Joyce DiDonato, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Lise Davidsen & Sonya Yoncheva Lead Palau de la Música Catalana’s 2021-22 Season

The Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona has announced a star-studded 2021-22 season with some of the world’s greatest orchestras, soloists, and choruses. Here is a look at the vocal and choral performances. The Cor Lieder Càmera and Josep Vila i Casañasperformworksby Bach, Brahms, Duruflé, Gasull, Morera, Ollé, Vila i Casañas, and Vaughan-Williams. Performance Date: Sept. 19, 2021 Joyce {…}

May 19, 2021

Anna Netrebko & Luca Salsi Join Jonas Kaufmann in Salzburg Whitsun Festival’s ‘Tosca’

The Salzburg Whitsun Festival has announced a cast change for its “Tosca” performance. The festival announced that Anja Harteros and Bryn Terfel have been forced to cancel their participation in the festival and as a result, Anna Netrebko and Luca Salsi have agreed to perform the title role and Scarpia on short notice. Netrebko and Salsi will appear alongside Jonas {…}

May 18, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Sondra Radvanovsky, Javier Camarena & Lise Davidsen Lead Festival Castell de Peralada’s 2021 Season

The Festival Castell de Peralada in Spain has announced its 35th anniversary featuring ballet, opera, and world music. Here is a look at the operatic selections for the festival. Benjamin Bernheim gives a recital of popular arias and songs. Performance Date: July 24, 2021 Nicola Luisotti conducts Puccini’s “Tosca“ with a cast that includes Jonas Kaufmann, Sondra Radvanovsky, and Carlos {…}

May 14, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Renée Fleming Headline VOICES Concert Series

Superstar soprano Renée Fleming has announced the latest season of her “VOICES” concert series, which features vocal performances across a wide range of genres including jazz, opera, pop, and more. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be centered on operatic performances but you don’t want to overlook Alan Cumming and Ari Shapiro presenting “Och & Oy! A {…}

May 10, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann Headlines Bayerische Staatsoper Reopening

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced that it will reopen on May 13. The theater announced that COVID-19 incidence levels are low enough to reopen and as a result, audiences will be able to experience the first act of “Die Walkure” live. The concert, which will also be streamed on the company’s streaming platform, will star Jonas Kaufmann, Lise Davidsen, and {…}

May 10, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Isabel Leonard, Lise Davidsen, Gabriella Reyes, Olga Peretyatko Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week

If you’ve been reading OperaWire over the past few weeks, you’ll have noticed a clearcut uptick in the number of announced seasons as companies gear up for a return to in-person performances. But that hasn’t dampened the desire for streaming showcases, as evidenced in this week’s 10 selections, all diverse in their structures and style. Additionally, you’ll notice that many {…}

May 4, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann & Lise Davidsen Headline Bayerische Staatsoper’s ‘Die Walkure’ Stream

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced that it will stream a performance of the first act of Wagner’s “Die Walkure.” The company will stream the act on May 13 and will star Lise Davidsen as Sieglinde, Jonas Kaufmann as Siegmund, and Georg Zeppenfeld as Hunding. Asher Fisch will conduct the concert performance. The stream was added after the company canceled its {…}

May 4, 2021

Bayerische Staatsoper Launches New Record Label

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced the launch of a new record label entitled Bayerische Staatsoper Recordings. The company will launch its label in May 2021 in order to document the company’s excellence, versatility, and tradition. The first album to be launched by the label will be Kirill Petrenko and the Bayerische Staatsorchester’s performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 7. The recording {…}

Apr 27, 2021

Salzburg Whitsun Festival Confirms 2021 Edition

(Photo Credit: © Decca/Uli Weber) The President of the Salzburg Festival Helga Rabl-Stadler confirmed that the 2021 edition of the Whitsun festival will take place in May. “Yes, all the events will take place, and the Board of Directors is in full agreement with the Festival’s Director Cecilia Bartoli,” said Rabl-Stadler in a press statement. Rabl-Stadler added that she regrets {…}

Apr 26, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Luciano Pavarotti, Angel Blue & Juan Diego Flórez Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream this Week

Opera’s biggest superstars (past and present) are featuring in this week’s edition. There are some new works, recitals, and some classical masterpieces on offer. And a notable Latin American composer, Daniel Catán, also gets his due. Here are the top 10 operas to stream this week. La Hija de Rappaccini – Chicago Opera Theater (Streaming Now) We did note that {…}

Apr 23, 2021

Criticism on Fridays: Could Jonas Kaufmann Defeat the Regime?

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. This week, many of you, I guess, got a chance to watch then new production of “Parsifal” staged by Kirill Serebrennikov at the Wiener Staatsoper. I also got a chance {…}