Saioa Hernández, Maxim Mironov, Nino Machaidze, Nina Minasyan, Lianna Haroutounian & Luca Micheletti Lead Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège’s 2026-27 Season

The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Giampaolo Bisanti conducts Verdi’s “Macbeth” with Stefano Poda directing. Luca Micheletti, Ewa Płonka, Ricardo Fassi, and Matteo Desole. Performance Dates: Sept. 18-29, 2026 Ravel’s “L’Heure espagnole” and “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges” will be conducted by Jean-Yves Ossonce and directed by Jean-Louis Grinda. The production will star Vincent Ordonneau , {…}

Feb 6, 2025

HamburgMusik 2024-25 Review: Idomeneo

(Photo Credit: Claudia Hoehne) René Jacobs’ concert performance of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” at the Elbphilharmonie provided a resplendent conclusion to Hamburg’s Amadeus Festival, bringing the celebration of Mozart’s genius to a fittingly grand finale. This semi-staged version was a testament to how a concert performance can achieve full theatricality. Compared to his 2009 recording, Jacobs presented a fresh and immediate interpretation, {…}

Jul 27, 2022

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2022 Review: Idomeneo

(Photo: Jean-Louis Fernandez) As a rule of thumb, you know that if you have to rely on the director’s program notes to make sense of what is happening on stage, then the production is likely to disappoint. Of course, even in such circumstances it is sometimes possible to develop an intuitive understanding, even where the explicit meaning remains elusive, which {…}

Jun 7, 2021

Adèle Charvet, Krešimir Špicer & Nicolas Cavallier Highlight Opéra de Metz Métropole’s 2021-22 Season

Opéra de Metz Métropole in France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal performances. Gioacchino Rossini‘s “Le Comte Ory” opens the season. The opera features Patrick Kabongo, Perrine Madoeuf, Catherine Trottmann, Cécile Galois, Armando Noguera, Leonardo Galeazzi, and Aurore Weiss. Corinna Niemeyer conducts the production by Sylvie Laligne. Performance dates: Oct {…}

Jun 6, 2021

Roberto Alagna, Catherine Hunold, Véronique Gens & Valerio Contaldo Headline Opéra de Massy’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Gregor Hohenberg/Sony Music / Brennecke Art official website / Franck Juery / Alpha Classics / Operabase official website) Opéra de Massy in France has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is the full slate. Operas Bizet‘s “Carmen” opens the season. Thomas Bettinger performs Don José, Christian Helmer portrays Escamillo, and Ahlima Mhamdi takes on the title role. The cast also {…}

May 28, 2021

Véronique Gens, Sophie Koch, Roderick Williams & Lionel Lhote Lead Festival Berlioz 2021

(Credits: Franck Juery / Vincent Pontet / Groves Artists official website / Jacques Leinne) The Festival Berlioz has announced its 2021 edition that is set to take place from August 19 until August 30. For the purpose of this article, we will focus only on vocal performances. Mezzo-soprano Sophie Koch performs works by Hector Berlioz alongside Pascal Rophé, who conducts {…}

Aug 18, 2020

Innsbruck Early Music Festival 2020 Review: Leonora

(Photo: Brigitte Duftner) Italian composer Ferdinando Paër (1771 – 1839) is significant in the history of opera for his work during the first decade of the 19th century in developing opera semi-seria by integrating attributes of serious and comic opera. And although no longer well-known, his operas do receive the occasional performance. This year, however, there were a couple of {…}

Feb 10, 2020

Sydney Mancasola Takes Over Händel’s ‘Jephtha’ at Komische Oper Berlin

(Credit: Kristin Hoebermann) Sydney Mancasola has replaced soprano Anna Devin for the initial five performances of Händel’s oratorio “Jephtha” at the Komische Oper Berlin. Mancasola will perform the role of Iphis on May 17, 21, 31, June 5 and 13, 2020. The American soprano recently performed the title role in Händel’s oratorio “Semele” at the Komische Oper Berlin, the role {…}

krešimir špicer