronique Gens, Pierre Derhet, Julien Behr, Matthieu Lécroart, and Geoffrey Carey. Performance Dates: Sept. 27 – Oct. 5, 2023 For “Macbeth Underworld,” audiences will see Franck Ollu conduct {…}
The Opernhaus Zürich has announced its 2023-24 season featuring more than 20 productions, concerts, and reictals. Ermonela Jaho stars in Puccini’s “La Rondine” with Sandra Hamaoui, Benjamin Bernheim, Juan Francisco Gatell, and Vladimir Stoyanov. Marco Armiliato conducts the production by Christof Loy. Performance Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 28, 2023 Nahuel Di Pierro, Olga Peretyatko, Renato Girolami, Alasdair Kent, Pietro Spagnoli, and {…}
This review is based on performances on Nov. 15 & 18, 2022. In every opera house, there is always an informal smoker’s meeting outside in the entr’acte. It is the best place to “feel the mood” of how an opera performance is being received. Hence, I am there solely for journalistic reasons, and nothing more. On this occasion, I went {…}
Damiano Michieletto is set to make his debut at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées with a new production of Händel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto.” The opera will star Gaëlle Arquez in the title role, Sabine Devieilhe as Cleopatra, Franco Fagioli playing Sesto, and Carlo Vistoli playing Tolomeo. Philippe Jaroussky will conduct Händel’s work, leading the baroque ensemble Artaserse. In a statement, {…}
The Teatro alla Scala is set to open its fall season featuring three Rossini Operas, a work by Cavalli, and a Donizetti opera. Here is a look at the upcoming fall season. The season opens with Rossini’s “L’Italiana in Algeri” conducted by Ottavio Dantone. The cast includes Mirco Palazzi, Giulio Mastrototaro, Maxim Mironov, Antonino Siragusa, Roberto de Candia and Gaëlle Arquez {…}
(Credit: EPV / Christian Millet) Opéra Royal de Versailles has announced its 2021-22 season, featuring number of rarely performed operas and vocal works. Here is the full slate. Opera André Grétry’s opera “Richard Cœur de Lion” features Rémy Mathieu as Blondel and Pierre Derhet in the title role. The cast will be rounded out by Melody Louledjian, Marie Perbost Antonio, {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real/Salva Lopez) The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has announced its 2021-22 season featuring some of the biggest stars in the world, staged operas, and concert operas. Staged Opera Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande“ will be conducted by François-Xavier Roth and directed by Eric Ruf. Patricia Petibon, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Sir Simon Keenlyside, Jean Teitgen, and Lucile Richardot star. Performance {…}
(Photo Credits: Emma Birski / OnP) Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is the full slate. Operas “The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas” by Marina Abramovic will open the season. The showcase stars Nadezhda Karyazina, Selene Zanetti, Leah Hawkins, Adela Zaharia, Lauren Fagan, Gabriella Reyes, and Hera Hyesang Park. Yoel Gamzou conducts. Performance dates: Sep. 1 {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced upcoming streams. With Italian theaters still closed for audiences, Alexander Pereira has announced that the company will move forward with productions of “Rigoletto” and “Così Fan Tutte” without an audience. Both operas will be streamed in a manner similar to what the company recently did with “Otello” and the upcoming “Linda Chamonix.” “Rigoletto” will {…}