(Credit: Marco Brenner) The Royal Opera House is set to bring Puccini’s “Tosca” to cinemas on Oct. 1, 2025. The new production by Oliver Mears is conducted by Music Director Jakub Hrůša and stars Anna Netrebko, Freddie De Tommaso, and Gerald Finley. When the production opened on Sept 11, critics raved and said, Netrebko’s “‘Vissi d’arte’ was excellent, dripping with {…}
(Credit: Marc Brenner) I’ve previously opined that Puccini’s Tosca is perhaps among the least plausible of tales in the repertory and that the problem with long-running or much revived productions is that, unless you can constantly attract new audiences, they can only stand the test of time for so long. This Oliver Mears’ exciting new production has the potential to {…}
Broadstage will present a five-language journey with baritone Gerald Finley on June 11, 2025. Finley will headline alongside pianist Bryan Wagorn in a program that features works by Grieg, Barber, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Ives, Rachmaninoff, Duparc, Ravel, Vaughan Williams, Respighi, Wood, Rossini, Verdi, and Wagner. The concert kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Here is a clip of Finley performing Iago’s {…}
Drawn from two live performances in 2024, the Decca release of “The Flying Dutchman” arrives with no small sense of occasion. Its cast alone—Lise Davidsen, Gerald Finley, Stanislas de Barbeyrac—promises one of the most congenial pairings in recent memory. “The Flying Dutchman” has always occupied a somewhat ambivalent place in the Wagnerian discography: too early to be “Tristan,” too compact {…}
(Photo Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) Antony and Cleopatra. The two icons have long been mythologized throughout history, their story captured in theater, cinema, and even the opera. In fact, the story of the lovers is forever linked to the Metropolitan Opera and its new house. And unfortunately, it isn’t always a heroic story. To this day, we hear {…}
The BBC Proms has announced its 2025 season. Here is a list of the vocal performances. Sakari Oramo conducts the First Night of the Proms with soloists Lisa Batiashvili, Caspar Singh, and Gerald Finley. The program includes music by Arthur Bliss, Felix Mendelssohn, Jean Sibelius, Errollyn Wallen, and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Performance Date: July 18, 2025 Tenor Allan Clayton gives {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, two of the most famous divas release new albums, both from important concert performances. There are also some world premiere recordings, a Puccini work, and a baroque video recording. Pergolesi: Stabat Mater Deutsche Grammophon continues its joint label Verbier Festival Gold. {…}
The London Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. The season opens with Sir Antonio Pappano conducting a Bernstein and Copland program featuring Dame Felicity Palmer and Katharina Konradi. Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2025 Sir Simon Rattle conducts Janáček’s “The Makropulos Affair” with Marlis Petersen, Aleš Briscein, Jan Martiník, Svatopluk Semand Peter {…}
(Credit: David Ruano / Liceu Opera Barcelona) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present John Adams’s most recent opera, “Antony and Cleopatra.” The work will have its company premiere on May 12 and will mark the final new production of the 2024–25 season. This will be the fifth opera by John Adams presented by the Met, a distinction last achieved {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello,” starring Brian Jadge, Jorge de León, and Angelo Villari in the title role. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Artur Ruciński, Gabriele Viviani, Airam Hernández, Asmik Grigorian, and Maria Agresta. Nicola Luisotti and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct the production by David Alden. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}
The Royal Opera House has announced its cinema season for the 2025-26 season. Here are the opera offerings: The cinema season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” starring Anna Netrebko, Freddie de Tommaso, and Gerald Finley. Jakub Hrůša conducts the new production by Oliver Mears. Cinema Date: Oct. 1 & 5, 2025 Antonello Manacorda conducts Verdi’s “La Traviata” and will star Ermonela {…}