Kristine Opolais, Jonathan Tetelman, Eleonora Buratto, Kate Lindsey, Matthias Goerne & Rinat Shaham Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. It’s another week of many releases, including new complete opera recordings, solo albums, oratorios, and sacred works. John Weldon: The Judgment of Paris A long-lost masterpiece revived by Julian Perkins, Cambridge Handel Opera Company and Academy of Ancient Music Academy of Ancient Music {…}

Mar 5, 2025

Kate Lindsey, Vera-Lotte Boecker, Eleonora Buratto, Aušriné Stundyté, Anja Kampe, Juliana Grigoryan, René Barbera & Elbenita Kajtazi Headline Staatsoper Hamburg’s 2025-26 Season

The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Robert Schumann’s “Das Paradies und die Peri” will be directed by Tobias Kratzer and conducted by Omer Meir Wellber and Felix Hornbachner. The work will star Vera-Lotte Boecker, Eliza Boom, Kady Evanyshyn, Kai Kluge, Annika Schlicht, Xavier Sabata, Eric Lunga Hallam, and Christoph Pohl. Performance Dates: Sept. 27-Nov. 1, 2025 Glinka’s “Ruslan und Ljudmila” will be {…}

Dec 20, 2024

Paris Opera Play Unveils Streaming Slate for January & February 2025

The Opéra National de Paris has announced the streaming slate for Paris Opera Play during the months of January and February. First up is “Vissi d’arte – Gala Maria Callas,” starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Pretty Yende, Kate Lindsey, and Eve-Maud Hubeaux. Eun Sun Kim conducted the gala, which was be directed by Robert Carsen. The event took place in December 2023. {…}

Dec 3, 2024

Lisette Oropesa, Asmik Grigorian, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Cecilia Bartoli & Sabine Devieilhe Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2025 Season

The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Opera Bas Wiegers conducts Michael Jarrell’s “Kassandra” with actress Dagmar Manzel and the Ensemble Modern. Performance Date: July 23, 2025 Salvatore Sciarrino’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni. Cody Quattlebaum, Alice Rossi, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Iris van Wijnen, and Davide Giangregorio. Performance Date: July 25, {…}

Oct 29, 2024

Teatro alla Scala 2023-2024 Review: Der Rosenkavalier

(Photo: Brescia e Amisano © Teatro all Scala) Austrian writer Hugo von Hofmannsthal confessed that he drew inspiration for “Der Rosenkavalier’s” libretto from Molière’s comedies, weaving them together with the roles of Italian commedia dell’arte. He wrote, “The characters were there, performing right in front of us: the Buffoon, the Old Man, the Young Man, the Lady, the Cherubino… Each {…}

Aug 24, 2024

Salzburg Festival 2024 Review: Les Contes d’Hoffmann

It is blatantly evident that there is a connection between the advent of cinema and the decline of Opera. Once the main form of entertainment, the operatic stage lost its prominence to the silver screen. There is something that opera used to give that cinema somehow gave, too—the question is what? Last year, the Salzburg Festival attempted to bridge the {…}

Jul 2, 2024

Stage + to Stream ‘Les Contes D’Hoffmann’ with Benjamin Bernheim & Kathryn Lewek

Deutsche Grammophon’s Stage + is set to present Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” from the Salzburg Festival. The stream will be presented on August 24, 2024, and will star tenor Benjamin Bernheim in his signature role as Hoffmann. Kate Lindsey, Kathryn Lewek, and Christian Van Horn will join him. Marc Minkowski will conduct the production by Mariame Clément. The stream is {…}

May 9, 2024

Natalie Dessay, Nina Stemme, Emöke Baráth, Jakub Józef Orlinski & Pene Pati Lead Opéra national du Rhin’s 2024-25 Season

The Opéra national du Rhin has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the opera performances. George Benjamin’s “Picture a day like this” opens the season. Performance Dates: Oct. 3-20, 2024 Jakub Józef Orlinski and Michał Biel will perform Purcell, Haendel, Schubert, Baird, and Łukaszewski. Performance Date: Sept. 19, 2024 Alex Rosen, Emöke Baráth, Adèle Charvet, Laurence Kilsby, Lauranne Oliva, Christophe {…}

Apr 30, 2024

Pretty Yende, Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez, Allan Clayton, Lise Davidsen, & Lisette Oropesa Lead Royal Opera House’s 2024-25 Season

The Royal Opera House has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the season. Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” will open the season with a cast that includes Luca Micheletti, Ying Fang, Huw Montague Rendall, Jacquelyn Stucker, and Ginger Costa-Jackson. Performance Dates: Sept. 2-15, 2024 Verdi’s “La Traviata” will feature two casts. The first cast will be headlined {…}

Jan 17, 2024

Fleur Barron, Jeanine De Bique, André Schuen, Kate Lindsey Headline Barcelona Obertura 2024 Spring Festival

Barcelona Obertura has announced its 2024 Spring Festival. Here is a rundown of the vocal performances. Teodor Currentzis leads MusicAeterna in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem. Performance Date: March 11, 2024 Fleur Barron headlines a program featuring music by Ravel, Montsalvatge, and Raquel García-Tomás. Ludovic Morlot conducts the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. Performance Date: March 15, 2024 Harry Bicket leads The English Concert {…}

Dec 6, 2023

Benjamin Bernheim Asmik Grigorian, Juan Diego Florez, Elīna Garanča & Cecilia Bartoli Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2024 Season

(Credit: © SF / Peter Rigaud) The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2024 Season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Opera Strauss’ “Caprricio” is set to be performed in concert form with Elsa Dreisig and Bo Skovhus as Countess and Count. The cast also includes Sebastian Kohlhepp (Flamand), Konstantin Krimmel (Olivier), Mika Kares (La Roche), Ève-Maud Hubeaux (Clairon), {…}