Photo credit: Elisa Haberer / Opéra national de Paris Paris Opera’s production of Charpentier’s “Médée” is not bad, but throughout the performance, operagoers will be filled with a sensation of uneasiness. It is not necessarily because of its murderous plot, but because the production feels unsuited to its musicians. It leaves one with the feeling of wearing a garment lent {…}
Opéra Comique has announced its schedule for the 2024-25 season. Auber’s “Le Domino noir” is set to be conducted by Louis Langrée and will be directed by Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq. The cast includes Anne-Catherine Gillet, Cyrille Dubois, and Victoire Bunel. Performance Date: Sept. 20-28, 2024 George Benjamin & Martin Crimp’s “Picture a Day Like This” is set to {…}
The Lucerne Festival has announced its 2024 season. Here are the vocal performances. Kent Nagano conducts Wagner’s “Die Walküre” with a cast that includes Simon Bailey, Maximilian Schmitt, Sarah Wegener, Åsa Jäger, and Dimitry Ivashchenko. Performance Date: August 21, 2024 The Klangforum Wien, Cantando Admont, and Beat Furrer perform Beat Furrer’s “Begehren.” Performance Date: Sept. 1, 2024 The Jupiter Ensemble, Thomas {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. For this edition, audiences will get to hear new recordings from three famed stars as well as a new opera designed for the 3D space. Folk Songs Magdalena Kožená releases her fourth Pentatone album “Folk Songs” which brings together folk-inspired song cycles from {…}
Washington D.C’s The Phillips Collection has announced its 2023-24 season marking its 83rd season of celebrated concerts with a line-up of critically-acclaimed artists as well as partnerships with the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Howard University, and the USC Thornton School of Music. A pillar of the museum’s cultural offerings, Phillips Music continues to connect audiences with artists celebrated worldwide, presenting {…}
(Photo Credit: SF/Matthias Horn) “Le Nozze di Figaro” in Salzburg is always a big challenge; it is Mozart’s city. The festival public is not conservative per se, but it does have high standards for Mozart, and will not willingly countenance simplistic approaches to the opera that would diminish Mozart and Da Ponte’s powerful message in name of some moralism. But {…}
France’s Opéra de Dijon has announced its 2023-24 season. Here are the operatic and vocal concerts. Opera Händel’s “Ariodante” is set to star Lea Desandre, Ana Maria Labin, Ana Vieira Leite, Hugh Cutting, Kresimir Spicer, Moritz Kallenberg, and Renato Dolcini. William Christie conducts. Performance Date: Oct. 15, 2023 Beethoven’s “Fidelio” will star Sinead Campbell Wallace, Maximilian Schmitt, Martina Russomanno, Mischa {…}
The Opéra de Paris has announced its 2023-24 Season featuring many new productions and many of the great stars in the world. Alexander Soddy conducts Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with a cast that includes Peter Mattei, Kyle Ketelsen, Adela Zaharia, Julia Kleiter, Ben Bliss, Cyrille Dubois, John Relyea, Gaëlle Arquez, Tara Erraught, Alex Esposito, Bogdan Talos, Guilhem Worms, Ying Fang, and {…}
Carnegie Hall has announced its 2023-24 season bringing some of the greatest artists in the world. Here is a look at the vocal performances of the season. Sphinx Virtuosi will feature bass players Xavier Foley and Kebra Seyoun-Charles with special guests Raquel González and Abel Selaocoe. The program will include Javier Farias, Andrea Casarrubios, Villa-Lobos, and Xavier Foley music. Performance {…}
With the year coming to an end, we bring you the last releases of 2022. Audiences will get a chance to hear a monodrama, a Christmas album, a solo album and rarities. Eternal Heaven Long-time musical partners Lea Desandre and Iestyn Davies present Thomas Dunford’s complete Handel program recorded with Ensemble Jupiter. Featuring Dunford on the lute, the new album {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2023 season featuring operas, concerts, recitals, and Mozart programs. Opera Raphaël Pichon will conduct Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in a new production by Martin Kušej. Andrè Schuen, Adriana González, Sabine Devieilhe, Krzysztof Bączyk, and Lea Desandre star. Performance Dates: July 27-August 28, 2023 Verdi’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Franz Welser-Möst and directed {…}