The Houston Symphony has announced that it has extended the tenure of Music Director Juraj Valčuha, holder of the Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair, through the 2027–28 Season. Valčuha was first appointed to the position in 2022, and with the new extension through 2028, Valčuha and the Houston Symphony will continue building on the artistic momentum, bringing visionary programs and {…}
(Photo: Vincent Pontet) Certainly a hidden gem of the mainstream operatic repertoire, Leoš Janáček’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” is one of the most lovable pieces of musical theater ever composed. Its lyrical music, melancholic charm, and even lack of dialogue make this opera hard to resist. Paris Opera’s revival of the work has all the elements needed to succeed: Nicky {…}
(Photo: Marek Olbrzymek) It is too often the case that Janáček’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” is presented as an opera for children, no doubt because it has lots of furry animals that talk and sometimes act like humans, although it is also probably a reaction to the fact that Janáček’s inspiration for the opera came from a cartoon strip in {…}
(Credit: Ben Cordua) Music Director and Holder of the Roy and Lillie Cullen Chair Juraj Valčuha has extended his contract with the Houston Symphony. The Music Director will now remain with the orchestra through the 2025—2026 season. Valčuha began his tenure as Music Director during the 2022–23 season, having guest conducted the orchestra for the first time in 2011. Valčuha {…}
(Photo: Michele Crosera) Believing himself betrayed by either Ellen or the boy, Grimes is in a bad emotional and psychological state as he sits in his house when he hears the mob approaching, which causes him to flee. In this heightened state he drives the boy down the cliff, who falls to his death. The question which the director has {…}
(Credits: Chris Singer / Jiyang Chen) The Teatro di San Carlo in Napoli has announced a full cast for the concert performance of Puccini and Adami’s opera “La Rondine” set for Oct. 16-18, 2020. The opera will star Ailyn Pérez in the role of Magda, Ruth Iniesta as Lisette, Michael Fabiano in the role of Ruggero, Marco Ciaponi as Prunier, {…}
The Teatro la Fenice is set to return to traditional operatic productions at the end of October. The company will return to the Teatro Malibran with a new production of “Prima la musica e poi le parole” by Antonio Salieri and “Der Schauspieldirektor”by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The new production will be a collaboration between the Fondazione Teatro La Fenice and {…}
(Photo: Rocco Casaluci) Of all the operas ever written possibly none explores the unconscious drive of love with such a stark and uncompromising vision as Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” It is not a love tainted by the individual psychologies of its participants, their behavior is not an outcome of a deeper pathology, or molded by the past events which have {…}
Bamberger Symphoniker has announced its 2019-20 season. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on vocal and opera-related performances. Jakub Hrůša will conduct the Bamberger Symphoniker during a performance of Wagner’s Prelude to “Lohengrin.” The program will also include Bohuslav Martinů’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in G Minor, Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, {…}