Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann & Placido Domingo Highlight Royal Opera’s 2019-20 Season

The Royal Opera House has announced its 2019-20 Season featuring some of the greatest singers in the world in 17 new productions of both ballet and opera. For this article, we will only focus on opera performances. Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” opens the 2019-20 season with Erwin Schrott in the title role alongside Roberto Tagliavini, Malin Byström, Christine Rice. Daniel Behle, Emanuele D’Aguanno, Louise Alder, Lars Woldt, {…}

May 7, 2019

Bernstein, Donizetti, Saariaho Works Lead Major CD / DVD Releases Of the Week

This week’s CD releases are full of some rather exciting offerings. On one hand, you get a chance to check out a Donizetti opera that seems to be getting some noteworthy re-evaluation from a number of festivals around the world, while the other major offering centers on a work by a modern master. Finally, a unique soprano will present music {…}

May 1, 2019

OperaWire’s Favorite ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ Recordings Of All Time

May 1, 1786. That is the day that, for many, the greatest opera of all-time had its very first performance. “Le Nozze di Figaro” has held the stage ever since, performed by all the great interpreters all over the world. The work has also developed a healthy discography over the ages both on audio and visual media, making it impossible {…}

Jan 25, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2018-19 Review: Iolanta & Bluebeard’s Castle

This review was written by David & Francisco Salazar for the performance on Jan. 24, 2019. With the double bill of “Iolanta” and “Bluebeard’s Castle,” director Mariusz Trelinski sought to explore how the search for vision could lead to growth but inversely lead to darker truths and self-destruction. When his production returned to the Met Opera on Thursday, Jan. 24, {…}

Dec 18, 2018

Bayerische Staatsoper 2018–19 Review: Otello

Can great singing justify the whole opera production? This season director Amélie Niermeyer presented a new production of Verdi’s masterpiece “Otello” at the Bayerische Staatsoper. In this controversial production any heroic as well as historical context was removed. Instead of a story of an exhausted hero, broken under the pressure of doubts and jealousy, we received a story of a {…}

Nov 26, 2018

How to Watch Jonas Kaufmann in ‘Otello’ Live From Bayerische Staatsoper

The Bayerische Staatsoper will live stream the Dec. 2 performance of Verdi’s “Otello” via its Staatsoper.TV. The free transmission will kick off at 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST and 10 a.m. PST) and is set to feature Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. Anja Harteros will star as Desdemona and Gerald Finley will round out the cast as {…}

Nov 23, 2018

Top 7 Operas to See This Weekend – International (11/23-25)

This weekend, it’s all about new productions. From South America to Europe, three of Verdi’s greatest opera are getting new productions. Meanwhile, Saint-Saëns’ masterpiece is getting a rare performance while the Festival Donizetti is in full swing. Check it out. La Traviata – Teatro Municipal Enrique Buenaventura, Colombia Federico Figueroa directs a new production of “La Traviata” in Cali starring Gabriela {…}

Jun 26, 2018

CD / DVD Releases – Week of June 25: Anna Netrebko & Gregory Kunde Lead New Releases

This week we see the release of two full operas and a compilation by Anna Netrebko. Here is a look at what this week will offer. Il Trovatore The Royal Opera and Opus Arte will release a production of Verdi’s ‘Il Trovatore” starring Gregory Kunde, Anita Rachvelshvili, Lianna Haroutounian, and Vitaly Bilyy. Richard Farnes conducts the production, which was directed {…}

May 22, 2018

CD/DVD– Week of May. 21: Harmonia Mundi Releases Three CDs

Harmonia Mundi dominates this week’s releases with three rarely performed pieces and all-star casts. Here is a look. Schubert Mass Harmonia Mundi will release Schubert’s Mass in A Flat featuring Anke Vondung, Anna Korondi, Andreas Karasiak, and Kay Stiefermann. The recording features the Orchestre des Champs-Elysse and conductor Herreweghe. Dido and Aeneas Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” stars Lynne Dawson, Rosemary {…}

Mar 18, 2018

Jonas Kaufmann, Anja Kampe & Anja Harteros Headline Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2018-19 Season

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2018-19 season, which is set to include eight new productions and a number of revival productions. The season will also include a number of concert performances as well as recitals in the company’s summer festival. Here is a look at all the operatic events. New Productions Amélie Niermeyer directs a new production of Verdi’s {…}

Mar 8, 2018

Sonya Yoncheva, Valery Gergiev & Gerald Finley To Be Featured At The Philharmonie De Paris’s 2018-19 Season

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2018-19 season filled with numerous concerts and operatic selections. The season will see a number of international stars and orchestras as guest artists to this important Parisian hall. Here is a look at the vocal highlights. Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra continue their exploration of the Ring Cycle with “Siegfried.” The opera {…}