Michael Spyres, Benjamin Bernheim, Nina Stemme, Sonya Yoncheva, Ailyn Pérez & Ying Fang’s Festival Aix-En-Provence’s 2026 season

The Festival Aix-En-Provence has announced its 2026 season. Opera Leonardo García-Alarcón conducts Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” with Clément Cogitore directing. The production will star Ying Fang, Mauro Peter, Sabine Devieilhe, Sean Michael Plumb, Brindley Sherratt, and Edwin Crossley-Mercer. Performance Dates: July 2-21, 2026 Klaus Mäkelä conducts Strauss’ “Die Frau one Schatten” in Barrie Kosky’s production. The cast will include Michael Spyres, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Nina {…}

Jun 19, 2025

Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier Occitanie 2025-26 Season to Feature Kathryn Lewek, Bruno Taddia, Sheva Tehoval, & Maciej Kwasnikowski

The Opéra Orchestre National Montpellier Occitanie announces its 2025-26 season. This article features operatic events only. A double bill of Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” open the season. Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur, Azer Zada, Julie Pasturaud, Tomasz Kumięga, Reut Venturo, Giuseppina Merli, Galina Cheplakova, Maciej Kwasnikowski, and Leon Kim are among the cast. Silvia Paoli directs. Yoel Gamzou conducts. Performance Dates: October {…}

May 20, 2025

Joyce DiDonato, Lea Desandre, Michael Spyres, Véronique Gens, Emőke Baráth & Dario Solari Headline Opéra de Dijon’s 2025-26 Season

The Opéra de Dijon has announced its 2025-26 season. Here are the vocal performances. The Orchestre National de France performs alongside Cristian Măcelaru and Joyce DiDonato. The program includes music by Alma and Gustav Mahler and Strauss. Performance Date: Oct. 9, 2025 Lea Desandre stars as Händel’s “Theodora” with Hugh Cutting, Véronique Gens, Laurence Kilsby, and Alex Rosen. Thomas Dunford {…}

Apr 4, 2025

Michael Fabiano, Lea Desandre, Jessica Pratt, Rachel Willis-Sørensen & Matthias Goerne Lead Opéra National du Capitole de Toulouse’s 2025-26 Season

The Opéra National du Capitole de Toulouse has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Hervé Niquet conducts a production of Massenet’s “Thaïs” with Stefano Poda directing. Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Tassis Christoyannis, and Jean-François Borras star. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 5, 2025 Thomas Dunford conducts Handel’s “Theodora” in concert with Lea Desandre, Véronique Gens, Hugh Cutting, Laurence Kilsby, and Alex Rosen. Performance Date: {…}

Mar 22, 2025

Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Pretty Yende, Marina Rebeka Headline Théâtre des Champs-Élysées’s 2025-26 Season

The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Productions Jakob Lehmann conducts Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” in a production by Silvia Costa. Benjamin Bernheim, Viktoria Karkacheva, Christian Van Horn, and Thomas Dolié star. Performance Dates: Nov. 3-15, 2025 Offenbach’s “Robinson Crusoé” will be conducted by Marc Minkowski and directed by Laurent Pelly. Lawrence Brownlee, Julie Fuchs, Laurent {…}

Dec 6, 2024

Freddie De Tommaso, Diana Damrau, Florian Sempey & Karine Deshayes Lead New Holiday CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get to hear and see new holiday albums, a Puccini album, and rarely performed works. Here is a look at what to buy this season. Puccini The celebrated tenor Freddie De Tommaso celebrates Puccini in a new album with {…}

Aug 22, 2024

CD Review: Prima Classic’s ‘Norma’

(Prima Classics) Few operas have so inextricably been linked with the name of Maria Callas as “Norma.” The first perhaps in a line of 20th century Neoclassicists, she dusted off every inch of (pseudo-)Romantic mannerism and histrionics, restituting to the playbills an uncompromisingly sympathetic interpretation of tragic grandeur, as if sprung from the pen of Jean Racine himself. Callas’s following {…}

Jul 30, 2024

Prima Classic Announces ‘Norma’ Recording Starring Marina Rebeka

Prima Classic has announced a new recording of Bellini’s “Norma” starring Marian Rebeka. The recording, set to be released on Oct. 4, 2024, will also star Karine Deshayes, Luciano Ganci, and Marko Mimica. John Fiore conducts the Teatro Real de Madrid Orchestra and Chorus. Meanwhile, the recording is executive produced by Edgardo Vertanessian and Rebeka. The soprano took to social {…}

Jun 13, 2024

Karine Deshayes, Jacquelyn Wagner, Matthias Goerne & Patricia Petibon Lead Opéra National de Bordeaux ‘s 2024-25 Season

The Opéra National de Bordeaux has announced its 2024-25 Season. Opera The season opens with “Le Pavillon aux pivoines” with Guo Xaionan directing. Performance Dates: Oct. 17-19, 2024 “Il Cappello di paglia di Firenze” will be conducted by Salvatore Caputo and directed by Julien Duval. Performance Dates: Nov. 7-9, 2024 Lucie Leguay conducts “Les sentinelles” with Chloé Lechat directing. The {…}

May 21, 2024

Joyce El-Khoury, Adam Smith, Karine Deshayes & Sally Matthews Lead Opéra de Rouen Normandies 2024-25 Season

The Opéra de Rouen Normandie has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Joyce El-Khoury stars in Verdi’s “Aida” alongside Adam Smith, Alisa Kolosova, Adolfo Corrado, and Nikoloz Lagvilava. Pierre Bleuse conducts the production by Philipp Himmelmann. Performance Dates: Sept. 27-Oct. 5, 2024 Sally Matthews, John Findon, Paula Murrihy, and Caroline Wettergreen headline Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” with Ben Glassberg. The production {…}

May 7, 2024

Karine Deshayes, Enea Scala, Cristina Pasaroiu & Iván Ayon-Rivas Lead Opéra de Marseille’s 2024-25 Season

The Opéra de Marseille has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Michele Spotti conducts Bellini’s “Norma” with Anne Delbee directing. Karine Deshayes stars in the title role with Salomé Jicia, Enea Scala, and Patrick Bollei. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 3, 2024 Alexandra Marcellier, Eugénie Joneau, Thomas Bettinger, and Marc Scoffoni star in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Paolo Arrivabeni conducts Emmanuelle Bastet’s production. Performance {…}