Massenet’s masterful “Werther” makes a return to the Met stage after a few years of absence. The opening performance is Thursday, Feb. 16, with subsequent showcases on Feb. 20, 23, 27 and March 4 and 9. The current production, which was directed by Richard Eyre, debuted back in 2014 with Jonas Kaufmann in his most recent role for the company. {…}
The Metropolitan Opera announces its 2017-18 season on Feb. 15 at 12 p.m. EST. The company announced on Instagram that the upcoming season would feature 5 new productions, 2 Met Opera premieres, 19 revivals, and one special series of performances. While the majority of the season has been kept under wraps, there are already many known facts. Last summer the Met {…}
Two major cancellations were announced on Monday at the Metropolitan Opera. First it was announced that Diana Damrau would not partake in the second performance of “I Puritani” on Tuesday, Feb. 14 and then it was revealed tenor Marcelo Alvarez would also withhold from performing the performance of “Carmen” on Feb. 15. Pretty Yende, coming off a thrilling running of {…}
This review is for the performance on Feb. 11, 2017. What happens when the Metropolitan Opera casts four superstars into Bellini’s final opera? The answer is golden age singing. For years “I Puritani” has been a vehicle at the Metropolitan Opera to promote the diva and sometimes has made casting uneven with little attention paid to who can sing the incredibly {…}
This weekend, US audiences will get a chance to see a few major stars appear on two of the world’s biggest stages. To kick things off is the opening of “I Puritani” at the Metropolitan Opera featuring Javier Camarena and Diana Damrau. The performance kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST. Keep an eye out for a review from OperaWire at {…}
This review is for the performance on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. When Sophie Koch cancelled all of her performances for Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Metropolitan Opera, attention immediately turned toward Clémentine Margaine, who was set to make her Met debut on Feb. 3. Instead the French mezzo saw her first performance at the history house pushed up two weeks. Of {…}
The Metropolitan Opera continues its 2016-17 season this week with a revival of Bellini’s final opera “I Puritani.” Diana Damrau will add the role of Elvira to her Met repertoire after having performed it to great success in Madrid and Amsterdam. She will be joined by her frequent stage partner Javier Camarena, who recently triumphed in his last run of Rossini’s “Il {…}
On Feb. 5, 1911, the world was given the great gift that was Jussi Björling. The Swedish tenor became an icon throughout his career, his perfect vocal control a defining feature of his extensive career. Björling is in many ways synonymous with the Metropolitan Opera, becoming one of the company’s principal artists throughout the 1940’s and 50’s singing a wide {…}
Roberto Aronicia will take over the role of Don Jose on Feb. 7 and 11 in Bizet’s “Carmen” at the Metropolitan Opera. The tenor will step in for Marcelo Alvarez who is ill. Aronica becomes the second tenor this season who is filling in for Alvarez. On opening night Rafael Davila made a heroic debut as he stepped in an {…}
It won’t be a busy opera weekend around the United States, but there are notable companies showcasing major productions throughout the country. The Arizona Opera’s run of “Madama Butterfly” gets its final three performances in Phoenix on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Florida Grand Opera will also continue its run of “Eugene Onegin” on Friday and Saturday, the latter performance {…}
What do Renata Tebaldi, Puccini’s “La Bohème” and his “Manon Lescaut” have in common? They were all “born” on the same day – Feb. 1. The great soprano came into the world on Feb. 1, 1922 in Pesaro, Italy, the land of Rossini, but ironically not one of the featured composers in her repertoire. She did sing two of his {…}
