(Photo C.W. Hoesl) Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most essential topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. It comes to everyone in a different way. The inner voice, friend’s suggestion, family talk, and the therapist session, but in recent years, we all slowly accepted {…}
ORF III is set to broadcast Puccini’s “Tosca” on August 22 from the Graz Schloßbergbühne Kasematten. The broadcast will star Jonas Kaufmann, Kristīne Opolais, and Sir Bryn Terfel, who will be joined by the Grazer Philharmoniker, the Grazer Opernchor, and the Singschul of the Graz Opera. Marcus Merkel will conduct the semi-staged production. In a statement, Grazer Spielstätten Managing Director {…}
Jonas Kaufmann has received a special Media Prize at the Österreichischer Musiktheater. The tenor received the honor at the Awards ceremony on August 2, ahead of his concert on August 3 at the Theater im Park in the Belvedere Palace gardens, in Vienna. The tenor noted that the award “meant a lot” to him. Kaufmann will also perform at the {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) The Teatro Real de Madrid closed its season with 16 performances of “Tosca” and an incredible cast of three sopranos: Sondra Radvanovsky, Maria Agresta and Anna Netrebko; and four tenors: Joshep Calleja, Michael Fabiano, Jonas Kaufmann and Yusif Eyvazov. Kaufmann joined the cast alongside Radvanovsky and Carlos Álvarez for two performances. The expectations for the German {…}
As July comes to a close we are fortunate to bring you another week of unique opera streams. Three hail from one company in Germany, but all of them are undeniably worth a look. We also have some unique streams from a number of other companies and organizations around the world. So without further ado, here are our top operas {…}
(Credit: Markus Jans) The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced a farewell concert in honor of its outgoing Intendant Nikolaus Bachler. The concert will take place on July 30, 2021 at the Nationaltheater. The concert will feature some of the world’s greatest performers, including Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Elīna Garanča, Nina Stemme, Alex Esposito, Christian Gerhaher, Anja Harteros, Ermonela Jaho, {…}
On July 19, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann joined the cast of “Tosca” at the Teatro Real de Madrid for two performances. It was the first time since 1999 that he was performing an opera in Madrid so there was great anticipation. Kaufmann given two solo concerts in past seasons but hadn’t sung an opera. The tenor recalled that 1999 experience {…}
(Credit: Javier del Real) Jonas Kaufmann and Sondra Radvanovsky have made Teatro Real history. During the July 19 performance, the two singers sang encores of their respective arias, “Vissi d’arte” and “E Lucevan le Stelle.” It is the first time in the theater’s history where two arias are encored in the same performance. Radvanovsky had already made history during the {…}
This week audiences will get a chance to experience new releases from two of the biggest stars in opera, Jonas Kaufmann and Lise Davidsen. There will also be releases from up-and-coming star Stephen Lancaster and the choral group The Crossing. Here is a look at what you can look forward to. Fidelio The Dresdner Philharmonie and its Principal conductor Marek {…}
(Credit© W. Hösl) Richard Wagner thought that if people ever got to see an ideal performance of his opera “Tristan und Isolde” it would drive them mad. In the case of Munich’s new Tristan, at the Bayerische Staatsoper, where the work premiered in 1865, the madness began well before opening night. Since March 2020, when a new Tristan was announced {…}
(Credit: Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical) Warner Classics is set to record Puccini’s “Turandot” with Sir Antonio Pappano and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia. The recording, which soprano Ermonela Jaho confirmed via social media, will star Jonas Kaufmann as Calaf and Sondra Radvanovsky as Turandot. Ermonela Jaho, Mattias Olivieri, Michael Spyres, Michele Pertusi, Gregory Bonfatti, and Siyabonga Maqungo will round {…}