Anna Netrebko, Aigul Akhmetshina, Angel Blue, Jonas Kaufmann, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Piotr Beczała, Luca Salsi, & Aleksandra Kurzak Lead Arena di Verona’s 2025 Season

The Arena di Verona has announced its 2025 season. Verdi’s “Nabucco” will get a new production. Stefano Poda will direct the new production. Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Youngjun Park, Luca Salsi, and Igor Golovatenko lead the cast that includes Anna Pirozzi, Maria José Siri, Anna Netrebko, and Olga Maslova as Abigaille, Francesco Meli and Galeano Salas as Ismaele. The cast is rounded out by Roberto {…}

Nov 5, 2024

Sonya Yoncheva, Benjamin Appl, Philippe Jaroussky, Gregory Kunde & Saimir Pirgu Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. As the holiday season arrives, this week also features several high-profile recordings by superstars including a Christmas album that features many classics. Schubert Lieder Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky releases a new album of Schubert Lieder. In a statement, he said, “Schubert’s music has been {…}

Jun 11, 2024

Nino Machaidze, Gregory Kunde, Saioa Hernández & Davide Lucano Lead Teatro Regio di Parma’s 2025 Season

The Teatro Regio di Parma has announced its 2025 season. Verdi’s “Giovanna d’Arco” opens the season with Luciano Ganci, Nino Machaidze, and George Petean. Michele Gamba conducts the production by Emma Dante. Performance Dates: Jan. 24-Feb. 1, 2025 Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” returns with Davide Luciano, Maria Kataeva, Ruzil Gatin, Roberto de Candia, and {…}

May 15, 2024

Erika Grimaldi, John Osborn, Sara Blanch & Gregory Kunde Lead Teatro Regio di Torino’s 2024-25 Season

The Teatro Regio di Torino has announced its 2024-25 season. “Manon” Renato Palumbo conducts Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” with Arnaud Bernard directing. The cast will include Erika Grimaldi, Dinara Alieva, Andeka Gorrotxategui, Carlo Ventre, Carlo Lepore, and Alessandro Luongo. Performance Dates: Oct. 1-26, 2024 Massenet’s “Manon” wil star Ekaterina Bakanova, Martina Russomanno, Bjorn Burger Maxim Lisiin, Atalla Ayan, Andrei Danilov, Roberto {…}

Mar 26, 2024

Liudmyla Monastyrska, Brandon Jovanovich & Janna Baty Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get to hear several world premieres, rarities, and several complete opera recordings. Giacomo Puccini: Manon Lescaut C Major releases Puccinios’ breakthrough opera with a cast that includes Liudmyla Monastyrska, David Bizic, Gregory Kunde, and Carlos Chausson. The Gran Teatre {…}

Mar 15, 2024

Erin Morley, David Butt Philip, Pretty Yende, Maria Agresta & Maria Bengtsson Lead Semperoper Dresden’s 2024-25 Season

The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele” is conducted by Andrea Battistoni and directed by Eva-Maria Höckmayr. The production will star Krzysztof Bączyk, Bekhzod Davronov, Marjukka Tepponen, and Martina Gedeck. Performance Dates: Sept. 28-Oct. 24, 2024 Richard Strauss’s “Intermezzo” will be conducted by Patrick Hahn and directed by Axel Ranisch. The cast will include Maria {…}

Oct 10, 2023

Gregory Kunde & Francesca Dotto Lead Verdi Recital

The Festival Verdi is set to present a recital featuring Gregory Kunde and Francesca Dotto on Oct. 11, 2023. The program will be held at the Teatro Girolamo Magnani di Fidenza and will include excerpts from “Macbeth,” “La Traviata,” “I Vespri Siciliani,” “Luisa Miller,” “Ernani,” “La Forza del Destino,” and “Otello.” There will also be six romances from 1846. The {…}

Jul 13, 2023

Gregory Kunde, Carmela Remigio, Ernesto Petti Lead Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni’s 2023-24 Season

Modena’s Teatro Comunale Pavarotti-Freni has announced its 2023-24 season. Opera The season opens with Giordano’s “Fedora” in a new production by Pier Luigi Pizzi. Aldo Sisillo conducts a cast that includes Teresa Romano, Yuliya Tkachenko, Luciano Ganci, and Simone Piazzola. Performance Dates: Oct. 13 & 15, 2023 Verdi’s “Don Carlo” will be performed in four acts in a production by {…}

Jul 6, 2023

Ekaterina Semenchuk, Danielle De Niese, Olga Peretyatko & Gregory Kunde Lead Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s 2024 Season

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has announced its 2023-24 season. Opera Erika Grimaldi, Luciano Ganci, and Claudio Sgura star in Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut.” Oksana Lyniv conducts the new production by Leo Muscato. Performance Dates: Jan. 26-31, 2024 Davide Livermore directs a new production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” with Roberto Aronica, Marta Torbidoni, Lucas Meachem, and Chiara Mogini. Renato Palumbo conducts. {…}

Jul 3, 2023

Royal Opera House 2022-23 Review: Il Trovatore

If you’re not fully conversant with the tale that is the centerpiece of one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most celebrated and performed works, “Il Trovatore,” then I highly recommend a little further reading and research before attempting to digest this opera. It may well help to alleviate some of the confusion in following the plot. There’s little one can do, however, {…}

Jun 27, 2023

Danielle De Niese, Carmela Remigio, Gregory Kunde & Anna Pirozzi Lead Teatri di Reggio Emilia’s 2023-24 Season

The Teatri di Reggio Emilia has announced its 2023-24 season. Michele Pertusi, Piero Pretti, Ernesto Petti, Ramaz Chikviladze, Anna Pirozzi, Teresa Romano, Andrea Pellegrini, Michela Antenucci, and Andrea Galli star in Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” Jordi Bernàcer conducts the production by Joseph Franconi-Lee. Performance Dates: Nov. 17-19, 2023 Gregory Kunde, Luca Micheletti, and Francesca Dotto star in Verdi’s “Otello“ with Leonardo Sini {…}