(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, {…}
(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 {…}
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 {…}
(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 {…}
(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 {…}
(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 {…}
(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 {…}