(Photo : ©Gianni Cravedi) When “Stiffelio” premiered in 1850, Giuseppe Verdi was going through a period of transition: he had left behind his so-called “galley years” yet had not fully reached artistic maturity. It is precisely in this phase that “Stiffelio” emerged, revealing itself as a bold experiment: deeply modern in its approach to human conflict and, at the same {…}
The Arena di Verona has announced its 2026 season. The season will open with a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Michele Spotti and Francesco Ivan Ciampa conduct the new production starring Martina Russomanno, Gilda Fiume and Rosa Feola. The casts also include Yusif Eyvazov, Galeano Salas, Francesco Meli, René Barbera, Adam Smith, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Mihai Damian, Youngjun Park, Ludovic {…}
The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has anounced its 2026 season. Here is a look at the operatic performances. Roberto Abbado conducts Mozart’s “Idomeneo” in a production by Mariano Bauduin. Antonio Poli, Francesca Di Sauro, Mariangela Sicilia, Salome Jicia, and Leonardo Cortellazzi star. Performance Dates: Jan. 24-Feb. 1, 2026 Adela Zaharia and Julia Muzychenko star in Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Liparit {…}
The Teatro Comunale di Modena has announced its 2025-26 season. Puccini’s “La bohème” will be performed at the Modena Belcanto Festival. Performance Dates: Sept. 26 & 28, 2025 Verdi’s “Nabucco” opens the season with Massimo Zanetti conducting and Federico Grazzini directing. Performance Dates: Oct. 24-26, 2025 Puccini’s “Tosca” will be directed by Luca Orsini and conducted by Stefano Ranzani. Performance {…}
The Arena di Verona has announced a cast change for its production of Verdi’s “Aida” on June 20, 2025. The company said that Gregoy Kunde will sing the role of Radames, replacing Luciano Ganci, who is ill. Kunde took to social media and said, “Excited to be on my way to Verona today! I’m delighted to be joining my dear {…}
The Teatro Municipale di Piacenza has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Stiffelio” featuring Gregory Kunde, Lidia Fridman, Vladimir Stoyanov, and Riccardo Rados. Leonardo Sini conducts the production by Pier Luigi Pizzi. Performance Dates: Dec. 19 & 21, 2025 Markus Werba leads Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with Renzo Ran, Claudia Pavone, Marco Ciaponi, Carmela Remigio, Tommaso Barea, Alberto Petricca, and Greta Doveri. Enrico Pagano conducts the production by Andrea Bernard. Performance {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello,” starring Brian Jadge, Jorge de León, and Angelo Villari in the title role. The cast includes Igor Golovatenko, Artur Ruciński, Gabriele Viviani, Airam Hernández, Asmik Grigorian, and Maria Agresta. Nicola Luisotti and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct the production by David Alden. Performance Dates: Sept. {…}
The Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “La Bohème,” featuring Nicole Car, Yaritza Véliz, Charles Castronovo, Joshua Guerrero, Andrea Carroll, Étienne Dupuis, Xiaomeng Zhang, and Alexandros Stavrakakis. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 12-Oct. 14, 2025 Cecilia Molinari leads Handel’s “Ariodante” alongside Luca Tittoto, Jacquelyn Stucker, Sabine Devieilhe, Rupert Charlesworth, Christophe Dumaux, {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}