Jonas Kaufmann is opening up about why he is singing the prologue to “Pagliacci,” usually sung by a baritone. The tenor took to social media, “I have no plans for now to start singing baritone roles for now. This prologue is for a baritenor.” He added that Canio’s tessitura is lower and it is not a big stretch. He also {…}
The International Classical Music Awards has announced the 2025 winners which will be presented at Düsseldorf’s Tonhalle on March 19. For this article, we will only focus on the opera winners. For the complete list of winners click here. The Artist of the Year award was given to Leonardo García Alarcón, while Christoph Ehrenfellner won the composer of the year {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has announced he has split with his management. On his website, the tenor put out a statement that said, “Jonas Kaufmann and Alan Green of Zemsky/Green Artists Management have mutually agreed to end their collaboration at the end of January 2025. Alan Green has decided to reduce his activities and Jonas Kaufmann respects this wish. He would like {…}
On Feb. 9, ORF III is set to present “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” from the Wiener Staatsoper. The broadcast will feature superstars Jonas Kaufmann and Elīna Garanča in the double bill. Jonas Kaufmann sings the role of Canio in “Pagliacci” alongside a cast that includes Maria Agresta, Adam Plachetka, Jörg Schneider, and Stefan Astakhov. Meanwhile, Elīna Garanča stars as Santuzza {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has succeeded in his first winter season as Artistic Director of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl. According to reports, the theater obtained 7,600 visitors and sold 94 percent of its theater. The theater said, “Record compared to previous winter festivals. Most performances were sold out.” The tenor’s first winter season included a highly successful new production of “La Bohème” {…}
The Festival d’Aix-en-Provence has announced its 2025 festival. Opera First up is “Don Giovanni” in a production by Robert Icke starring Andrè Schuen, Krzysztof Bączyk, Golda Schultz, Magdalena Kožená, Amitai Pati, Clive Bayley, Madison Nonoa, and Paweł Horodyski. Sir Simon Rattle conducts. Performance Dates: July 4 – 18, 2025 Charpentier’s “Louise” stars Elsa Dreisig, Adam Smith, Sophie Koch, Grégoire Mour, Roberta {…}
The International Classical Music Awards has announced the nominations for its 2025 Awards. The winners will be revealed on Jan. 14 and will receive their trophies at the gala at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf on March 19. Here are the vocal nominees. Baroque Vocal Johann Sebastian Bach: Complete Solo Cantatas for Alto and Bass: J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 56, BWV {…}
Rai5 is set to broadcast the Teatro alla Scala’s Puccini concert on Dec. 5. The concert, which was recorded on Nov. 29, will be shown at 7:15 p.m. and will include Jonas Kaufmann, Anna Netrebko, Mariangela Sicilia, and Luciano Ganci accompanied by pianist James Vaughan. The evening saw the soloists perform arias and duets from “Gianni Schicchi,” “Le Villi,” “Edgar,” {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Opera Bas Wiegers conducts Michael Jarrell’s “Kassandra” with actress Dagmar Manzel and the Ensemble Modern. Performance Date: July 23, 2025 Salvatore Sciarrino’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni. Cody Quattlebaum, Alice Rossi, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Iris van Wijnen, and Davide Giangregorio. Performance Date: July 25, {…}
(Brescia e Amisano © Teatro alla Scala) November 29th is a date of particular significance in the history of opera: in 1797, Gaetano Donizetti was born in Bergamo, while on the same date in 1924, Giacomo Puccini passed away. A century later, in 2024, Teatro alla Scala planned to commemorate the centenary of Puccini’s death with a grand tribute led {…}
(Credit: Marco Borrelli) Sometimes one has the impression that anniversaries are used to rationalize our infatuation with the music of an already popular composer. Such is the case this year when opera houses around the globe are commemorating the centenary of Puccini, the most performed opera composer after Verdi and Mozart. The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is no exception and in {…}