Laurène Paternò, Sabine Devieilhe, Julien Henric, & Mathias Vidal Star in the 2025 Festival Pulsations

Festival Pulsations releases its 2025 programming. Opening the festival is “Les Indes Galantes – De la voix des âmes,” an fusion of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s baroque opera and of hip-hop and krump. Laurène Paternò, Mathias Vidal, Ana Quitans, and Andreas Wolf, along with Rualité Structure, the Namur Chamber Choir, and Cappella Mediterranea perform under the baton of Leonardo García-Alarcón. Bintou Dembélé {…}

Jan 30, 2025

Opéra National de Paris 2025 Review: Castor et Pollux

(Photo: Vincent Pontent) Few operas have a more melancholic plot than this one: two brothers, twins with different fathers– one must die so the other can live. The twist? The brother destined to die happens to be immortal. In the end, they are forever united in the sky. Rameau’s “Castor et Pollux” is one of history’s great musical triumphs, and {…}

Dec 29, 2024

Opéra-Comique Paris 2024-25 Review: Les Fêtes d’Hébé

(Photo: Vincent Pontet) If I were to rank the weakest opera libretti of all time, Jean-Philippe Rameau and Antoine-César Gautier de Montdorge’s “Les Fêtes d’Hébé ou Les Talents Lyriques” would certainly be in the top tier. Nevertheless, the opera-ballet possesses an allegorical charm that transcends the quality of its text—and it is a charm that is not solely musical. After {…}

Jun 30, 2024

Opéra Royal de Versailles 2023-24 Review: L’Orfeo

(Photo: Stefan Brion) The Renaissance in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries largely excluded music. As a movement inspired by classical examples, it had no ancient musical forms to revive since no classical music had survived in any form. Claudio Monteverdi is often regarded as the father of the musical Renaissance. Over fifty years, he structured the madrigal form, {…}

Jun 29, 2023

Opéra Comique 2023 Review: Zémire et Azor

(Photo Credit: DR Stefan Brion) The works of André de Grétry are seldom performed, nowadays. There is a reason why. Despite all their great merits and genre innovations, Grétry’s operas are always at risk of looking mundane, or even less than ordinary, if not played by inspiring artists. “Zémire et Azor” is no exception to such an axiom. On the {…}

Jun 15, 2023

Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie Announces 2023-24 Season

The Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. The season opens with “Concert de rentrée” conducted by Chloé Dufresne and starring Manon Lamaison, Felix Gygli, and Noëlle Gény. Performance Date: Sept. 23, 2023 Francesco Angelico conducts the Gala Lyrique with Franciska Éry directing. Yunuet Laguna, Oreste Cosimo, and Gëzim Myshketa are the soloists in {…}

May 30, 2023

Olga Peretyatko, Marina Rebeka & Reginald Mobley Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get to see a Rossini work, a debut album and a rarely performed work. Boulder Bach Festival Sono Luminus releases Boulder Bach Festival which includes works by J.S. Bach and his admired older contemporary Johann Christoph Bach that were recorded immediately following the festival week at the conclusion of the Boulder Bach Festival’s 41st year. The {…}

Apr 11, 2023

Matthias Goerne, Levy Sekgapane & Karine Deshayes Lead Opéra national du Capitole’s 2023-24 Season

The Opéra national du Capitole, Toulouse has announced its 2023-24 season featuring seven productions and recitals. Opera Victorien Vanoosten conducts Bizet’s “Les pêcheurs de perles” with Thomas Lebrun Mise directing. The cast includes Anne-Catherine Gillet, Mathias Vidal, Alexandre Duhamel, and Jean-Fernand Setti. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 8, 2023 Andris Poga conducts Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” in a production by Olivier Py. The {…}

Dec 31, 2021

William Christie & Kenneth Tarver Lead New CD/DVD Releases

The year is about to end but before it does, here are two new releases that you can’t miss. What’s more, they are rarely performed operas. Titon et l’Aurore Naxos releases Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville’s opera with Reinoud van Mechelen, Gwendoline Blondeel, Emmanuelle de Negri, Marc Mauillon, Julie Roset, and Renato Dolcini. Les Arts Florissants is led by William Christie {…}

Jun 21, 2021

Karine Deshayes, Sabine Devieilhe & Philippe Jaroussky Highlight Opéra de Rouen Normandie’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: © Aymeric Giraudel / Fabien Monthubert / © Simon Fowler) Opéra de Rouen Normandie, France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will only focus on the operatic and vocal performances. Here is the full slate. Opera and Musicals Verdi‘s “Il Trovatore” opens the season with Lionel Lhote as Count di Luna, Brigitta Kele {…}

Jun 20, 2021

Adriana Gonzalez, Irene Roberts & Anna Devin Headline Opéra de Dijon’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: © Marine Cessat-Begler / OnP / Deutsche Oper Berlin official website / IMG Artists official website) Opéra de Dijon in France has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look at the operatic and vocal performances. Opera Verdi‘s “Macbeth” stars Dario Russo, Carlo Allemano, Yoann Le Lan, Alexandra Zabala as Lady Macbeth, and Stephen Gaertner in the title role. {…}