Cecilia Bartoli, Eleonora Buratto, Elīna Garanča, Benjamin Bernheim, Chen Reiss, Marina Rebeka & Stéphane Degout Lead Philharmonie de Paris’ 2025-26 Season

The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Andris Nelsons conducts the Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig in Brahms’ Deutsche Requiem with Christian Gerhaher and Julia Kleiter. The program includes Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.5. Performance Date: Sept. 3, 2025 Riccardo Chailly condcuts the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and Chorus in excerpts from Verdi’s “La {…}

Mar 11, 2025

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: La Boheme

Of course, this isn’t a review of the great Metropolitan Opera House, per se, but as a most fortunate and frequent attendee of the Royal Opera House, (now frustratingly called the Royal Ballet and Opera), it proved somewhat impossible for me to make comparisons. Yes, of COURSE, it IS big; it’s the biggest opera house in the world, as the {…}

Sep 7, 2024

Masters of Classic Festival Announces Cast Change for Sept. 7 Performance

Masters of Classic Festival has announced a cast change for its Sept. 7 performance. The festival said that Joseph Calleja will perform on the stage of the Masters of Classic Festival replacing tenor Rolando Villazon, who had to cancel his concert for health reasons. The organization added, “Despite the extremely short time, the organizer has made everything possible to ensure the {…}

May 15, 2024

Joseph Calleja Receives Order of Arts and Letters in France

Joseph Calleja has received the Order of Arts and Letters in France. The tenor took to social media and said, “It was a privilege to receive the ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres.’ My connection with France goes beyond opera thanks to Michael Tabone and our friends at Vins de Saint-Emilion. I would also like to thank Her Excellency {…}

Mar 29, 2024

Kristine Opolais, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Tuomas Pursio & Stefan Pop Lead Finnish National Opera’s 2024-25 Season

The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Leevi Madetoja’s “The Ostrobothnians”, which is known as Finland’s “national opera” will be directed by director Paavo Westerberg. The cast will include Jukka Rasilainen, Ville Rusanen, Jussi Vänttinen, Johanna Lehesvuori, Maria Turunen, Iida Antola, Päivi Nisula, Tuomas Pursio, Aarne Pelkonen, Ilkka Hämäläinen and Mika Pohjonen. The Orchestra of the Finnish National {…}

Mar 15, 2024

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 {…}

Dec 28, 2023

Metropolitan Opera Announces Cast Change for ‘La Bohème’

The Metropolitan Opera has announced a cast change for its production of Puccini’s “La Bohème.” The company noted that Joseph Calleja will not perform the role of Rodolfo on Jan. 4, 8, and 13, 2024. In his stead, Stephen Costello will sing the role, which he has already performed this season. This season Costello is set to perform with the {…}

Sep 12, 2023

Federica Lombardi & Anita Hartig Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘La Bohème’

The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Puccini’s “La Bohème” for 18 performances in the fall and winter. The opera, which is set to run between Oct. 10 and Jan. 13, will first star Federica Lombardi in the lead role alongside Matthew Polenzani, Olga Kulchynska, and Adam Plachetka. The cast also includes Sean Michael Plumb in his Met role debut as {…}

Aug 10, 2023

Elīna Garanča, Lise Davidsen, Joseph Calleja Headline Broadstage’s 2023-24 Season

The Broadstage has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a rundown of the classical vocal performances. Lise Davidsen makes her company debut in a recital alongside James Baillieu as part of the Celebrity Opera Recital Series. Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2023 The second of three performances in the Celebrity Opera Recital Series will feature Joseph Calleja. Performance Date: Nov. 11, {…}

Jul 19, 2023

CD Review: Joseph Calleja’s ‘Ave Maria’

It has been a while since Decca released a solo recital with Joseph Calleja. “The Magic of Manotvani,” some sort of a crossover, dates from 2020 while his last properly operatic release, “Verdi,” goes all the way back to 2018. Yet the British label has all but forgotten about its spearhead tenor who, with “Ave Maria,” makes a beautifully toned but no less {…}

Jul 10, 2023

Joseph Calleja Withdraws from Bayreuth Festival’s ‘Parsifal’

Joseph Calleja has withdrawn from his upcoming performances of “Parsifal” at the Bayreuth Festival. In a statement, Calleja said, “Due to a persistent throat infection, I was advised by my doctor to withdraw from the current production of Parsifal here in Bayreuth. Goes without saying that this was a very hard decision to take, and I am so sorry for {…}

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