Festival Nits de Clàssica Girona 2018 – Jakub Józef Orliński

Many Music Festivals rely on remarkable locations to give performances their particular “festive” appeal. The awe-inspiring Arena di Verona, the ancient Aya Irini church in Istanbul, the umbrageous plane trees in Aix-en-Provence, the picnic-enticing gardens of Glyndebourne, the striking castle-fortress of Savonlinna, or the entire picture-postcard-perfect city of Salzburg immediately spring to mind. The medieval town of Girona in Catalonia {…}

Aug 4, 2018

Caramoor 2018 Review: Susan Graham Ends Summer with Magical Concert

Caramoor ended its summer festival with a special treat for opera lovers, a concert with Susan Graham, accompanied by the always-fabulous Orchestra of St. Luke’s, led by Nicholas McGegan. Once again, the weather on the leafy estate of Caramoor, with its sumptuous gardens and grounds, was a perfect match to the delightful and intriguing program. The first part of the {…}

Jul 27, 2018

Caramoor 2018 Review: Atalanta

Last summer, amidst Caramoor’s summer festival, I got a chance to informally talk to Jeff Haydon, the CEO of the music and arts center that happens to be in my home town of Katonah. I was told that Caramoor’s long-time successful operatic series “Bel Canto at Caramoor,” headed by Will Crutchfield, would be leaving. Crutchfield, after decades at Caramoor, was {…}

Jul 10, 2018

Concerts at Saint Thomas Reveals 2018-19 Season Line-up

Entering into its third season, the Concerts at Saint Thomas has announced its line-up of performances. The season, which opens on Oct. 5, will see the inauguration of the new Miller-Scott Organ, which will be prominently featured throughout the season in a number of different concerts. Highlights of the 2018-19 season include Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” Handel’s “Messiah,” and more, including {…}

Jul 3, 2018

Oratorio Society of New York Announces 2018-19 Carnegie Hall Season

The Oratorio Society of New York has announced its 2018-19 Carnegie Hall season. The organization, led by Kent Tritle, will kick off its season with a performance dedicated to the Centennial of the Armistice and of Polish Independence. The concert will feature Szymanowski’s “Stabat Mater” as well as Gorecki’s “Euntes Ibant et Flebant” and the “Dona nobis pacem” by Vaughan {…}

Jun 1, 2018

New York Opera Fest 2018 Preview: Get Your Fill of Handel With Operamission

With the New York Opera Fest 2018 officially underway, OperaWire will be showcasing small previews for each major participant at the festival, as we did during last year’s event. However, we are doing things a bit differently this year and giving the floor directly to each company to speak to you, the reader, directly. Enjoy! Raise your hands if you {…}

Mar 20, 2018

Q & A: Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński on Taking Handel & ‘Rinaldo’ On Tour

Next Sunday, March 25, New York audiences will get to experience a once-in-a-lifetime event as Harry Bicket and The English Concert takes the stage of Carnegie Hall with a superstar cast. While the likes Luca Pisaroni, Jane Archibald, and Iestyn Davies are likely to have everyone’s attention before the showcase, it is another artist that could also steal some of {…}

Mar 15, 2018

Opera Meets Film: ‘Ombra Mai Fu’ As a Call For Respect in ‘A Fantastic Woman’

“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment we will take a {…}

Mar 5, 2018

Vienna State Opera 2017-18 Review – Ariodante: Sir David McVicar’s sumptuous staging for the Wiener Staatsoper Is a Case of Handel With Care

An alien orchestra playing in the illustrious Wiener Staatsoper is about as rare as a running of the bulls on the Ringstrasse. Apart from a one-night swap with the La Scala orchestra in 2011, in recent years only Les Musiciens du Louvre, Les Talens Lyriques, and the Freiburger Barockorchester have been granted such a privilege. The latest member of this {…}

Mar 1, 2018

Theater an der Wien 2017-18 Review – Saul: Claus Guth’s Interpretation Is More Pasolini Than Prophet

When a lyricist describes his composer’s head as “full of maggots”, the chances of a harmonious collaborative outcome would seem slim. For Charles Jennens, the aesthete aristocratic librettist of Handel’s oratorio “Saul,” such a jeremiad was not a solitary instance. The principal object of Jennens’ ire was Handel’s highly original orchestration, especially the invention of a tinkling bell-like keyboard called a “Carillon” {…}