(Credit: Javier del Real) In a recent review, I took stock of the Teatro Real de Madrid’s production of “Norma” and its first cast. But I also had the opportunity to check out the other cast of the work, including Hibla Gerzmava in her debut as the title character. Unfortunately, it was not the auspicious debut one would have imagined {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the next two weeks of nightly streams which will include a number of operas focused on the greatest roles for sopranos as well as its greatest anti-heroes. Here’s a run-down of the two-week slate. Week 45– Leading Ladies: Opera’s Greatest Heroines Monday, January 18 – Bizet’s Carmen Starring Anita Hartig, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aleksandrs Antonenko, and Ildar {…}
(Credit: Wiener Staatsoper) A performance of Franz Lehár operetta “Die lustige Witwe” at the Theater in der Gumpendorfer Straße on Sept. 6, 2020 in Vienna has caused a series of COVID-19 infections. In all, 46 cases have been confirmed so far. As a result, the Wiener Staatsoper had to make two changes to the cast of Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” on {…}
(Credit: Dusíkovo divadlo official website) Famed Slovakian tenor Štefan Margita and his wife Hanka both tested positive for the novel COVID-19 coronavirus. Margita posted a message on his Facebook profile, stating “Our dear ones, we did not want to burden you with our worries. Yes, we both tested positive for COVID. So you don’t have to learn from the various {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced the 21st week of its nightly streams. This week’s slates will feature a number of notable artists as well as performances dating between 1992 through 2020. Monday, August 3 – Mozart’s The Magic Flute Starring Ying Huang, Erika Miklósa, Matthew Polenzani, Nathan Gunn, and René Pape, conducted by James Levine. From December 30, 2006. Tuesday, August {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced the 2020-21 season featuring premieres, new productions and some of the greatest stars in the world. Opera Nicola Luisotti and Lorenzo Passerini conduct a production of Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera“ directed by Gianmaria Aliverta. The production stars Michael Fabiano and Ramón Vargas as Riccardo, Anna Pirozzi and Tatiana Serjan as Amelia, Artur {…}
(Credit: Jiyang Chen / Marco Borggreve) The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2020-21 season featuring seven new operatic productions and a number of revivals. Here is a look at the operatic productions. Premieres The first new production of the season will be Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell,” written by de Jouy and Bis. The new production by Georg Schmiedleitner will star Christoph {…}
(Credit: Opernhaus Zürich) Opernhaus Zürich will honor the memory of the late conductor Nello Santi by performing Giuseppe Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, according to the official statement on the company’s website. General Music Director of the Opernhaus Zürich Maestro Fabio Luisi will conduct the Zürich Philharmonic in the performance of Verdi’s masterwork that will star soloists soprano Hibla Gerzmava, tenor Benjamin {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has unveiled its 2020-21 season, which features five new productions and 17 revivals. New Productions Anna Netrebko opens the Metropolitan Opera in a new production of Verdi’s “Aida” directed by Michael Mayer. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the production which also stars Anita Rachvelishvili, Piotr Beczała, Dmitry Belosselskiy and Ludovic Tezier. The production will also showcase Latonia Moore and {…}
Hibla Gerzmava has canceled her Rio de Janiero debut. The soprano announced via social media that due to illness she was advised not travel. “My dear friends in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately due to a very strong flue that I caught during my last tour, I still didn’t recover and my doctors strongly advised me not to travel for the {…}
Star Russian soprano Hibla Gerzmava performed a recital program featuring art song compositions by Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Prokofiev sprinkled with a dramatic dash of Donizetti and Verdi on Nov. 1, 2019 at Carnegie Hall. Her appearance was not without controversy. To get to the main entrance, recital-goers needed to push past Pro-Ukrainian activists lining the sidewalk and holding placards in {…}