(Credit: Tatyana Vlasova) The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced a cast change for its final performance of “Manon Lescaut.” The company noted that Kristine Opolais will take over the title role for Sonya Yoncheva. The Latvian soprano will join a cast that includes Brian Jagde, Kartal Karagedik, Tigran Martirossian, Daniel Kluge, Chao Deng, Gabriele Rossmanith, and Seungwoo Simon Yang. Francesco Ivan {…}
(Credit: Tatyana Vlasova) The Riga Jurmala Music Festival in Latvia has announced that Kristine Opolais will replace Sir Bryn Terfel on August 29. The festival announced that Terfel was forced to withdraw from his recital following medical advice to recover from health issues. Opolais took to social media stating, “although I would prefer to be in the hall to enjoy {…}
ORF III is set to broadcast Puccini’s “Tosca” on August 22 from the Graz Schloßbergbühne Kasematten. The broadcast will star Jonas Kaufmann, Kristīne Opolais, and Sir Bryn Terfel, who will be joined by the Grazer Philharmoniker, the Grazer Opernchor, and the Singschul of the Graz Opera. Marcus Merkel will conduct the semi-staged production. In a statement, Grazer Spielstätten Managing Director {…}
Italy’s Teatro Comunale di Bologna has announced its fall 2021 season. The season opens with Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” conducted by Pier Giorgio Morandi. The cast will include Cesar Cortez and Pablo Martinez sharing the count with Paola Leguizamon as Rosina, Marco Filippo Romano as Bartolo, Roberto De Candia as Figaro, and Andrea Concetti as Basilio. Performance Dates: Oct. 17-23, 2021 Kristine Opolais leads {…}
Poland’s Opera Wroclaw has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, numerous debuts, and star-studded casts. Here is a look at the new season. New Productions The season opens in a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” directed by Michael Gieleta. Lianna Haroutounian, Giorgi Sturua, and Ambrogio Maestri lead the first cast and Ewa Vesin, Tadeusz Szlenkier, and Mikołaj Zalasiński leading {…}
Three major opera stars are set to come together this August for two open-air performances of “Tosca” in Graz, Austria. The showcases, which are scheduled for August 22 and 24, will star Jonas Kaufmann as Cavaradossi, Kristine Opolais in the title role, and Bryn Terfel as Baron Scarpia. “Singing Puccini with exceptional artists like Bryn and Jonas on stage will {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, revivals, jung oper, and Chamber works. Premieres Gaetano d’Espinosa conducts a new production of Peter Konwitschny Bellini’s “Norma” with Yolanda Auyanet in the title role. The cast will also include Dmytro Popov, Alexandros Stavrakakis, and Stepanka Pucalkova. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-31, 2021 Ivan Repušić conducts a new production of {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced its next three weeks of nightly streams. The first week will center on Father’s Day, and the following week will celebrate Pride Month, highlighting great performances by artists from the LGBTQ+ community. The final week will be focused on American composers. Additionally, the 1997 telecast of Britten’s “Billy Budd,” featuring Philip Langridge, Dwayne Croft, and {…}
The Teatro San Carlo has announced its 2021-22 season featuring 14 operas, 35 concert, and 4 ballets. Here is a look at the operas and the vocal performances. The season opens with Verdi’s “Otello“ with Jonas Kaufmann singing the title role. Michele Mariotti conducts the new production by Mario Martone. Kaufmann will alternate the title role with Yusif Eyvazov and {…}
(Credit: Tatyana Vlasova) Kristine Opolais has received an honorary doctorate from Cyprus Academy of Music. The soprano took to social media to announce the news noting, “I’m privileged to accept an honorary doctorate from the Cyprus Academy of Music (Est. 1956) and also become the first Artist to become an honorary member of the Athens Philharmonic, at an official ceremony {…}
The Theater an der Wien has announced its 2021-22 season, which will include operas ranging from the baroque era through 2006. First up will be Cavalieri’s “Rappresentatione di Anima et di Corpo,” which will be conducted by Giovanni Antonini and directed by Robert Carson. The work will star Anett Fritsch, Florian Boesch, Cyril Auvity, and Saniel Schmutzhard, among others. Performance {…}