This weekend, the opera season continues in full swing with various new productions continuing runs and some operas hitting the stage for the first time. There are also a number of singers continuing concert and recital tours. Find out what we think you should see this weekend. La Traviata – Opéra de Paris, France Marina Rebeka returns to her signature role {…}
There have been a good number of performances of “The Pearl Fishers,” or “Les Pêcheurs de Perles,” around the country in recent years. Peggy Woolcock’s English National Opera production was seen at the Metropolitan Opera and LA Opera while the late Lee Blakely’s version was in Santa Fe’s 2012 season. The production viewed in probably the most locales is one {…}
It’s a busy weekend in North America with close to 70 performances taking place all over the continent. With so much activity from such major companies, pinning down just a handful to recommend to the operagoer was a rather challenging task. But here is a look at five performances to see this weekend around the States and Canada. As One {…}
This is a review for the Oct. 20 performance. I would like to begin this review at the end, since the final impressions, sensations and overall reaction of the audience is the barometer which measures the overall impact of the performance. In the case of this “Norma,” the final curtain was greeted with a massive explosion of applause in the {…}
A week after superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann released his latest album, the other major stars of the opera world will unveil their latest recordings. It’s a big week with too many incredible choices. Here we go. Mozart Juan Diego Flórez’s first album fully dedicated to Mozart is conducted by Riccardo Minasi and features music from “Idomeneo,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Don Giovanni,” {…}
BR Klassik will present Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” starring Marina Rebeka. The concert performance on Sept. 24 will be live streamed and will feature Rebeka in her role debut. The cast will include mezzo soprano Judit Kutasi, tenor Ivan Magrì, baritone George Petean, bass Ante Jerkunica and bass-baritone Marko Mimica. Ivan Repušić will conduct the Münchner Rundfunkorchester. Rebeka is currently the artist in residence with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester and {…}
A Metropolitan Opera season will start with Bellini’s “Norma” for the third time in its history when Sondra Radvanovsky, who conquered the role at the Met a few years back, takes it on on Sept. 25, 2017. Radvanovsky will join a long line of famous sopranos that have taken on the opera with the company, beginning with Lilli Lehman, who {…}
Marina Rebeka has announced her upcoming Rossini album. The new CD “Amor Fatale” features arias from “Otello,” “Maometto II,” “Semiramide,” “Guillaume Tell” and “La Donna del Lago.” Marco Armiliato conducts the Munchner Rundfunkorchester in this new album which will be released by BR Klassik. The album is set for release on Sept. 29 in Europe with no U.S. release set. {…}
Marina Rebeka has announced the release of her “La Traviata” from Hannover. The soprano tweeted about the recording stating, “A video recording of ‘La Traviata,’ from last year’s performance in Maschpark in Hannover, is now available.” The DVD is being released by Naxos and also stars Francesco Demuro and Thomas Hampson. The semi-staged concert performance is conducted by Kerri-Lynn Wilson. {…}
Earlier today it was announced that Sonya Yoncheva would no longer be singing in “La Clemenza di Tito” at Baden Baden and that she would be replaced by Marina Rebeka. But now the Bulgarian soprano has also canceled a run of “La Traviata” in Munich. Yoncheva will be replaced by Diana Damrau, who has turned into one of the iconic Violetta {…}
Marina Rebeka will replace Sonya Yoncheva in two Baden Baden performances of “La Clemenza di Tito.” It has been a whirlwind season of cancellations, with Yoncheva recently called on to make her role debut in “Tosca” at the Metropolitan Opera after the cancellation of Kristine Opolais. Rebeka will take on the role on July 6 and 9, her first performances {…}