Anna Netrebko, Freddie De Tommaso, Marina Rebeka, Bryn Terfel, Aigul Akhmetshina, Lisette Oropesa, Juan Diego Flórez & Pretty Yende Lead Royal Ballet & Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Oliver Mears. Anna Netrebko and Aleksandra Kurzak share the title role. Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley also star. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 7, 2025 Speranza Scappucci conducts Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” in a revival of Stefan Herheim’s production. Marina {…}

Mar 17, 2025

Wiener Staatsoper 2024-25 Review: Norma

Another day, another “Norma.” Not that that is a hardship: lucky Vienna, has two new productions in which to indulge. And they proved very different beasts. The opera hasn’t been staged at the Staatsoper for almost 50 years so it was long overdue to have an outing there. And Cyril Teste’s production did the job well enough, if not excitingly, {…}

Mar 3, 2025

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Cast Change for ‘Norma’

The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its March 3, 2025 performance of “Norma.” The company said that Freddie De Tommaso will sing the role of Pollione replacing Juan Diego Flórez, who is ill. Flórez took to social media and said, “While warming up this morning, I felt that something wasn’t quite right. I went to see my {…}

Feb 23, 2025

ORF III to Broadcast Wiener Staatsoper’s ‘Norma’ with Federica Lombardi & Juan Diego Flórez

On March 23, ORF III will broadcast the Wiener Staatsoper’s new production of Bellini’s “Norma.” The new production by Cyril marks the first time in 10 years that the work is presented at the Wiener Staatsoper and the first staged production in almost 45 years. Michele Mariotti conducts an all-star cast led by Federica Lombardi, who makes her role debut {…}

Feb 12, 2025

Joyce DiDonato, Isabel Leonard, Renée Fleming, Juan Diego Flórez, Lise Davidsen Headline Carnegie Hall’s 2025-26 Season

Carnegie Hall has announced its 2025-26 season. “With every season, Carnegie Hall seeks to offer audiences a panoramic view of the world’s leading artists and ensembles with every performance promising to be something truly extraordinary,” said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall, in an official press release. “Looking to 2025–2026, we’re especially excited about our next festival {…}

Feb 11, 2025

Janai Brugger, Juan Diego Flórez, Nadine Sierra, Gabriella Reyes, John Holiday Lead LA Opera’s 2025-26 Season

LA Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the program. Opera Gabriella Reyes and Duke Kim star in the company premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” James Conlon conducts the production by Francesca Zambello. Performance Dates: Sept. 20-Oct. 8, 2025 Puccini’s “La Bohème” will return Janai Brugger, Oreste Cosimo, Erica Petrocelli, Gihoon Kim, Emmett O’Hanlon, and {…}

Jan 17, 2025

Juan Diego Flórez & Nadine Sierra Lead Wiener Staatsoper’s Opera Ball

(Credit: © Gregor Hohenberg) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced the 67th Opera Ball. The event will take place on Feb. 27 and will focus on Johann Strauss. The Opera Ball will feature musical guests such as Juan Diego Flórez, Nadine Sierra, Maria Nazarova, and Daniel Jenz. Cornelius Meister will conduct the Viena State Opera Orchestra. The program will include such {…}

Jan 10, 2025

Juan Diego Flórez & Federica Lombardi Headline Wiener Staatsoper’s New ‘Norma’

The Wiener Staatsoper is set to present a new production of Bellini’s “Norma.” Michele Mariotti is set to conduct a new production by French stage director Cyril Teste. In a statement, Mariotti noted, “‘Norma’ is a triumph of emotions and torments described by the fierce classicism of the music. In my view, there are two moments that make it an {…}

Dec 30, 2024

OperaWire’s 10 Operas to See in the 2025 Spring/Winter Season

The year is at an end. But a new year brings new opera experiences and here at OperaWire, we are pumped for the potential of numerous performances. Here are the 10 productions we are most excited for in the first half of the 2025, in alphabetical order (and each company is limited to a single production on the list). Die {…}

Nov 12, 2024

Royal Opera House 2024-25 Review: The Tales of Hoffmann

(Photo ©2024 Camilla Greenwell) In a recent interview with director Damiano Michieletto at the Venice production of “The Tales of Hoffmann,” he said: “At its heart it is a journey into fantasy. It is opera fantastique, after all!” One definition of the French word fantastique is: a term for a literary and cinematic genre and mode that is characterized by {…}

Oct 22, 2024

Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Florez & Christian Gerhaher Among Artists Weighing in on 3sat & ARTE Merger

Following the announcement of Germany’s proposal to merge 3sat into Arte, the Franco-German culture channel, IMZ International Music+Media Centre and several artists have released statements against the planned merger. IMZ Media said, “3sat is the only public channel showcasing the rich cultural diversity of the DACH region, broadcasting dance, theatre, opera, literature, music and more across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. {…}