Mary Bevan, Nicky Spence, Carolyn Sampson, Louise Alder Headline Bliss International Song Series 2025

Bliss International Song Series has unveiled its 2025 season. First up is a showcase featuring soprano Louise Alder, tenor Mauro Peter, and pianist Joseph Middleton as they tackle Wolf’s “Italienisches Liederbuch.” Performance Date: Feb. 6, 2025 Sir Thomas Allen will provide a public masterclass, working with students of the Cambridge University Lieder Scheme. Performance Date: Feb. 11, 2025 Then comes Carolyn Sampson {…}

May 15, 2024

Nadine Benjamin, Weston Hurt, Mary Bevan & Heidi Stober Lead English National Opera’s 2024-25 Season

The English National Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. Puccini’s “La Bohème” opens the season with a cast that includes Nadine Benjamin, Joshua Blue, Charles Rice, Vuvu Mpofu, Patrick Alexander Keefe, and Dingle Yandell. Clelia Cafiero conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 19, 2024 Sinead Campbell-Wallace and Christine Rice star in Puccini’s “Suor Angelica.” Corinna Niemeyer conducts the production by Annilese Miskimmon. Performance Date: {…}

May 3, 2024

Jamie Barton, Mary Bevan, & Dame Sarah Connolly Star in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-25 Season

(Photo credit: Thalhammer & Pledger) The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has announced its lineup for the 2024-25 season. This article only features vocal works. Soprano Mary Bevan opens the season with a program of works by Schubert. Edward Gardner conducts. Performance Date: July 17, 2024 Soprano Lucy Crowe, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston, tenor Nicky Spence, and baritone Jonathan Lemalu serves {…}

Dec 14, 2023

Opernhaus Zürich 2023-24 Review: Platée

The Opernhaus Zürich presents a new production of a French Baroque masterpiece: “Platée,” a ballet-bouffon composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau in 1745. The premiere took place in Versailles as part of the festivities for the wedding of Louis XV with María Teresa Rafaela of Spain. The libretto, by Adrien-Joseph Le Valois d’Orville, draws inspiration from Greek mythology. It narrates the tale {…}

Aug 10, 2023

Iestyn Davies, Lucy Crowe, & Tim Mead Headline The English Concert’s 2023-24 Season

(Photo credits: Chris Sorensen, Victoria Cadisch, Andrew Staples) The English Concert has announced its 2023-24 season. This article features vocal works only. Countertenor Iestyn Davies returns to the BBC Proms to perform “Late Night Bach.” Davies will perform two of Bach’s solo cantatas, “Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust” and “Geist und Seele wird verdwirret” at the Royal Albert Hall. Performance Date: {…}

May 8, 2023

Jonas Kaufmann, Nina Stemme, Alice Coote & Christian Gerhaher Lead Berlin Philharmonic’s 2023-24 Season

The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2023-24 Season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Iván Fischer conducts Michael Nagy in works by Jörg Widmann and Gustav Mahler. Performance Date: August 26, 2023 Alexander Rudin, Alexander Melnikov, Nadezhda Pavlova, and Olga Pashchenko perform works by Sergei Rachmaninov. Performance Date: August 27, 2023 Robin Ticciati conducts Wu Wei Sheng, Karen {…}

Apr 23, 2023

Carolyn Sampson, Karen Cargill, Jennifer France, Roderick Williams, Mary Bevan Headline Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s 2023-24 Season

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra has announced its 2023-24 season. With the announcement, the company also revealed that it had extended the contract of Maxim Emelyaychev, it’s Principal Conductor, through 2028. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal performances. First up is Bach’s “Mass in B minor.” Richard Egarr conducts such soloists as Rowan Pierce, Mary {…}

Apr 12, 2023

Lise Davidsen, Benjamin Appl, Magdalena Kožená & Regula Mühlemann Lead Wigmore Hall’s 2023-24 Season

The Wigmore Hall has announced its 2023-24 season headlining some of the greatest recitalists and vocalist in the world. Opera Rara: present Donizetti and Friends with Lawrence Brownlee, Etienne Dupuis, and Carlo Rizzi. Performance Date: Sept. 9, 2023 Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas perform Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Performance Date: Sept. 9, 2023 Ensemble Modern and George Benjamin perform music by {…}

Mar 16, 2023

Q & A: Mary Bevan on Her Bayerische Staatsoper Debut in Cavalli’s ‘Calisto’

Photo: Victoria Cadisch On Mar. 19, 2023, soprano Mary Bevan will make her Bayerische Staatsoper debut, singing the role of Calisto in Cavalli’s “La Calisto.” The opera’s libretto, written by Giovanni Faustini, is based on Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” (book two) and retells the myth of Calisto and Jupiter. Bevan’s repertoire is loaded with baroque, from Monteverdi to Gluck, with lots of Handel {…}

Mar 1, 2023

Mary Bevan & Nicky Spence Headline Leeds Lieder’s ‘A Marvellous Party’

Leeds Lieder is set to present “A Marvellous Party” starring soprano Mary Bevan, tenor Nicky Spence, and pianist Joseph Middleton. The three will present an evening of songs by Noël Coward, Poulenc, Satie, Quilter, Gershwin, and Rachmaninov. The show is set in the fictional salon of Coward while a colorful party is being held. Closing the concert are two of {…}

Feb 28, 2023

Mark Padmore, Sandrine Piau & Mary Bevan Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get to hear several recital albums with great song cycles and songs. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Schubert’s Schwanengesang & Beethoven Tenor Mark Padmore and Pianist Mitsuko Uchida appear on record for the first time in this live recording from London’s Wigmore Hall. They perform Schubert’s “Schwanengesang” and Beethoven’s only major song {…}