Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva & Lise Davidsen Lead Osterfestspiele Salzburg’s 2024 Season

The Osterfestspiele Salzburg has announced its 2024 season. The season will feature the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Sir. Antonio Pappano. Sir. Antonio Pappano will conduct the rarely performed Ponchielli’s “La Gioconda“ for the first time at the Easter Festival. The new production by British director Oliver Mears will star Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, and Luca Salsi. In a {…}

Mar 10, 2023

Gran Teatre del Liceu 2022-23 Review: Macbeth (Cast A)

Photo: David Ruano/Gran Teatre del Liceu On the 25th of February 2023, Gran Teatro del Liceu streamed their new production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” with American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky singing Lady Macbeth, the leading female role. It was a huge success, garnering an explosive reaction from the audience at the curtain call, who showed great admiration towards the cast, orchestra, and {…}

Feb 28, 2023

Arena di Verona Announces New ‘Rigoletto’ Production

The Arena di Verona has announced that it will present a new production of “Rigoletto” for its 2023 season. The new production will be an homage to the Italian neorealist cinema of the 50s. It will be directed by Antonio Albanese, who has previously directed at the Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, {…}

Jan 27, 2023

Luca Salsi Retires Role of Amonasro in ‘Aida’

Luca Salsi has retired the role of Amonasro in “Aida.” The baritone took to social media on Jan. 24 and said, “today will be the last performance of ‘Aida’ at Wiener Staatsoper. Today I will play Amonasro for the last time. What a great Theater and what an unsurpassed cast to bid farewell to this role!” Salsi has performed the {…}

Jan 26, 2023

Fathom Events to Present Encore Screenings of Met Opera’s ‘La Traviata’

(Credit: Mart Sohl/ Metropolitan Opera ) Fathom Events is set to present encore screenings of Verdi’s “La Traviata” from the Metropolitan Opera on Feb. 15, 2023. The opera stars Nadine Sierra, Stephen Costello, and Luca Salsi with Daniele Callegari conducting Michael Mayer’s production. Renée Fleming hosts the performance. The encore screening will take place at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. {…}

Jan 13, 2023

ORF III to Broadcast ‘Aida’ with Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča & Jonas Kaufmann

ORF III is set to present Verdi’s “Aida” from the Wiener Staatsoper. The recording, which will continue the Staatsoper’s close cooperation with ORF III, will be presented on Jan. 29, 2023. The star-studded cast is led by Anna Netrebko in the title role, Elīna Garanča in her highly-anticipated role debut as Amneris, and Jonas Kaufmann as Radamès. The cast will {…}

Dec 17, 2022

Best of 2022: OperaWire’s Top 11 Singers of 2022

After a bumpy 2021, which still had numerous COVID cancelations, 2022 saw opera companies almost return to normalcy. There were setbacks like cyberattacks, a war that has destroyed a country, and companies losing funds from government agencies. But in all, it also showed how opera companies could unite through benefit concerts and through sheer artistry. And after releasing our favorite {…}

Nov 23, 2022

Latonia Moore & Michelle Bradley Headline ‘Aida’ at the Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera will reprise Verdi’s “Aida” in a staging by Sonja Frisell, which will mark the last time the production will be seen on the Met stage. The production, which premiered in 1988, has been performed over 240 times and features production designer Gianni Quaranta’s sets. The revival will be performed 15 times from Dec. 3, 2022 through April {…}

Oct 14, 2022

Metropolitan Opera to Revive Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’

Verdi’s La Traviata returns to the Metropolitan Opera with three casts. The opera, performed eight times from Oct. 25 to Nov. 19, 2022, will star Stephen Costello, Lucas Salsi, and Nadine Sierra. Maestro Daniele Callegari conducts the production by Michael Mayer. Then between Jan. 5 and 26, 2023, Ermonela Jaho will sing her acclaimed interpretation alongside Ismael Jordi and Amartuvshin {…}

Oct 6, 2022

Metropolitan Opera 2022-23 Review: Tosca

(Credit: KarenAlmond/Metropolitan Opera) A “shabby little shocker.” That’s how musicologist Joseph Kerman described Puccini’s “Tosca.” Shabby? No. A little shocker? No. It’s a big shocker. Perhaps we’ve become inured to how dark and violent “Tosca” is with scenes of rape, murder, torture, and suicide. There was no mistaking the grittiness of Puccini’s fast-paced thriller at the Metropolitan Opera. The October {…}

Sep 30, 2022

Metropolitan Opera Announces Cast Change for ‘Tosca’

The Metropolitan Opera has announced a cast change for Puccini’s “Tosca.” The company said that for the performances of Puccini’s “Tosca” on Oct. 4, 8, 11, and 15, the role of Scarpia will be sung by Luca Salsi. For the performances on Oct. 19, 24, 27, 31, and November 4, the role will be sung by George Gagnidze. Both baritones {…}