San Francisco Opera 2024-25 Review: Beethoven Symphony No. 9

(Photo: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera) We need Beethoven. Especially the 9th Symphony with Schiller’s Ode to Joy. “Freude, schöner Götterfunken/Tochter aus Elysium,/Wir betreten feuertrunken,Himmlische/, dein HeiligtumFreude menschen gotterfunken./Oh friends, no more of these sounds!/Let us sing more cheerful songs, More full of joy!/Joy, bright spark of divinity,/Daughter of Elysium,/Fire-inspired we tread Thy sanctuary!/Thy magic power reunites/All that custom {…}

Erin Morley, David Butt Philip, Pretty Yende, Maria Agresta & Maria Bengtsson Lead Semperoper Dresden’s 2024-25 Season

The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Arrigo Boito’s “Mefistofele” is conducted by Andrea Battistoni and directed by Eva-Maria Höckmayr. The production will star Krzysztof Bączyk, Bekhzod Davronov, Marjukka Tepponen, and Martina Gedeck. Performance Dates: Sept. 28-Oct. 24, 2024 Richard Strauss’s “Intermezzo” will be conducted by Patrick Hahn and directed by Axel Ranisch. The cast will include Maria {…}

Piotr Buszewski, Christiane Libor & Tomasz Konieczny Lead Oper Leipzig’s 2023-24 Season

Germany’s Oper Leipzig has announced its 2023-24 season featuring five new productions. Premieres Peter Maxwell Davies’s “Majesty and Madness” will be presented in a production by Marlene Hahn. Samuel Emanuel conducts a cast that includes Marie-Luise Dreßen and Franz Xaver Schlecht. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-24, 2023 Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote” will be conducted by Jonathan Darlington, Ivan Repušić, Christoph Gedschold, and {…}

Erin Morley, Susanna Phillips & Rachel Willis-Sørensen Lead Houston Symphony Orchestra’s 2023-24 Season

The Houston Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights. The season opens with Juraj Valčuha conducting Erin Morley in a program of music by Messiaen, Poulenc, and Ravel. Performance Dates: Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023 Juraj Valčuha conducts Brahms’ “German Requiem” with soloists Lauren Snouffer and Andrew Foster-Williams. The program also includes Takemitsu’s Requiem {…}

Natalya Romaniw, Benjmain Bernheim, Pretty Yende, & Saioa Hernández lead Staatsoper Hamburg’s 2022-23 Season

The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2022-23 season featuring five new productions and its Italian festival. Premiere Tomislav Mužek, Maria Kataeva, Elbenita Kajtazi, and Guanqun Yu lead Bizet’s “Carmen” in a new conducted by Yoel Gamzou and directed by Herbert Fritsch. Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2022-May 23, 2023 Kent Nagano conducts a new production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” with {…}

Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège Announces Cast Change for ‘Hulda

The Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège has announced a cast change for its upcmoing performances of Franck’s “Hulda.” The orchestra announced that Isabelle Druet will no longer perform Hulda’s Mother. As a result, Marie Karall will perform the role. Karall is a well-known mezzo-soprano who has performed at the Chorégies d’Orange, Bordeaux National Opera, Montpellier National Opera, Toulon Opera, Latvian {…}

Aušriné Stundyté, Jennifer Holloway, Violeta Urmana & Lauri Vasar Headline New Production of ‘Elektra’ at Staatsoper Hamburg

(Credit: Dominik Odenkirchen) Staatsoper Hamburg has announced the upcoming premiere of Dmitri Tcherniakov’s production of Richard Strauss’ “Elektra.” The cast includes Violeta Urmana as Klytämnestra, Jennifer Holloway as Chrysothemis, John Daszak as Aegisth, Lauri Vasar as Orest, and Aušriné Stundyté in the title role. The cast is rounded out by Chao Deng, Luminita Andrei, Tahnee Niboro, Thomas Ebenstein, Hubert Kowalczyk, {…}

Roberto Alagna, Juan Diego Flórez, Ildar Abdrazakov, María José Siri & Zuzana Marková Lead Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège’s 2021-22 Season

Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège in Belgium has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. Here is the full slate. Opera  Verdi‘s “La Forza del Destino” will star Marcelo Álvarez as Don Alvaro, María José Siri as Donna Leonora, and Simone Piazzola as Don Carlo di Vargas. The cast also {…}