Opera Di Roma 2017-18 Review – Billy Budd: Company Premiere of Britten Masterwork Given Pitch-Perfect Production

The central drama in “Billy Budd” unambiguously rotates around the relationships between Seaman Billy Budd, Captain Vere, and the Master-at-Arms, John Claggart. However, the exact nature of the relationships and the psychological motivations upon which they are founded are shrouded in a white mist, opening up the possibility for directors to pursue a variety of valid interpretations. Many recent productions {…}

Sonya Yoncheva, Valery Gergiev & Gerald Finley To Be Featured At The Philharmonie De Paris’s 2018-19 Season

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2018-19 season filled with numerous concerts and operatic selections. The season will see a number of international stars and orchestras as guest artists to this important Parisian hall. Here is a look at the vocal highlights. Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra continue their exploration of the Ring Cycle with “Siegfried.” The opera {…}

Plácido Domingo, Angela Gheorghiu & Rolando Villazón Headline Semperoper Dresden’s 2018-19 Season

(Credit: © Semperoper Dresden/Klaus Gigga) The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2018-19 season featuring a number of superstars and nine new productions of operettas, chamber opera, and grand opera. As always, the following will only cover the operas that will be shown next season and not the ballets that were also included in the season announcement. New Production  Arnold Schönberg’ {…}

New York Philharmonic 2017-18 Review – Die Walküre: Jaap van Zweden & Soloists Deliver Sublime Rendition of Act One of Wagner Masterwork

In 2018-19, Jaap van Zweden, the current Music Director Designate of the New York Philharmonic, will drop the Designate part of that label. And if the concert on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 is any indication, he is going to be providing audiences with some dazzling music for years to come. In a series of concerts that kicked off on Valentine’s {…}