Lyric Opera of Chicago Joins Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Ryan Opera Ensemble for Concert Series Starring Lawrence Brownlee, Nicole Cabell, Christine Goerke & More

The Harris Theater for Music and Dance in association with Lyric Unlimited has announced its fourth annual “Beyond the Aria” showcase for 2017-18. Per the company’s website, “this highly-acclaimed series features intimate performances by celebrated singers from Lyric Opera of Chicago paired with rising stars from the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.” This year the showcase will {…}

Weekend Preview (5/19-21) – North America: This Is Your Last Chance for Adrianne Pieczonka’s ‘Tosca,’ Nicole Cabell’s ‘Bohème’ & Numerous Other Productions

The Metropolitan Opera season may be over, but a lot of other opera companies remain open for business. Sadly this weekend represents a great number of goodbyes for the time being. If you want opera, here are the companies to look up during the weekend. The Canadian Opera Company is finishing up its run of Puccini’s “Tosca” on Friday and {…}

Weekend Preview – USA (4/28-30): Opera Season In Full Swing Across North America With Joyce DiDonato, Sondra Radvonovsky & Adrianne Pieczonka Headline Major Shows

Opera season is in full swing in the United States and Canada with a ton of offerings across the continent. Here is a look at the big highlights. East Coast The Metropolitan Opera will showcase “Der Rosenkavalier” on Friday before giving “Der Fliegende Holländer” Saturday afternoon and “Don Giovanni” on Saturday evening. OperaWire will attend the Friday performance with a {…}

Weekend Preview (4/7-9) – USA: Anna Netrebko, Lawrence Brownlee & Eric Owens Lead Busy Weekend Which Features Performances in Memphis, Nashville, Tampa & Palm Beach Among Others

It is going to be a busy opera weekend around the US with a plethora of companies, both large and small, giving new productions and old. Opera Memphis will showcase three works throughout the weekend including Peter Hilliard’s “Blue Viola” on Friday and Saturday, Jake Heggie’s “Three Decembers” on Saturday,” and John Musto’s “Later the Same Evening” on Saturday. Palm {…}

How President Donald Trump’s Federal Budget Cuts to NEA Would Hurt Opera Companies

On March 16, 2017, President Donald Trump formally released his outline for the 2018 Federal Budget, officially making clear his intent to defund numerous agencies and projects while investing billions into the already well-funded military complex. Among the agencies getting the boot was the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which provides tremendous support for numerous arts organizations. As noted {…}

Weekend Preview USA (3/24-26): Diana Damrau, Plácido Domingo & Vittorio Grigolo Open “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at LA Opera

Diana Damrau, Vittorio Grigolo, and Plácido Domingo will take the opera world by storm this weekend when they join forces for Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” at the Los Angeles Opera. The first performance of the six-show run takes place this Saturday evening. Damrau was originally scheduled to sing all four heroines but has since rescinded this commitment, opting for only {…}