(Credit Robert Workman) First performed at Glyndebourne in 1954 and revived now twice, both in 2016 and 2019, Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia” has consistently proven to be just the right dose of comic relief within a well-rounded opera season. With the production featuring Director Annabel Arden’s 2016 dreams coming to life again in 2019, at the hands of revival {…}
(Credit: Richard Hubert Smith) French Composer Jules Massenet premiered his opera “Cendrillon” in 1899 at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique in Paris. Best known for its radical story-telling of the fairytale Cinderella, this opera is centered around dreams-versus-reality and highlights Massenet’s surrealistic tendencies before the surrealism movement even began. Glyndebourne is a legendary hub that produces “no ordinary opera,” therefore, {…}
Conceiving an artistically defining experience that tells the story of Faust as an opera might seem overwhelming and too intense of an idea. Especially when one considers how this story was composed and experienced by Berlioz in concert form and that portraying Faust’s journey to hell, could be hell itself. In “La damnation de Faust,” Berlioz emphasizes the lord of {…}
The Glyndebourne Festival has announced its 2020 season featuring two company premieres, three new productions, and three revivals. It will also feature international artists and some company favorites. The Glyndebourne festival will open with the first production of Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites.” The new production will be directed by Barrie Kosky and will be conducted by Music Director Robin Ticciati. Danielle {…}
Fair warning – you’ll notice that two countries dominate this weekend’s choices and among those, one opera crops up a bit. It’s a weekend with solid offerings all around, but our choices are filled with tremendous star power that was simply too potent to turn away from. Falstaff – Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, UK Verdi’s final masterpiece gets a {…}
Doris Soffel has pulled out of Barber’s “Vanessa” at Glyndebourne. Soffel, who was expected to portray the old Baroness, will be replaced by Rosalind Plowright, who was last heard singing in the Glyndebourne chorus in 1977. Plowright is set to give 3 masterclasses at the Prague Summer Nights Festival and next season will return to the Royal Opera house for La Contessa di {…}
The Glyndebourne Festival has announced its 2019 season featuring six productions, of which two are new. Here is a look at what the festival will present. Productions The season opens with Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” conducted by Robin Ticciati and directed by Richard Jones in a new production. Allan Clayton, Julie Boulianne, and Christopher Purves headline the production. Performance {…}
The Glyndebourne Festival has announced that several productions will be screened during this summer’s festival. The performances will be showcased in cinemas across the UK or online for international audiences; the live streams online will be straight from the festival’s website. This year the operas on offer to a wider range of audiences will be “Madama Butterfly,” “Vanessa,” and “Saul.” {…}
Opera in cinemas seems to be a major trend all around the world and the Glyndebourne Festival will continue its acclaimed transmissions. The season gets off to a start on June 8, 2017, with the 2014 production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” starring acclaimed tenor Michael Fabiano and Bolshoi star Venera Gimadieva. The series continues on July 10, 2017, with the {…}