(Photo credit: Javier del Real) And I’m back to report on the second cast for the Teatro Real de Madrid’s “Adriana Lecouvreur.” You can check my thoughts on Cast A here. The Italian soprano Maria Agresta performed the titular role, Adriana. Her voice has developed into a pure lyric soprano, as a result of incorporating heavy roles in later years. {…}
Houston Grand Opera is set to release a recording of “Werther” starring Matthew Polenzani and Isabel Leonard. The album will hit digital storefronts starting on Nov. 15, 2024. The Act one Prélude is currently available for streaming on Apple Music Classical, Spotify, and Amazon Music. The opera is conducted by Robert Spano and also stars Jasmine Habersham and Sean Michael {…}
(Credit: Courtesy of Carnegie Hall) Carnegie Hall has announced a “Concert for the Children and Youth of Ukraine: A Benefit for Direct Relief.” The concert, which will be held on Oct. 23 at the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, will showcase the Orchestra for Ukraine conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. The evening will include soloists violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, soprano Olga Kulchynska, {…}
(Credit: Fay Fox) The Park Avenue Armory is set to present a recital featuring tenor Matthew Polenzani and pianist Ken Noda. The showcase, scheduled for May 20 and 22, 2024, will feature lieder and songs by Schubert, Finzi, Schumann, and Ives. The program opens with five lieder by Schubert before transitioning into Finzi’s “A Young Man’s Exhortation.” Schumann’s “Liederkreis” ensues {…}
Illinois’ Ravinia Festival has announced its 2024 edition. Here is a rundown of the vocal works on offer. First up is a concert featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchester under Marin Alsop. Soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha performs Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915.” Also on the program are works by Copland, Gershwin, and James P. Johnson. Performance Date: July 12, 2024 The Chicago {…}
The National Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances on offer. Eugene Rogers conducts Morris Robinson in a program that includes music by Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland, and Carlos Simon. Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2024 Gianandrea Noseda and Rachel Willis-Sørensen join forces for music by Carlos Simon, Strauss, and Beethoven. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
Canadian Opera Company is set to present the company premiere of Cherubini’s “Medea.” The opera will be presented in Sir David McVicar’s acclaimed production which was presented at the Metropolitan Opera. The opera will star Sondra Radvanovsky, Matthew Polenzani, and Janai Brugger, who all made their role debuts at the Met in 2022. Of those performances, OperaWire said “Sondra Radvanovsky {…}
San Francisco Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. The season opens with the “Opera Ball.” Performance Dates: Sept. 6, 2024 The first opera production is “Un Ballo in Maschera” starring Michael Fabiano, Lianna Haroutounian, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Judit Kutasi, and Meigui Zhang. Eun Sun Kim conducts a production directed by Leo Muscato. Performance Dates: Sept. 6-27, 2024 There will also be an “Opera {…}
(Credit: Fay Fox) Matthew Polenzani has canceled his performance at the Richard Tucker Gala. The singer took to social media and said, “Hello dear friends, I’m sorry to say I am sick…Sadly it means I have to cancel the Tucker Gala tomorrow. I hope to be well enough to sing next week.” Polenzani also canceled the Oct. 28 performance of {…}
Photo: ©Met Opera press Metropolitan Opera is presenting Puccini’s “La Bohème” with set designs by the masterful Franco Zeffirelli for its 2023-24 season run with a total of 18 performances which began on October 10th, continuing through January 3, 2024. The season opener marked the 1,347th performance at the opera house, and in order to not get lost in the {…}
Credit: Richard Termine As a mopey high schooler, requiems were my thing: Mozart’s, Fauré’s, Verdi’s — it was these that introduced me to choral music on a grand scale, and if not for them, in all likelihood, I wouldn’t have been sitting in the Met auditorium watching Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin lead soloists and the Met Orchestra and Chorus {…}