Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week comes the release of a bel canto masterpiece with Lisette Oropesa, as well as an album dedicated to Berlin starring Anne Sofie von Otter. John Holiday also makes his album debut. Here is a look at the new releases. Maria Stuarda Naxos {…}
(Credit: ©2026 Tristram Kenton) The death of Vincenzo Bellini at just 33 years of age was unequivocally a tragic loss to the world of opera. The libretto for his final work…not so much. After a 35 year absence, Bellini’s “I Puritani” has made a return to Covent Garden. The opera is rarely performed in any house, and the reason is {…}
(Photo: Steven Harris) Lisette Oropesa is a widely acclaimed lyric coloratura soprano who is one of the most in-demand artists on the world’s stages. Her expansive repertoire includes Gluck, Händel, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Wagner, Verdi, Bizet, Massenet, Bellini and Puccini, among others. She has recorded a continuously expanding discography of studio albums, live recitals, and opera films. Operawire caught up {…}
Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This week the Teatro alla Scala releases two major productions from two different seasons featuring some of the biggest stars. Lucia di Lammermoor C Major Entertainment releases Donizetti’s masterpiece from spring 2023. Recorded at the Teatro alla Scala, the opera features Lisette Oropesa, Juan {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s Summer HD Festival will return to Lincoln Center Plaza for six free screenings from September 2 through 7, 2026. Lise Davidsen and Michael Spyres star in Yuval Sharon’s new production of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” screened across two evenings due to its extended running time. Screening Dates: Sept. 2, 2026 (Act I) | Sept. 3, 2026. (Acts {…}
The Palau de les Arts has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera “Estètica i massacre” will star Maria Patak, Carlos Varela, Pablo Meléndez, Álvaro Rodríguez, Claudia López, and Jorge Bosch. Carles Prat conducts the production by Oriol Pla. Performance Dates: Sept. 17 & 18, 2026 Vasilisa Berzhanskaya stars in Bizet’s “Carmen” with Charles Castronovo, Ruth Iniesta, and Davide Luciano. Michele Spotti conducts {…}
Lisette Oropesa has canceled her upcoming Helinski recital. The soprano took to social media to announce the news stating, “Please note the May 24th concert in Helsinki will be rescheduled. Sadly, due to illness, I’m not able to perform on Sunday. I’m so sorry to everyone who was planning to be there.” Oropesa was set to perform alongside pianist Alessandro {…}
The Liceu Opera+ has announced its 2026-27 streaming season. The season opens with “Aida” with Anna Pirozzi, Ksenia Dudnikova, Piotr Beczała, and Igor Golovatenko. Shirin Neshat directs the production. Stream Date: Oct. 25, 2026 Adrian Noble directs Bellini’s “I Capuleti e I Montecchi” with Marko Mimica, Lisette Oropesa, Raffaella Lupinacci, and Iván Ayón Rivas. Stream Date: Nov. 22, 2026 Giacomo {…}
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2026-27 season. Shirin Neshat directs Verdi’s “Aida” with four sopranos taking on the title role. Anna Netrebko, Anna Pirozzi, Olga Maslova, and Ewa Plonka star alongside Ekaterina Semenchuk, Ksenia Dudnikova, Fiorenza Cedolins, Yusif Eyvazov, Piotr Beczała, Arsen Soghomonyan, Artur Ruciński, Igor Golovatenko, Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, Riccardo Fassi, George Andguladze, Manuel Fuentes, Alexander Köpeczi, {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Sondra Radvanovsky and Saioa Hernández lead Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” with Lucas Meachem, Szymon Mechliński, Brian Jagde,, Michael Fabiano and Jorge de Leon. Nicola Luisotti conducts Carlos Wagner’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 23-Oct. 11, 2026 Paul Agnew conducts Handel’s “Riccardo Primo, rè d’Inghilterra” with Jakub Józef Orliński, Melissa Petit, Alex Rosen, {…}
The Royal Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. New Productions Evgeny Titov directs a new production of Wagner’s “Parsifal,” conducted by Jakub Hrůša. Stanislas de Barbeyrac sings the title role, with Ekaterina Gubanova as Kundry, Christian Gerhaher as Amfortas, Brindley Sherratt as Gurnemanz, and Mark Stone as Klingsor. Performance Dates: Oct. 1–17, 2026 Philipp Stölzl directs a new production of {…}