(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) On Nov. 12, the Metropolitan Opera will revive Puccini’s “Tosca” with an all-star cast that includes one of today’s most in-demand divas and one of the best Verdi baritones in the industry. But for most Met audiences it will be the debut of one of today’s leading tenor’s that will be the reason to {…}
(Photo: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024–25 Live in HD season will continue with Puccini’s “Tosca” on Nov. 23. The HD will star Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen in the title role, tenor Freddie De Tommaso in his company debut as Cavaradossi, and baritone Quinn Kelsey as Scarpia. Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi returns as the Sacristan and Yannick Nézet-Séguinconducts David {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced a cast change for its Nov. 8 performance of “Rigoletto.” The company said that for the performance, the role of Gilda will be sung by Erin Morley, replacing Nadine Sierra. Morley performed the role of Gilda during the 2021-22 season and scored rave reviews with critics calling her performance “Incandescently voiced.” Morley is coming off {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) You’ve heard the cliché that Caruso famously said about doing a production of “Il Trovatore…” You know it. I won’t repeat it. The spirit of the idea stands, but the reality is that it takes far more than just sticking four superstars on stage and letting magic happen. It doesn’t always work that way. {…}
(Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) In recent years, it has become that contemporary opera has an identity issue. In a world where musical theater and cinema / television dominate the entertainment landscape (not to mention video games), contemporary opera has seemingly done its utmost to match these works in breadth and scope. The problem is, opera has always had {…}
(Credit: Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera has announced the second cohort of Ukrainian interns. General Manager Peter Gelb announced that Tetiana Hnatiuk, Lada Shylenko, Andrii Koshman, and Daria Maksymova will intern at the company. The four young professionals from Ukraine have been assigned to our media, marketing, and development departments and over the next five months will gain first-hand experience {…}
(Photo credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) This season’s premiere of Met Opera’s “Tosca” features Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, in the titular role, marking her 100th Met performance. Her Met debut was in 2004 as Olympia in Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” and her performances leading up to this season have all been unforgettable, especially Kurzak as Tosca. Her voice alongside tenor {…}
(Credit: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present the company premiere of Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov and librettist David Henry Hwang’s “Ainadamar.” The opera will premiere on Oct. 15 and will be directed and choreographed by Brazilian Deborah Colker. When OperaWire saw the production at the Detroit Opera, John Vandevert said, “The evening was realized {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is hinting at new projects to support Ukraine following a visit from the Minister of Culture and Ukraine’s Ambassador. The company took to social media and said, “Ukraine’s recently appointed Minister of Culture Mykola Tochytskiy and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya visited Met General Manager Peter Gelb in his office this week to discuss {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera) (This review was written in collaboration with Francisco Salazar) After a hyped but underwhelming opening night, the Met Opera’s second at-bat in the 2024-25 was the revival of a French classic that it hadn’t showcased since 2017. “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” is an incredible opera, rich in imagination, both in its musical and dramatic qualities. {…}
(Credit: MetropolItan Opera / Ken Howard) WARNING: This review features explicit language. It also uses some variation of the word “frustrating” a lot. To use a line from the cathartic and sublime climax in Jeanine Tesori and George Brant’s “Grounded” – “What the f*ck?” That quotidian expression perfectly encapsulates, in the context of the climax and at large, the frustration {…}