Lisette Oropesa, Cecilia Bartoli, Ying Fang, Emily D’Angelo, Michael Spyres, Julie Roset Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back as we explore the latest CD and DVD releases from around the opera world. This audiences will get another “Maria Stuarda” recording and a new recording of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.” There are also a number oratorios and world premiere recordings. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Deutsche Grammophon and C Major Entertainment release Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” from {…}

Jul 24, 2026

Michael Spyres, Elsa Dreisig, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Klaus Florian Vogt & Piotr Beczała Lead Bayreuth Festival’s 2027 Season

The Bayreuth Festival has announced its 2027 season. The season opens with a new production of “Lohengrin” featuring Georg Zeppenfeld, Michael Spyres, Elsa Dreisig, Jordan Shanahan, and Judit Kutasi. Tarmo Peltokoski conducts the production by Ilaria Lanzino. Performance Dates: TBA Michael Volle, Mika Kares, Piotr Beczała, Christopher Sokolowski, and Michele Losier star in “Parsifal” with Christian Thielemann conducting a new {…}

Jun 23, 2026

Jonas Kaufmann, Joyce DiDonato, Anna Lucia Richter & Andrè Schuen Among Opus Klassik Winners

The Opus Klassik has announced its 2026 winners. Here are the vocal winners. The Female Singer of the Year went to Anna Lucia Richter for “Gustav Mahler – Songs of Fate” while the Male Singer of the Year went to Andrè Schuen for “Mozart.” The Conductor of the Year went to Andris Nelsons for “Felix Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Oratorios” while {…}

May 29, 2026

Brian Jagde, Thomas Hampson, Renée Fleming, Luca Salsi, Francisco Meli, Juan Diego Flórez, Adela Zaharia, Eleonora Buratto, Anastasia Bartoli & Diana Damrau Lead Teatro alla Scala’s 2026-27 Season

The Teatro alla Scala has announced its 2026-27 season. Opera Myung–Whun Chung conducts Verdi’s “Otello” for opening night in a production by Damiano Michieletto. The cast will include Brian Jagde, Luca Salsi, and Eleonora Buratto accompanied by Juan Francisco Gatell and Szilvia Vörös. A second cast will star Arsen Soghomonyan, Roberto Frontali and Roberta Mantegna. Performance Dates: Dec. 7, 2026-Jan. 5, 2027 Bizet’s {…}

May 4, 2026

Michael Spyres, Huw Montague Rendall, Freddie Ballentine, Elsa Dreisig, Lauranne Oliva, Stéphane Degout, & Julie Roset Lead Opéra national du Rhin’s 2026-27 Season

The Opéra national du Rhin has announced its 2026-27 season. Marko Letonja and Michael Spyres team up with Brigitta Listra and the Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg for an evening of music by Wagner, Massenet, Schreker, Bizet, Korngold, and Richard Strauss. Performance Date: Sept. 14 & 15, 2026 Samuel Hasselhorn and Ammiel Bushakevitz perform in recital. Performance Date: Oct. 13, 2026 {…}

Mar 10, 2026

Metropolitan Opera 2025-26 Review: Tristan und Isolde

(Credit: Karen Almond) In his book, “A New Philosophy of Opera,” director Yuval Sharon notes that “Tristan und Isolde,” alongside “Pelléas et Mélisande” are not only two of the most difficult operas to stage, but “seem like a losing proposition” for any director to take on. He reflects on how oftentimes, director’s attempt to “find physical form for what the {…}

Jan 29, 2026

Lise Davidsen & Michael Spyres Lead Metropolitan Opera’s New ‘Tristan und Isolde’

The Metropolitan Opera is set to premiere a new production of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” The new production will be directed by Yuval Sharon in his company-debut and will star Lise Davidsen in her long-anticipated company role debut as Isolde. She will be joined by tenor Michael Spyres stars as Tristan, mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Brangäne, bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as {…}

Dec 12, 2025

Michael Spyres, Benjamin Bernheim, Nina Stemme, Sonya Yoncheva, Ailyn Pérez & Ying Fang’s Festival Aix-En-Provence’s 2026 season

The Festival Aix-En-Provence has announced its 2026 season. Opera Leonardo García-Alarcón conducts Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” with Clément Cogitore directing. The production will star Ying Fang, Mauro Peter, Sabine Devieilhe, Sean Michael Plumb, Brindley Sherratt, and Edwin Crossley-Mercer. Performance Dates: July 2-21, 2026 Klaus Mäkelä conducts Strauss’ “Die Frau one Schatten” in Barrie Kosky’s production. The cast will include Michael Spyres, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Nina {…}

Dec 4, 2025

Asmik Grigorian, Kate Lindsey, Jonathan Tetelman, Benjamin Bernheim, Elīna Garanča, Lisette Oropesa & Juan Diego Flórez Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2026 Season

The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2026 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Franck Ollu conducts Pascal Dusapin and Rita de Letteriis’s “Passion” starring Sarah Aristidou, Georg Nigl, and Schola Heidelberg. Performance Date: July 23, 2026 Asmik Grigorian stars as Bizet’s “Carmen” alongside Jonathan Tetelman, Kristina Mkhitaryan, and Davide Luciano. Teodor Currentzis conducts the production by Gabriela {…}

Aug 26, 2025

Joyce DiDonato, Emily D’Angelo, Michael Spyres, Kelley O’Connor & Joel Puckett Lead CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, the Metropolitan Opera releases a modern opera while Joyce Didonato continues her exploration of the baroque repertoire. Grounded Deustche Grammophon releases Jeanine Tesori and George Brant’s new work in a recording from the Metropolitan Opera. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the opera with {…}

Jun 6, 2025

Corinne Winter, Federica Lombardi, Alex Esposito, Freddie De Tommaso, Gregory Kunde, Angel Blue & Serena Sáenz Lead Palau de Les Arts’ 2025-26 Season

The Palau de les Arts has announced its 2025-26 season. Lorenzo Viotti conducts Gounod’s “Faust” in a production by Johannes Erath. Iván Ayón-Rivas, Alex Esposito, Ruth Iniesta, Florian Sempey, and Ekaterine Buachidze. Performance Dates: Oct. 3-15, 2025 Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s “La descente d’Orphée aux enfers” will star Josipa Bilić, Camille Chopin, Sarah Fleiss, Tanaquil Ollivier, Sydney Frodsham, Richard Pittsinger, Bastien Rimondi, Attila {…}