The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is set to present a production of Verdi’s “Ernani.” The new production is part of the Maggio Autumn Festival and will be directed by Leo Muscato. James Conlon conducts the production which is set to star Francesco Meli in one of his signature roles, Maria Jose Siri in her role debut as Elvira, Roberto Frontali, and Vitalij {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced a cast change for its Oct. 22 performance of “Alcina.” The company said that Cecilia Bartoli’s laryngitis continues and will not be able to perform the third performance. As a result, Marie Lys will sing the title role following her performance on Oct. 20. Lys will once again join a cast that includes Carlo {…}
Photo: Michele Monasta Born in Florence in 1632, Gianbattista Lulli left his native city at the age of 14 in the service of Roger de Lorraine for a life in France. He went on to become a master composer of French baroque music, and along with his librettist Philippe Quinault went on to establish a distinctly French form of opera, {…}
The Maggio Musicale has announced cast changes for its production of “Ariadne auf Naxos.” The company noted that for the second and third performances on June 10 and 13, Daniele Macciantelli will replace Jacoub Eisa in the role of Truffaldin. Meanwhile, the role of Zerbinetta will be sung by Gloria Rehm on June 10 replacing Jessica Pratt, who was forced {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has announced a cast chance for its production of “I Due Foscari.” Soprano María José Siri is set to take on the role of Lucrezia Contarini in the work, replacing soprano Ailyn Pérez, who was originally scheduled. Siri previously took on the opera 11 years ago; Pérez was supposed to make her role debut. Siri will {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has canceled its April 28 concert with Vladimir Spivakov. The company noted that the concert was set to feature the conductor and the Russian National Symphony at the Sala Zubin Mehta. Audiences will either get a credit or a refund for the canceled performance. The news comes as many companies are cutting ties with Putin-tied artists. {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has postponed a performance of Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette.” The company announced that the performance on April 30 has been postponed to May 10, 2022. Ticket holders will be allowed to use their original tickets for the new date or change them for another date. If ticket holders are unable to attend any other date, they {…}
Conductor Zubin Mehta and his wife Nancy Mehta have donated $1 million in Tesla shares to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. The announcement was made on Jan. 22 during an event in which the company revealed that its theater would bear Mehta’s name. “My wife was so moved when she heard about the title – Master Mehta intervened – that she {…}
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has postponed its Jan. 4 concert. The company announced that the concert was postponed due to the increase in precautionary quarantines and the number of infections. The company also noted that the use of FFP2 masks by the Chorus makes it difficult to sing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 As a result, the theater will reschedule the {…}
(Credit: Teatro Stabile del Veneto official website) The Teatro Comunale Giuseppe Verdi di Padova has announced upcoming performances for the New Year. First up, the opera house will present Ivan Stefanutti’s production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” on Dec. 31, 2021. The work stars Venera Gimadieva as Violetta Valéry, Arturo Chacòn-Cruz as Alfredo Germont, and Simone Piazzola as Giorgio Germont. The {…}
(Credit: Gemma Escribano) Soprano Marina Monzó will perform the role of Die Königin der Nacht in the upcoming production of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” at the Bayerische Staatsoper, replacing the originally scheduled Sabine Devieilhe. Monzó joins a cast that includes Pavol Breslik as Tamino, Olga Kulchynska as Pamina, and Günther Groissböck as Sarastro. The cast also includes Eliza Boom, Daria Proszek, {…}