(Foto: T+T Fotografie / Toni Suter + Tanja Dorendorf) Opernhaus Zürich is set to present oper für alle on July 12 at the Sechseläutenplatz. The company will present “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” live at the open-air stage starting at 17.00 with the opera performance at 19.00. Admission will be free. Additionally, the company will broadcast on the OperaVision platform. “Les Contes {…}
The Scottish Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with a double bill of Ravel’s “L’heure espagnole” and Walton’s “The Bear.” Alexandra Cravero conducts the production by Jacopo Spirei. Lea Shaw, Jamie MacDougall, Daniel Barrett, Edward Jowle, and Luvo Maranti star in Ravel’s production, and Chloe Harris, Daniel Barrett, and Edward Jowle star in Walton’s opera. Performance Dates: {…}
Robert Carsen’s beloved production of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” returns to the Canadian Opera Company. The opera will be performed seven times at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts between May 2 and 24, 2025. Speranza Scapucci conducts the COC Orchestra with a cast that includes Australian soprano Lauren Fagan as Tatiana and Andrii Kymach as Onegin. They will be joined {…}
The Canadian Opera Company has released the details of its Free Concert Series. Programming features nearly 70 performances of music, dance, poetry, and more in downtown Toronto. The Free Concert Series runs each year from Sept. to May and spotlights local and international artists in performances spanning a wide array of genres. It celebrates classical repertoire and musical traditions from {…}
Photo: © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton Normally, ‘heritage’ productions make me nervous. The established stagings summon to mind lumbering Zeffirelli-esque spectacles and unwieldy, moth-eaten costumes. Opera houses resting on their artistic laurels, unwilling take artistic risks. The ingrained conservatism in the opera business that could even prove fatal for the art form. But, Peter Hall’s production of Benjamin {…}
The Canadian Opera Company is set to present “The Marriage of Figaro.” The Mozart masterpiece will be performed eight times at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts between Jan. 27 and Feb. 18, 2023. The acclaimed Claus Guth production will be revived by Marcelo Buscaino of Brazil; the production had a previous run in 2016 and has also {…}
(© Richard Hubert Smith) Ethel Smyth’s opera “The Wreckers” opened the Glyndebourne Festival Opera last weekend, receiving its first-ever performance in the original French – libretto by Henry Brewster – and with many savage cuts restored. Its journey has been a long one: Smyth was repeatedly thwarted by war, misogynistic attitudes, musical conservatism, and meddling conductors. For some context – {…}
(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 {…}
Opera Holland Park has announced its 2021 season. The festival will open in a redesigned, physically-distanced and semi-open auditorium and featuring five full productions: The summer season will open with Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” with George Jackson conducting Oliver Platt’s production. The cast is set to include Julien Van Mellaerts, Nardus Williams, Elizabeth Karani, Ross Ramgobin, and Samantha Price. {…}
On Sept. 5, the Bayerische Staatsoper will stream the highly anticipated work the “7 Deaths of Maria Callas.” The work, which is a creation by Marina Abramović, will stream on the Munich opera company’s website in co-production with BR Klassik and ARTE concert at 6:30 pm German time. The work is comprised of seven different arias that Maria Callas made {…}
September brings the opening of several major companies in Europe. And that means new streaming opportunities of concerts and operas. Before we kick off our list, don’t forget to check out important discussions taking place regarding issues of race and equality in opera with such programs as Karen Slack’s “KikiKonversations,” Kenneth Overton’s “Black Opera Live,” and Mark S. Doss’ “Heart and Soul” series {…}