The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced a cast change for its production of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote.” The company noted that tenor Julien Behr will perform the role of Tamino on the June 26 performance, replacing Javier Camarena, who has tested positive for COVID-19. Camarena took to social media stating “I knew it had to happen sooner or later, but {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2022-23 season featuring nine company premieres. Opera Philip Glass’ “Orphée” opens the season with Jordi Francés conducting Rafael Villalobos’ production. The chamber work stars María Rey-Joly, Isabella Gaudí, Sylvia Schwartz, Natalia Labourdette, Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, Juan Antonio Sanabria, Edward Nelson, Karina Demurova, Pablo García-López, and Emmanuel Faraldo. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-25, 2022 Nicola Luisotti, Diego García Rodríguez, {…}
(Credit: © 2022 Tina Boyadjieva) On May 3, 2022, the American Friends of the Donizetti Opera Festival held its first luncheon at the Lotos Club in New York City. The event marked the first for the organization, which supports artists in their studies on the Donizetti legacy and bel canto and the festival held in November. The event opened with {…}
(Photo credit: Marty Sohl) This review was written in collaboration with David Salazar. On April 23, the Metropolitan Opera opened a new production of “Lucia di Lammermoor.” This marked the second production of Donizetti’s masterpiece during General Manager Peter Gelb’s term. In 2007, the company brought a production by Mary Zimmerman which set the piece in Victorian times and {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to present a new production of Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.” The new staging will bring the bel canto masterpiece from 18th-century Scotland to a present-day town in the American Rust Belt. There will be nine performances from April 23 to May 21, 2022. Australian film, theater, and opera director Simon Stone makes his Met debut {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2022-23 season featuring two world premieres and classic works with international stars. Here is a look at the new season. Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” will star Carlos Chausson, Alessandro Corbelli, Andrzej Filonczyk, Carles Pachón, Xabier Anduaga, Iván Ayón-Rivas, Sara Blanch, and Serena Sáenz. Josep Pons conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2022 “La {…}
The Donizetti Opera Festival has announced its 2022 edition. The festival will present a new critical edition of “La favorite,” by Rebecca Harris Warrick from Ricordi. Music Director Riccardo Frizza will direct the operatic masterpiece. The production – newly co-produced with the Opéra National de Bordeaux – is directed by Valentina Carrasco with her team composed of Carles Berga and Peter van Praet for set {…}
The Dallas Opera will present a recital starring tenor Javier Camarena and pianist Ángel Rodríguez on March 26. The showcase will see the duo take on works by Verdi and Donizetti. “Just over two years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Javier Camarena and Ángel Rodríguez in Madrid—his thrilling high notes, charm, musical versatility, and charisma captured the audience from the {…}
Javier Camarena returns to Mexico on March 20, 2022, for a recital at the Sala Nezahualcóyotl. The world renown tenor will sing a program of works by Vicenzo Bellini, Francesco Paolo Tosti, and Franz Liszt. Ángel Rodríguez will accompany on the piano. The program will open with Three Arietas by Bellini and will be followed by “Four Songs of Amaranta” {…}
Renowned tenor Javier Camarena is set to return to LA Opera for a pair of recitals with pianist Angel Rodriguez. The program will feature French and Italian opera selections, Spanish zarzuela arias, and classic Mexican songs. This performance will mark another collaboration between Camarena and Rodriguez, with the two giving recitals worldwide; they last performed together at LA Opera in {…}
Opera Naples has announced the II Festival Under the Star with Artistic Director Ramón Tebar conducting the Naples Festival Orchestra. The festival will take place from March 11 to 20 with performances at Cambier Park and the Wang Opera Center. The season will open with Opera Star Concert with Joseph Calleja. Due to popular demand, Opera Naples is bringing back {…}