Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Joyce DiDonato, Lisette Oropesa, Hildegard Behrens Headline Metropolitan Opera’s Nightly Streams to End January 2021

The Metropolitan Opera has announced the next two weeks of nightly streams which will include a number of operas focused on the greatest roles for sopranos as well as its greatest anti-heroes. Here’s a run-down of the two-week slate. Week 45– Leading Ladies: Opera’s Greatest Heroines Monday, January 18 – Bizet’s Carmen Starring Anita Hartig, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aleksandrs Antonenko, and Ildar {…}

Jan 13, 2021

Sondra Radvanovsky & Piotr Beczala Lead Met Stars Live Concert

Sondra Radvanovsky and Piotr Beczala headline the Metropolitan Opera’s “Met Stars Live in Concert” series on Jan. 23, 2021. The event, which will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET, will feature the superstars live from the Stadthalle in Wuppertal, Germany, The program will feature popular arias and duets from some of the many classic operas they’ve performed at the Met and {…}

Jan 12, 2021

Riccardo Muti Issues Statement Regarding Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Riccardo Muti has weighed in on the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra’s situation releasing a statement in support of the orchestra. Muti said, “The closure of the Metropolitan Opera House and the dramatic situation of its wonderful Orchestra embodies a profound grief, not only for the city of New York, but for the entire cultural world. Without music and the musicians who {…}

Jan 7, 2021

Happy Anniversary – James Morris Celebrates 50 Years at the Met

(Credit: Colbert Artists Management) “My what?” James Morris, studying at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, has received a phone call from his newly acquired agent at Sol Hurok management, an agent who had seen him perform elsewhere in the country and offered to represent him. Now, the agent has news: a date for Morris’ Met audition. The {…}

Jan 1, 2021

AFM Lambasts Metropolitan Opera for Hiring Non-Met Musicians for Virtual New Year’s Gala

(Credit: Jonathan Tichler/Metropolitan Opera) The American Federation of Musicians has released a statement following the Metropolitan Opera’s New Year’s Eve gala and its use of non-met musicians. In a statement AFM Local 802 President Adam Krauthamer said, “It is artistic malpractice and unacceptable that non-Met musicians are being hired to perform under the banner of the Metropolitan Opera at tonight’s New {…}

Dec 31, 2020

Orchestra Members Fire Back at Metropolitan Opera’s Decision to Hire Non-Met Musicians for Virtual Gala

(Credit: © Emmanuelle Ayrton) The Met Orchestra Musicians have issued a statement in response to the Metropolitan Opera’s decision to utilize European musicians for its upcoming gala showcase. In the statement, the musicians noted that they have been unpaid for 10 months and that the Met’s actions have been an “outlier” in the industry. “Every other major orchestra has been {…}

Dec 28, 2020

Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna, Javier Camarena, Pretty Yende, Benjamin Bernheim Headline Top 10 Operas to Stream This Week

It’s the last week of 2020. Which means there will be a lot of streaming options focused on end of the year celebrations and the holiday season. But our list also includes a number of unique opera productions and experiences. Without further ado, here is our final Top 10 operas to stream this week. Have a very Happy and Healthy {…}

Dec 22, 2020

Angel Blue, Pretty Yende, Javier Camarena & Matthew Polenzani Lead Metropolitan Opera’s New Year’s Eve Gala

Angel Blue, Javier Camarena, Matthew Polenzani, and Pretty Yende will celebrate the New Year with the Metropolitan Opera’s “Met Stars Live in Concert” series on Dec. 31, 2020. The performance, which will begin at 9:00 p.m. GMT, will feature the superstars live from Parktheater, a stunning example of neo-Baroque architecture situated in Augsburg, Germany. The program will include arias, duets, {…}

Dec 17, 2020

Opinion: How Opera Companies Can Use Streaming to Engage Teenage Audiences

In the past eight months, many opera houses have used streaming to reach audiences around the world. This is a format that is new to many companies; however, some of the most prominent opera houses, such as the Metropolitan Opera, have been using this format for years. And while the aim with this format is to maintain companies relevant in {…}

Dec 11, 2020

Criticism on Fridays: The End of the Year

(Photo: David Beale) Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most sensitive topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. The choice of topics discussed, how they are researched, and how they are portrayed is conducted independently of OperaWire’s editors. With the end of the {…}

Dec 10, 2020

AGMA Responds to Metropolitan Opera’s Lockout

AGMA has released a statement in response to the recent lockout by the Metropolitan Opera against Local One stagehands. The Union said, “As an affiliate of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local One stagehands do not stand alone in the lockout by the Metropolitan Opera. All of the affiliates – {…}