Finalists for 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Announced

(Image Source: Metopera.org) The Metropolitan Opera has officially announced the names of nine singers that have advanced to the final round of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The singers that have made the final round include mezzo-sopranos Gabrielle Beteag and Lindsay Kate Brown; sopranos Chasiti Lashay, Jana McIntyre, Alexandria Shiner, and Denis Vélez; baritones Blake Denson and Xiaomeng {…}

Metropolitan Opera Announces Semifinalists for National Council Auditions

The 2020 semifinalists for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions have been announced. The semifinalists this year are made up of 10 sopranos, four mezzo-sopranos, one countertenor, three tenors, two baritones, two bass-baritones, and one bass. The 10 soprano semifinalists are Erika Baikoff (Upper Midwest Region: New York, New York), Claire de Monteil (Middle Atlantic Region: Paris, France), Cara Gabrielson {…}

Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva & Plácido Domingo Highlight Arena di Verona’s 2020 Festival

(Credit: Benno Kraehahn) The Arena di Verona has announced the 2020 casting featuring an all-star lineup. The opening of the season will showcase a new production by Gabriele Muccino of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” Mascagni’s work will showcase Ekaterina Semenchuk, Alexia Voulgaridou, Maria José Siri, and Sonia Ganassi alternating as Santuzza and Murat Karahan, Carlo Ventre, Yusif Eyvazov, and Marcelo {…}

Opéra de Paris Cancels Fifth Performance Of ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ Starring Xabier Anduaga & Lisette Oropesa

(Credit: Elena Cherkashyna) The Opéra National de Paris has canceled the fifth scheduled performance of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” at the Opéra Bastille, per an official statement on the company’s website. The cancellation comes as a result of a strike notice against the French government’s pension reform. The strike has caused the opera house to cancel a number of {…}

Opéra de Paris Cancels ‘Barbiere di Siviglia’ & ‘L’Enfant et les Sortilèges’ Monday

(Credit: Opéra de Paris) The Opéra National de Paris has canceled performances of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” and the ballet-opera “L’Après-midi d’un faune”/”L’Enfant et les sortilèges” scheduled for January 20 at the Opéra Bastille and Palais Garnier respectively, according to the official statement on the company’s website. The cancelations came as a result of the strike notice against the French {…}