St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances of the season. James Gaffigan conducts Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” with Heidi Melton, Meredith Arwady, Antonio Poli, and Brian Mulligan. Performance Dates: Nov. 11 & 12, 2023 Kevin McBeth conducts IN UNISON Chorus in a concert Gospel Christmas. Performance Dates: Dec. 8, 2023 Stéphane {…}
This review is for the performance of January 21, 2023 Unearthing the bodies of “Il Trovatore,” La Fura dels Baus and Àlex Ollé found the first great war. This is not a literary metaphor used by this pedantic critic, but what actually was presented in the stage. Large tombs are raised and lowered into rows of graves on the stage {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu is set to open its 2022-23 season with Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.” Maestro Riccardo Frizza will lead the opera for 10 performances with two different casts and will mark his latest foray into Verdian repertory since the Festival Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra.” In an official statement, Frizza said, “Taking a look back over this year, it has {…}
Musikfest Berlin has announced its 2022 season featuring international orchestras and soloists. Here is a selection of the vocal highlights of the season. Lucy Crowe, Ann Hallenberg, Giovanni Sala, and William Thomas perform Beethiven’s Missa Solemnis with the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. John Eliot Gardiner conducts. Performance Date: August 31, 2022 Magdalena Kožená and Yefim Bronfman perform a {…}
The Teatro alla Scala has announced more cast changes for its performances of “Adriana Lecouvreur” on March 9 and 10, 2022. The company noted that Judit Kutasi will sing the role of the Princess de Boullion replacing Elena Zhidkova. Kutasi recently replaced Anita Rachvelishvili for the March 6 performance after Rachvelishvili withdrew from several performances due to difficulties after her {…}
The Teatro alla Scala has announced a cast change for “Adriana Lecouvreur.” The company noted that Judit Kutasi will take over the March 6 performance in the role of Princess de Boullion. The news comes a day after Anita Rachvelishvili withdrew from several performances citing difficulties after her pregnancy. Kutasi is a rising star who has performed at the Théâtre {…}
(Credit: Klaus Frahm) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its upcoming December 2021 performances. Mezzo-soprano Doris Soffel will give a concert singing lieder by Gustav Mahler and Kurt Weill. Performance date: Dec. 2, 2021 Soprano Anja Harteros gives a concert featuring Wagner’s “Wesendonck-Lieder” and “Liebestod” from “Tristan und Isolde.” The orchestra will also present Richard Strauss’ “Tod und Verklärung” op. {…}
The Théâtre Capitole de Toulouse has announced a cast change for its upcoming production of Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda.” The French company announced that Varduhi Abrahayman will no longer perform the role of Laura. As a result, Judit Kutasi will take over. Kutasi has performed “La Gioconda” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the role of La Cieca and Laura. She {…}
The Bayersiche Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its “Aida: Oper für Alle” performance on July 17, 2021. The company announced that Judit Kutasi will take over the role of Amneris for Anita Rachvelishvili. Kutasi has performed at the Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro alla Scala, Staatsoper Hamburg, and Arena di Verona. She is {…}
(Credits: Bettina Stöß / Bernd Uhlig) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced all the premieres of its 2021-22 season. Here is a look. The “Best of Carmen” concert will spotlight Valeriia Savinskaia, Arianna Manganello, Elena Tsallagova, Matthew Newlin, Joel Allison, and Ève-Maud Hubeaux in the title role. Daniel Carter conducts a production by Silke Sense. Performance dates: Aug. 21 – {…}
(Credits: Andreas Endermann / Michael Taubenheim) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced cast changes for concert performances “Best of Don Carlo.” The company announced that bass Ante Jerkunica will perform the role of Philippo II instead of Ildar Abdrazakov and Romanian baritone Bogdan Baciu will sing the role of Rodrigo, Marquis di Posa, replacing Davide Luciano. The opera house previously {…}