(Photo: Zani-Casadio) Is it a wise decision to perform two independent works by the same composer on consecutive nights, using a very similar cast, the same stage director, the same basic set, similar or in some cases the same costumes with the same musical director and orchestra? Well, this is exactly what the Ravenna Festival decided to do for its stagings {…}
(Photo: Monika Rittershaus) By the middle of the second act, a third of the audience had already gone home. They were not necessarily bored—some complained that the seats were too harsh on their spines; others that, because the opera started so late, they were unwilling to return home well after midnight. The fact is, this production of “La Calisto” did {…}
Welcome back to another look at the latest CD and DVD releases of the week. This week audiences will get a new release from Anna Netrebko for the first time in two years, a world premiere video recording of a rare work by Donizetti, and a complete performance of a Bach work on YouTube. Giacomo Puccini: Turandot Anna Netrebko’s acclaimed {…}
This week, teh Festival Aix-en-Provence is set to open a new production of “La Calisto.” The work, which is rarely performed, will see mezzo-soprano Giuseppina Bridelli, who is a highly regarded singer of the Baroque repertoire. The Italian mezzo will make her role debut as Diana a year after making her festival debut in Aix. Regarding the role, Bridelli said, {…}
The Opéra de Rennes has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Bertrand Cuiller conducts Handel’s “Rinaldo” with a cast that includes Paul Figuier, Mathilde Ortscheidt, Maïlys De Villoutreys, Camille Poul, and Damien Pass. Performance Date: August 30, 2025 Cavalli’s “La Calisto” will star Lauranne Oliva, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Milan Siljanov, Anna Bonitatibus, Giuseppina Bridelli, Zachary Wilder, Bastien Rimondi, Dominic Sedgwick, Théo Imart, and {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Although the Sicilian composer Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725) is famed for his prolific output of operas–he claimed to have written well over 100–which were significant in laying the foundations for the development of 18th century opera seria, he rarely strayed into the field of comic opera. The single major exception was his 1718 work, “Il trionfo dell’onore,” written {…}
At the age of 21, mezzo-soprano Giuseppina Bridelli made her professional debut in the role of Despina under the baton of Diego Fasolis, since which time she has been on what appears to be a never-ending upward trajectory. Now firmly established as one of the leading interpreters of the baroque repertoire, she is an artist constantly in demand, performing at {…}
The Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina has announced its 2023 season. Here is a look at the operatic vocal performances. Opera Charles Dutoit conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in a production by Romeo Castellucci. Jaquelina Livieri and Guadalupe Barrientos star. Performance Dates: March 7-12, 2023 Jan Latham-Koenig conducts a production of Gounod’s “Faust” by Stefano Poda. The cast includes {…}
Ravenna’s Teatro Dante Aligheri has announced its 2023 season. Vivaldi’s “Il Tamerlano” will be performed by Bruno Taddia, Gianluca Margheri, Filippo Mineccia, Delphine Galou, Marie Lys, Federico Fiorio, and Giuseppina Bridelli. Ottavio Dantone conducts the production by Stefano Monti. Performance Dates: Jan. 14 & 15, 2023 Puccini’s “La bohème” will star Juliana Grigoryan, Alessia Pintossi, Alessandro Scotto di Luzio, Christian Federici, Clemente Antonio Daliotti, {…}
The Teatro La Fenice has announced its 2022-23 season. Opera Nicola Alaimo leads Verdi’s “Falstaff” alongside Vladimir Stoyanov, René Barbera, Selene Zanetti, Caterina Sala, Sara Mingardo, and Veronica Simeoni. Myung-Whun Chung conducts the production by Adrian Noble. Performance Dates: Nov. 18-26, 2022 Bruno Maderna’s “Satyricon” will star Francesca Gerbasi, Matteo Ferrara, Manuela Custer, Christopher Lemmings, William Corrò, and Marcello Nardis. Alessandro {…}
The Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala has announced its 2022-23 season featuring many operatic performances and vocal highlights. Here is a look. Marta Mathéu and Alex Potter join the Vespres d’Arnadí and Dani Espasa for works by Händel, Porpora, Geminiani, Steffani, and Bononcini. Performance Date: Oct. 5, 2022 “Only the sound remains” by Kaija Saariaho will feature Michał Sławecki, {…}