(Credit: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present a new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The new production will open on Dec. 31, 2024, and will be directed by Michael Mayer, who has already been in charge of the Met’s productions of “Grounded,” “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata,” and “Marnie.” This will be the first new production of {…}
(Photo credit: Suzanne Vinnik) Palm Beach Opera has announced its 2025 season. The season opens with Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette,” under the baton of Palm Beach Opera’s Ari Rifkin Music Director, David Stern. The title roles will be shared across performances. Friday/Sunday Long Long performs Romé alongside Amina Edris as Juliette. Eric Taylor and Lydia Grindatto will each make their {…}
Knoxville Opera is set to present “Opera’s Greatest Hits: A Tribute to Robert Lyall”on Sept. 22, 2024. The event will be conducted by Francis Graffo and will feature such vocalists as Michael Chioldi, Hannah Ludwig, Murrella Parton, John Pickle, Scott Purcell, Renée Tatum, David Weigel, Cody Boling, Jacqueline Brecheen, Joel Brown, Lauren Boozer, Staley Clark, Tori Franklin, and John Overholt {…}
The New York City Opera is set to present a concert production of Puccini’s “Tosca.” The performance will be held at the Bryant Park Picnic presented by Bank of America on August 24, 2024, at Bryant Park, NYC. Audiences will be able to see it on a first-come, first-served basis and is designed to be enjoyed casually. The opera will {…}
Art Park is set to present “Puccini’s Greatest: A Gala Opera Concert” on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at the Artpark Mainstage Theater. The concert was crafted by Michael Capasso, General Director of the New York City Opera, and will celebrate the timeless works of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The concert will feature excerpts from “Le Villi,” “Edgar,” “Manon Lescaut,” “La {…}
The Irish National Opera has announced its 2024-25 season. The company will open with a double bill featuring “Mary Motorhead” and “Trade.” Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Oisin O’Dalaigh, and John Molloy star in the production. Elaine Kelly conducts and Tom Creed directs. Performance Date: August 8–Oct. 23, 2024 Paula Murrihy and David Portillo lead Berlioz’s “Béatrice and Bénédict,” alongside Anna Devin, {…}
Pittsburgh Opera is set to perform Verdi’s “La Traviata” for the first time in seven years. The opera is set to be performed by Vuvu Mpofu in her Pittsburgh debut, Duke Kim, also making his Pittsburgh Opera debut and Michael Chioldi. The cast also includes Julia Swan Laird, Fran Daniel Laucerica, Brandon Bell, Evan Lazdowski, Oren Gradus, and Leah Heater. Antony Walker will {…}
(Credit: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera) On Nov. 16, the Metropolitan Opera will make history by presenting only the third Spanish-language opera in the company’s trajectory. Additionally, the work in question, “Florencia en el Amazonas,” will be the very first Latin American opera presented by the company. For the massive milestone, the company brought together a mixed cast that includes {…}
(Photo credit: Seattle Opera © Philip Newton) Why build an elaborate faux-underwater set for the Rhine scenes in Wagner’s “Ring” when you have an orchestra pit that can make a perfectly plausible stage river? It’s an idea so obvious, you think surely, it must have been tried already. This is the solution found by Brian Staufenbiel, tasked with staging “Das {…}
Michael Chioldi is asking audience members for Chautauqua Opera testimonials following the announcement that the opera company announced its was struggling financially. In a statement via social media, the baritone said, “Good morning everyone in FB Land. I am writing this morning with an urgent request as another one of our beloved institutions is in grave danger of being severely {…}
The Palm Beach Opera is set to present Verdi’s final opera “Falstaff” for the first time in company history. The performances will be performed between March 24 and 26 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and will star Michael Chioldi in the title role. He will be joined by Amber Wagner who will return as Alice Ford, mezzo-soprano {…}