The Orchestra of St. Luke’s is set to kick off its 2020 winter-spring season with a performance at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 6, 2020. The concert, entitled “Handel & Vivaldi: Rare Works for Double Orchestra” will be led by conductor Bernard Labadie and will feature contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux and violinist Daniel Hope as the major soloiss. Lemieux will perform “Salve {…}
Les Chorégies d’Orange has announced its 2020 festival featuring two operas and a number of concerts. Here are the vocal highlights of the season. The season opens with Saint-Saens’ “Samson et Dalila” conducted by Yves Abel. The production will be directed by Jean-Louis Grinda and will star Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Roberto Alagna in the title roles. Ludovic Tézier rounds out {…}
This week, two requiems are set for release in addition to two solo albums from prominent artists. Here is a look at what we recommend. Berlioz’s Requiem Erato is releasing a performance of Hector Berlioz’s Requiem – The Grande Messe des Morts. The recording comes from a performance that took place on March 8, 2019, the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death. The {…}
The Opéra de Lyon has announced its 2019-20 season featuring some of the greatest stars in the world and a number of new productions of some of the great masterworks in the world. Nicola Alaimo takes on Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” with Daniele Rustioni conducting a production by Tobia Kratzer. The cast also includes Enkeledja Shkoza, Jennifer Courcier, John Osborn, Jean Teitgen, and Jane Archibald. Performance {…}
Marie-Nicole Lemieux has canceled her participation in the upcoming tour of Handel’s “Agrippina.” The contralto was forced to cancel the tour due to personal reasons. As a result, Xavier Sabata will replace Lemieux singing the role of Ottone. The contralto is the latest singer to cancel the tour. Previously Kathryn Lewek and Jakub Józef Orliński canceled their participation. Sabata is an {…}
The Théâtre Champs-Élysée has announced its 2019-20 season featuring five opera productions, numerous concert performances, operas in concerts, a Beethoven celebration and a number of recitals. For this season announcement we have narrowed it down to only vocal or operatic performances. Here is a look at the massive season. Deborah Cohen directs a new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with {…}
La Monnaie du Mont has announced its 2019-20 season showcasing two world premieres, Mozart’s Da Ponte trilogy and two Joan of Arc operas. The season will also see a celebration of Offenbach, as well as a number of recitals from some of the leading artists in opera. The seasons opens with Pascal Dusapin’s “Macbeth Underworld.” The new opera adapted from {…}
Quebec-native Marie-Nicole Lemieux, C.M., C.Q., is one of the highest-rated contraltos in the world, performing regularly at Covent Garden, Theater an der Wien, Barcelona’s Liceu, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, and singing alongside such luminaries as Anna Netrebko and Plácido Domingo. Name a world-class orchestra or maestro, and Lemieux has more than likely worked with them at some point in her {…}
The Opéra National de Paris has announced its 2019-20 seasons which will feature a total of 19 operas and the entire Ring Cycle in an all-new production. Bellini’s “I Puritani” opens the season in a production by Laurent Pelly. Elsa Dreisig takes the leading role with Javier Camarena and Francesco Demuro sharing the role of Arturo. Riccardo Frizza conducts the {…}
This review is for the performance on Feb. 22, 2019. The month of February might be the Met’s best in 2018-19. Just a few weeks ago, the company revived Donizetti’s “La Fille du Régiment” and it proved to be one of its great successes of the season. Propped up by star performances and a brilliant production, it has kept audiences {…}
Orchestra of St. Luke’s has announced its 2019-20 Carnegie Hall Season, which will include three concert performances with Principal Conductor Bernard Labadie. In its first concert of the season, Orchestra of St. Luke’s will present two works by Mendelssohn, “The Hebrides” Overture and Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, “Scottish.” Additionally, 24-year-old pianist Beatrice Rana will be featured during {…}