Juan Diego Flórez, Diana Damrau & Marina Rebeka Lead Top 5 Performances To See Internationally (3/6-8)

(Credit: Teatro Cervantes/Bayerische Staatsoper) This weekend, three new productions open with superb casts. Meanwhile one of the biggest stars in opera makes a major debut while a production will continue in very intriguing circumstances. Norma – Staatsoper Hamburg, Germany Marina Rebeka headlines a new production of “Norma” by Yona Kim. Rebeka takes on her signature role alongside Marcelo Puente, Liang {…}

Dec 13, 2019

Piotr Beczala, Ermonela Jaho & Carmela Remigio Highlight Top 6 International Weekend (12/15-18)

(Credit: Moritz Schell Fotografie/Catherine Ashmore/Yasuko Kageyama / TOR) Three rarely performed works highlight the international weekend with three other repertory staples. There are also two new productions opening with one company premiere. Here is a look at what we recommend. Halka – Theater an der Wien, Austria Łukasz Borowicz conducts a new production of Moniuszko’s masterpiece. Mariusz Treliński directs the {…}

Nov 11, 2019

Lawrence Brownlee, María José Siri & Saimir Pirgu Highlight Teatro Colon’s 2020 Season

The Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires has announced its 2020 season, which will feature eight productions and a number of concerts and chamber works. Here is a look at the operas that will be presented. Main Stage The season opens with Verdi’s “Nabucco” starring Sebastián Catana and Leonardo López Linares in the title role, Rebeka Lokar and Mónica Ferracani sharing {…}

Sep 20, 2019

Juan Diego Flórez, Magdalena Kožená & Eveylyn Helitzius Lead Top 6 International Weekend – (9/20-22

(Credit: Baus-La Monnaie /Catherine Ashmore- Royal Opera House/Javier del Rey-Teatro Real) This weekend will feature two productions of the epic “Don Carlo” in two different versions, a world premiere, a soprano taking on four roles in one opera, a Janacek work, and a star couple in one of Massenet’s greatest works. Here is what we recommend for the weekend. Macbeth {…}

Jul 15, 2019

Carmela Remigio, Roberta Mantegna & Claudia Pavone Highlight Teatro Verdi Trieste’s 2019-20 Season

The Teatro Verdi Trieste has announced its 2019-20 season featuring a number of new productions. The season opens with Puccini’s “Turandot” starring Mlada Khudoley, Marcelo Puente, Desirée Rancatore, and Andrea Comelli. Nikša Bareza conducts the production by legendary soprano Katia Ricciarelli. Performance Dates: Nov. 29-Dec. 8, 2019 Fabrizio Maria Carminati conducts Katia Ricciarelli’s production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The opera will star Anna Litvinova, Gianluca Terranova, Anastasia Boldyreva, and Andrea Borghini. {…}

May 24, 2019

Opera National De Paris 2018-19 Review: Tosca

This review covers two performances of “Tosca” at Opera de Paris — on 16th and 19th of May 2019. Jonas Kaufmann canceled his first three performances of Tosca in Paris. The audience was shocked. “Kaufmann cancels again!” “We were waiting for it for the whole season!” “We bought tickets in October!” “We were traveling to Paris just to see him!” The {…}

May 21, 2019

Jonas Kaufmann Cancels Two Performances Of ‘Tosca’

Jonas Kaufmann has withdrawn from two more performances of “Tosca” at the Opéra de Paris. The Paris Opera revealed that due to medical reasons, the tenor will not sing the May 25 and 29 performances. The company stated, “Jonas Kaufmann has not yet been given the clearance from his medical team to resume his professional activities. Unfortunately, he must, therefore, {…}

May 9, 2019

Jonas Kaufmann Cancels Performances Of ‘Tosca’ In Paris

Jonas Kaufmann has canceled performances of Puccini’s ‘”Tosca.” The Opera de Paris announced that Kaufmann had to “withdraw from the first three performances of ‘Tosca’ due to a violent coughing attack which makes it necessary for him to temporarily refrain from singing. The irritation was found very quickly and therefore the convalescence is expected to be very rapid. He looks {…}

Feb 16, 2019

Plácido Domingo, Marina Rebeka & Rolando Villazón Highlight Hamburg State Opera’s 2019-20 Season

The Hamburg State Opera has announced its 2019-20 season featuring six new productions and a number of revivals. There is also a mix of contemporary repertoire with classic and repertory staples. Here is a look at what to expect. New Productions Elbenita Kajtazi, Renate Spingler, Hellen Kwon, Peter Galliard, Stefan Sevenich, Iwan Iwanowitsch, and Julian Arsenault star in a new production of Shostakovich’s “The {…}

Feb 12, 2019

Marcelo Puente & Erin Wall Headline WNO’s ‘Faust’

The Washington National Opera is set to present Gounod’s “Faust”this March. The work will star tenor Marcelo Puente in the title role. Puente makes his WNO debut alongside Erin Wall, who brings her acclaimed Marguerite to the company. American bass Raymond Aceto, who local audiences first saw in 2016’s Ring Cycle, takes on the role of Méphistophélès and Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins {…}

May 19, 2018

Semperoper Dresden 2017-18 Review – La Forza del Destino: Mark Wigglesworth’s Music Making Overcomes Uneven Leads in Unique Production

Dresden’s Semperoper’s production of “La Forza del Destino” showed how Verdi once again cut a big swathe in subject matter: the idea of fate, “schicksal,” “destino”, destiny, and its power over human emotions and actions. Prize-winning British conductor Mark Wigglesworth led the orchestra through the highs and lows of the tension in such a dialectic, never sacrificing the glories of {…}

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