Jonas Kaufmann, Patricia Petibon & Sonya Yoncheva Lead Théâtre des Champs-Elysées’ 2020-21 Season

(Credit:Javier del Real/© Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical/ Bernard Martinez) The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has announced its 2020-21 season featuring a vast array of programs and stars. Here are opera and vocal performance highlights of the season: Operas Handel’s Messiah is set to be directed by Robert Wilson with Marc Minkowski conducting. The cast includes Elena Tsallagova, Helena Rasker, Richard {…}

Mar 16, 2020

International Opera Awards 2020 Postponed

The International Opera Awards have been postponed. The event, which was set for May 4, 2020 at London’s Sadler’s Wells, will now take place on Sept. 21, 2020. While the event is canceled, voting is still open for those who wish to contribute their opinions on the Opera Magazine Readers’ Award, which includes such nominees as Ildar Abdrazakov, Cecilia Bartoli, {…}

Mar 3, 2020

Rolando Villazón, René Pape, Anja Harteros Highlight Semperoper Dresden’s 2020-21 Season

(Credit: Jiyang Chen / Marco Borggreve) The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2020-21 season featuring seven new operatic productions and a number of revivals. Here is a look at the operatic productions. Premieres The first new production of the season will be Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell,” written by de Jouy and Bis. The new production by Georg Schmiedleitner will star Christoph {…}

Feb 27, 2020

Sondra Radvanovsky, Ana María Martínez & Jennifer Higdon Highlight Opera Philadelphia’ 2020-21 Season

(Credit: Ryan Donnell) Opera Philadelphia has announced its 2020-21 season with the theme Fortune & Might. O20 Festival Jennifer Higdon and Jerre Dye’s “Woman with Eyes Closed” makes its world premiere opening the Opera Philadelphia’s festival. German director Christian Räth helms the production which is set to star Meredith Arwady, Kevin Ray, Fleur Barron, and Wei Wu Performance Dates: Sept. {…}

Feb 5, 2020

Deutsche Oper Am Rhein & Teatro Real Lead International Opera Awards Nominees

The International Opera Awards have announced the nominees for its 2020 Awards. The annual event, which celebrates achievement in opera around the globe over the 2019 calendar year, recognizes excellence in a wide range of categories that cover performance, design and direction, as well as education and outreach. This year, two opera companies topped the 2020 nominees with three a {…}

Jan 26, 2020

Houston Grand Opera Announces Cast Change For ‘La Favorite’

The Houston Grand Opera has announced a cast change for Donizetti’s “La Favorite.” The company revealed that Michael Spyres will sing the role of Fernand replacing Lawrence Brownlee. The performance will mark Spyres’ debut at the Houston Grand Opera. Spyres is set to also make his Metropolitan Opera debut in “La Damnation de Faust” this month alongside Elina Garanca and {…}

Jan 21, 2020

Metropolitan Opera 2019-20 Preview: Elīna Garanča To Headline Rare Performance of Berlioz’s ‘La Damnation de Faust’

(Credit: Julien Benhamou) Berlioz’s “La Damnation de Faust” returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time since 2009. While recognized as one of the great works by its composer, it has not been a fixture at the Met by any stretch of the imagination. While it had its company premiere all the way back in 1896, it has only {…}

Nov 15, 2019

Olga Peretyatko & María José Siri Lead Top 8 Operas To See This Weekend Internationally – (11/15-17)

(Credit: Theater an der Wien/Opera de Monte Carlo) This weekend is filled with rarities and curiosities. And those burning for repertory staples will also be obliged as some of the great opera stars of today are taking on iconic operas. Here is a look at what we reccommend. La Vestale – Theater an der Wien, Vienna Elza Van Den Heever {…}

Nov 13, 2019

Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli & Plácido Domingo To Headline Salzburg Festival’s 2020 Season

The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2020 season celebrating its 100th anniversary with a number of operatic productions from many repertory staples and numerous rarely performed gems. Here is a look at the operatic works to be performed. Opera Franz Welser-Möst is set to conduct a new production of R. Strauss’ “Elektra” with Krzysztof Warlikowski. Aušrine Stundyte sings the title {…}

Sep 25, 2019

Marie-Nicole Lemieux & Michael Spyres Featured in New Cd/DVD Releases – September 23

This week, two requiems are set for release in addition to two solo albums from prominent artists. Here is a look at what we recommend. Berlioz’s Requiem Erato is releasing a performance of Hector Berlioz’s Requiem – The Grande Messe des Morts. The recording comes from a performance that took place on March 8, 2019, the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death. The {…}

Aug 7, 2019

Michael Spyres & Pavel Cernoch Headline New CD/DVD Releases – August 5

This week, a slew of rarely performed works are set for release, including live recordings and some world premieres. La Nonne Sanglante Gounod’s rarely performed work gets a release from the Opera Comique. The new release, by Naxos, stars Vannina Santoni, Marion Lebègue, and Michael Spyres. Laurence Equilbey conducts the Insula Orchestra in David Bobee’s production from 2018. Jane Eyre Louis Karchin’s {…}