(Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier” is a glorious opera. Full of lush melodies, an elegant libretto, tense dramatic set pieces, and a propulsive pace it always baffles me how little attention it has gotten at the Metropolitan Opera in recent years. Since premiering in 1921, it has had 186 performances with the most recent prior to {…}
Wexford Festival Opera announces it 2026 season. This article only features opera events. Main Stage Operas First up is Pietro Mascagni and Luigi Illica’s “FIris.” Rosetta Cucchi directs and Francesco Cilluffo conducts. Performance Dates: October 15, 20, 23, 28, & 31, 2026 “L’equivoco stravagante” by Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Gasbarri is next. Max Hoehn directs. Riccardo Bisatti conducts. Performance Dates: October {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with “The Cunning Little Vixen,” featuring Peter Mattei, Anaïs Masllorens, David Alegret, Elena Tsallagova, Alejandro López, Milan Perišić, Sara Bañeras, Angela Brower, Mireia Pintó, Laura Brasó, and Mercedes Gancedo. Josep Pons conducts the production by Barrie Kosky. Performance Dates: Sept. 20-30, 2025 Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten” will star Anthony Roth Costanzo, {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) You’ve heard the cliché that Caruso famously said about doing a production of “Il Trovatore…” You know it. I won’t repeat it. The spirit of the idea stands, but the reality is that it takes far more than just sticking four superstars on stage and letting magic happen. It doesn’t always work that way. {…}
(Credit: Karen Almond/Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” is set to be transmitted in Live in HD on March 9, 2024. The production will star Lise Davidsen, Brian Jagde, Igor Golovatenko, Judit Kutasi, Patrick Carfizzi, and Soloman Howard. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the performance. The production is the third Met staging from award-winning director Mariusz Treliński {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to present a new production of Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” on Feb. 26, 2024. The new production will be directed by Mariusz Treliński, who previously directed “Iolanta,” Bluebeard’s Castle” and “Tristan und Isolde” at the Met. It also marks the return of the opera which has been absent at the company for 18 years. {…}
(Credit: Royal Opera) I suppose anything with “Destiny” in the title will always be a bit profound. In fact, “La Forza” is about as profound and gloomy, if not downright dark as it gets, even by Verdi’s standards. At around four and a half hours, it’s also his longest work. It’s a story of love, death, and revenge. Mainly revenge. {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has announced its 2023-24 season. The season opens with Botio’s “Mefistofele” with Simon Stone directing. Michele Mariotti conducts a cast that includes John Relyea, Maria Agresta, and Joshua Guerrero. Performance Dates: Nov. 27-Dec. 5, 2023 Michele Mariotti conducts Puccini’s “Tosca” with Anna Pirozzi, Vittorio Grigolo, and Erwin Schrott. Performance Dates: Dec.9-14, 2023 Damiano Michieletto directs Mozart’s “Die {…}
The Bregenz Festival in Austria has announced its 2023 season. The season will open with Verdi’s “Ernani” with Enrique Mazzola conducting a production by Lotte de Beer. The cast includes Guanqun Yu, Saimir Pirgu, Igor Golovatenko, and Goran Jurié. Premiere Date: July 19, 2023 Enrique Mazzola conducts the revival of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” in a production by Andreas Homoki. Premiere Date: July {…}
Over the next month baritone, Igor Golaventko will perform at the Bolshoi Theatre. The baritone, who is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera over the next few seasons, will perform productions of “La Bohème,” “Boris Godunov,” “The Queen of Spades,” and “Iolanta.” The baritone recently performed in the Met’s “Eugene Onegin” and General Director Peter Gelb said in an {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2022-23 season featuring 10 new productions. Premieres Benedict Andrews directs Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” with Vladimir Jurowski conducting a cast that includes Louise Alder, Avery Amereau, Konstantin Krimmel, Sebastian Kohlhepp, Sandrine Piau, and Christian Gerhaher. Performance Dates: Oct. 26, 2022-July 17, 2023 Wagner’s “Lohengrin” will be conducted by François-Xavier Roth and directed by film director {…}