The Teatro alla Scala has advanced plans for the Teatro alla Scala’s 2025-26 season. The season will open with Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” directed by Vasily Barkhatov and Sara Jakubiak. Riccardo Chailly will conduct. In February 2026, the company will give the entire “Ring Cycle” with Simone Young and Alexander Soddy. In April, the company will revive “Turandot” in {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Maurizio Benini conducts Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in a new production by Barbara Wysocka. Bekhzod Davronov, Igor Golovatenko, Ludovic Tézier, Serena Sáenz, Nadine Sierra, Riccardo Fassi, and Elmina Hasan star. Performance Dates: March 7-24, 2026 & July 28 & 31, 2026 Lotte de Beer directs a new production of Gounod’s “Faust” with Jonathan {…}
The Festival Puccini has announced its 2025 season featuring five of the composer’s most famous works. “Tosca” will open the festival with a star-studded cast. Aleksandra Kurzak, Carmen Giannattasio, Eleonora Buratto, and Valentina Boi will alternate the title role alongside Roberto Alagna, Michael Fabiano, Francesco Meli, Luca Salsi, Mikolaj Zalasinski, and Ivan Inverardi. Giorgio Croci conducts Alfonso Signorini’s production. Performance {…}
(Credit: Jennifer Taylor / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is reviving “Rigoletto” for the second time this season. Following a run in the fall, the Met has enlisted a new star cast featuring a promising young tenor and one of the best baritones in the world. The result was a solid evening of music and drama. Hyperactive turntable But before {…}
Luca Salsi and Michele Pertusi are set to appear on Dec. 20 at the Teatro Regio di Parma. The two acclaimed singers will perform alongside pianist Milo Martani in a recital entitled “Pianse ed amò per tutti.” The recital is a benefit for the children’s hospital of Parma “Pietro Barilla.” The two artists will perform music by Giuseppe Verdi from {…}
Luca Salsi has canceled his engagement at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. In a statement, Salsi said, “Dear Friends, alas, seasonal illnesses have forced me to cancel ‘Pagliacci’ rehearsals at Teatro Comunale di Bologna and therefore I don’t feel like facing such a challenging debut without having ever tried. I thank my friend Claudio Sgura and I wish him the {…}
Rai5 is set to present the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma’s opening night production of Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra.” Rai Cultura will produce the recording which will be shown at 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2024. The production will be directed by Richard Jones with sets and costumes by Antony McDonald. Michele Mariotti will conduct the production which will star Luca Salsi {…}
The Salzburg Whitsun Festival has announced its 2025 season. Opera “Hotel Metamorphosis,” a pastiche of Vivadi’s music, will be conducted by Gianluca Capuano and directed by Barrie Kosky. The production will star Cecilia Bartoli, Varduhi Abrahamyan, Lea Desandre, Philippe Jaroussky, and Angela Winkler. Performance Dates: June 6-8, 2025 Nadine Sierra, Piotr Beczala, and Luca Salsi star in Verdi’s “La Traviata” {…}
(Credit: Teatro Real, Royal Opera House/Bill Cooper/Salzburg Festival) With the year coming to an end, four major Italian opera houses are set to open their 2024-25 seasons. As customary the Italian opera calendar opens in late November or early December. So here is a look at what to expect from these four famed theaters. Teatro La Fenice The Venice Theater {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in Bartlett Sher’s production. The opera will showcase two different casts. In the fall season, Quinn Kelsey reprises his devastating portrayal of the title court jester. operaWire noted, “Note for note, moment for moment, this without any doubt in my mind is the most compelling Rigoletto that I’ve heard at the {…}
(Credit: Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced its 2025 season. Stefano Ranzani conducts a production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” by Davide Livermore. Celso Albelo, Daniel Luis de Vicente, Leon Kim, Olga Peretyatko, Alessio Cacciamani, and Eleonora Filipponi star. Performance Dates: Feb. 16-23, 2025 Michele Spotti conducts Bellini’s “Norma” in a production by Moshe Leisier and Patrice Caurier. Jessica Pratt, {…}