San Francisco Opera 2024-25 Review: Beethoven Symphony No. 9

(Photo: Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera) We need Beethoven. Especially the 9th Symphony with Schiller’s Ode to Joy. “Freude, schöner Götterfunken/Tochter aus Elysium,/Wir betreten feuertrunken,Himmlische/, dein HeiligtumFreude menschen gotterfunken./Oh friends, no more of these sounds!/Let us sing more cheerful songs, More full of joy!/Joy, bright spark of divinity,/Daughter of Elysium,/Fire-inspired we tread Thy sanctuary!/Thy magic power reunites/All that custom {…}

Angel Blue, Renée Fleming, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Anita Rachvelishvilli, Matthew Polenzani Lead Opéra de Paris 2021-22 Season

(Photo Credits: Emma Birski / OnP) Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is the full slate. Operas “The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas” by Marina Abramovic will open the season. The showcase stars Nadezhda Karyazina, Selene Zanetti, Leah Hawkins, Adela Zaharia, Lauren Fagan, Gabriella Reyes, and Hera Hyesang Park. Yoel Gamzou conducts. Performance dates: Sep. 1 {…}

Nina Stemme, Stuart Skelton, Lise Davidsen, and Hanna-Elisabeth Müller Highlight Philharmonie de Paris Fall 2021 Season

(Photo Credits: Artists Management Zürich official website / Sim Canetty-Clarke / Ray Burmiston  / Chris Gonz) Philharmonie de Paris has announced its fall 2021 season, which will run from Sep. 8 until Dec. 23, 2021. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works only. Soprano Christine Goerke and tenor Klaus Florian Vogt perform Richard Wagner’s works {…}

Liudmyla Monastyrska, Marcelo Álvarez & Alexey Markov Highlight ‘Viva Verdi’ Concert at Staatsoper Berlin

(Credits: IMG Artists official website / Marcelo Álvarez Facebook page / Mariinsky Theatre official website) The Staatsoper unter der Linden has announced the complete list of soloists that will take part in the series of concerts “Viva Verdi” on Oct. 4, 9 & 11, 2020. The string of concert performances comes as a replacement for the fully staged opera “Macbeth” {…}

Jonas Kaufmann, Angel Blue, Joyce DiDonato, Anna Netrebko, Eric Owens Headline Weeks 25 & 26 of Metropolitan Opera Nightly Streams

(Credit: Met Opera / Ken Howard / Marty Sohl) The Met Opera has unveiled its 25 and 26th weeks of streaming, continuing its theme-based streaming options. For week 25, the company will focus on 20th-century classics, while the ensuing week of streams will place an emphasis on French operas. Monday, August 31 – R. Strauss’s Elektra Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud {…}

Luciano Pavarotti, Natalie Dessay, Leona Mitchell, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Plácido Domingo Headline Week 20 of Metropolitan Opera Nightly Streams

The Metropolitan Opera has announced week 20 of its nightly streams. This coming week’s slate will feature a number of renowned artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Natalie Dessay, Ileana Cortrubas, Leona Mitchell, and Christine Goerke among others. Check out the streams on the company’s official website.  Here is the full rundown. Monday, July 27 – Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor Starring {…}

Andris Nelsons, Kristine Opolais & Ildar Abdrazakov Lead Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 2020-21 Season

(Credit: Tatyana Vlasova) The Boston Symphony Orchestra announce its 2020-21 season noting that anything can change due to the coronavirus pandemic. As always we highlight the vocal performances in this season announcement. The Beethoven Cycle concludes with Andris Nelsons leading the composer’s Ninth Symphony with soloists Amanda Majeski, Tamara Mumford, Pavel Černoch, Kwangchul Youn, and Tanglewood Festival Chorus. The program {…}