(Photo credit: Lewis Valdes) Florida Grand Opera’s 2024-25 season finale featuring Bizet’s “Carmen” served as a capstone for General Director Maria Todaro’s inaugural year with the company. Thoughtfully crafted to resonate with a diverse audience, the production honored traditional operatic sentiments while embracing contemporary themes of women’s rights and political discourse, and it celebrated the region’s diverse cultural ties. Notably, {…}
The Florida Grand Opera is set to make operatic history when mezzo-soprano Ginger Costa-Jackson and her soprano sisters Marina Costa-Jackson and Miriam Costa-Jackson perform together for the first time in a production of “Carmen.” Maria Todaro will direct the production, which will feature Ginger Costa-Jackson in her signature role as Carmen. Her sisters Marina and Miriam will alternate the role {…}
(Credit: Clive Barda) As marriages go, this wasn’t one made in heaven. But despite an uneven performance, it ultimately won the audience over and did have moments of striking musical beauty. As the opening night for the 2024-25 season at Covent Garden, the revival of David McVicar’s “Le nozze di Figaro” did predictably well, and filled the house on a {…}
Vancouver Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Carmen.” The company revealed that Ginger Costa-Jackson will take on the title role in lieu of Carolyn Sproule, who was previously announced for the title role. Costa-Jackson starred in the company’s production of “Carmen” 10 years ago. “Carolyn Sproule, previously announced as Carmen for two performances of our extended {…}
Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres First up is Carl Orff’s “Trionfi.” Calixto Bieito directs a cast starring Nicole Chevalier, Florian Panzieri, Sandra Hamaoui, and Oleksiy Palchykov, among others. Kent Nagano conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 21 – Oct. 12, 2024 “Der Freischütz” stars Andrzej Dobber, Hubert Kowalczyk, Julia Kleiter, Alina Wunderlin, and Johan Reuter. Yoel Gamzou conducts and Andreas {…}
Seattle Opera has announced the lineup for its 60th anniversary concert “Windows from the Past, Doors to the Future.” The event, scheduled for one night only on May 11, 2023 at McCaw Hall, will feature Greer Grimsley as both co-host and singer. He is joined by Ginger Costa-Jackson, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Sarah Coburn, John Moore, Duke Kim, Amitai Pati, and {…}
Belgium’s Opera de Liege has announced its 2023-24 season featuring youth opera, opera, and concerts. Fabio Biondi conducts Mozart’s “Idomeneo” with Giorgio Berrugi, Annalisa Stroppa, Maria Grazia Schiavo, Nino Machaidze, and Riccardo Della Sciucca. Jean-Louis Grinda directs. Performance Dates: Sept. 19-28, 2023 Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” is set to star Ruzil Gatin, Pablo Ruiz, Aya Wakizono, Chiara Tirotta, Vittorio Prato, {…}
The Seattle Opera has announced the 2023-24 season featuring four productions. Productions Wagner’s “Das Rheingold“ is set to open the season with Greer Grimsley as Wotan, Frederick Ballentine, Michael Mayes, and the Seattle Opera debut of internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. The cast is rounded by Martin Bakari, Melody Wilson, Kenneth Kellogg, Peixin Chen, and Sarah Larsen. Performance Dates: August {…}
Photos: Erin Baiano If you were to walk down a street, stop a stranger, and ask if they’ve heard of the opera “Carmen,” more than likely, many would say yes. Ask the follow-up question: What’s it about? There may be some head scratching and faces scrunched in concentration as they try to recall … “Bullfighter.” Whether it was in an opera {…}
Mastervoices is set to present the original version of Bizet’s “Carmen” with Jazz at Lincoln Center on Oct. 25, 2022. The opera will feature dialogue instead of recitative with an English translation by Sheldon Harnick. Mezzo Ginger Costa-Jackson, Terrence Chin-Loy, Mikaela Bennett, and John Brancy star in the production. Other cast members include Nicole Fernandez-Coffaro, Kimberly Sogioka, Zhengyi Bai, Michael {…}
The Orchestra of St. Luke’s has announced its 2022-23 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. MasterVoices will present Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Lincoln Center (Rose Theater) with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s performing. The opera, which will be conducted by Ted Sperling and directed by Sammi Cannold, will star Ginger Costa-Jackson, {…}