The BBC Proms has announced its 2019 festival featuring some of the great singers, performers and orchestras in the world. For this season announcement we will concentrate on the vocal performances. Omer Meir Wellber leads the BBC Proms Youth Choir and BBC Philharmonic in Haydn’s “The Creation.” He is joined by soloists Sarah-Jane Brandon, Benjamin Hulett, and Christoph Pohl. Performance Date: July 29, {…}
The Theater an der Wien has announced its 2019-20 season featuring numerous rarely performed works, concert operas and a number of new productions. Opera Productions David Afkham conducts Amélie Niermeyer’s new production of Dvorak’s “Rusalka.” Maria Bengtsson sings the title role alongside Ladislav Elgr, Günther Groissböck, Natascha Petrinsky, and Kate Aldrich. Performance Dates: Sept. 19 – 30, 2019 Stefan Gottfried conducts Sam Brown’s production of Mozart’s {…}
The Théâtre du Capitole has announced its 2019-20 season featuring nine operatic productions and a number of recitals. Here is a look at what to expect. Marina Rebeka and Klára Kolonits share the title role in Bellini’s “Norma” in a new production by Anne Delbée. The cast is rounded out by Karine Deshayes and Ilseyar Khayrullova who portraya Adalgisa, Martin Mühle and Airam Hernández {…}
La Monnaie du Mont has announced its 2019-20 season showcasing two world premieres, Mozart’s Da Ponte trilogy and two Joan of Arc operas. The season will also see a celebration of Offenbach, as well as a number of recitals from some of the leading artists in opera. The seasons opens with Pascal Dusapin’s “Macbeth Underworld.” The new opera adapted from {…}
One of the most exciting aspects of a new season is the fact that audiences will get an opportunity to encounter new and exciting artists for the very first time. This is also the case at the Metropolitan Opera, which will feature a plethora of debuts in numerous major productions. Here is a look at six stars that we are {…}
The Gramophone Awards have been announced and the top Opera recording for 2018 goes to Erato’s release of Berlioz’s “Les Troyens.” The recording is led by John Nelson, one of the great Berlioz conductors of the 20th and 21st century. His cast includes Michael Spyres, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, and Joyce DiDonato. Contralto Delphine Galou’s album “Agitata” took home the best recital {…}
Michael Spyres has canceled his participation in Chorégies d’Orange’s upcoming production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” The festival announced that due to health reason Spyres would not be able to sing the role of Count Almaviva on July 31 and August 4. As a result, Ioan Hotea, will replace the tenor. The Romanian tenor won the first prize in the {…}
Apart from the onslaught of syphilis, 1840 was a good year for Gaetano Donizetti. He become the first composer to have three operas (“La Fille du Régiment”, “Lucrezia Borgia,” and “La Favorite”) debut in three different theaters in Paris within a period of less than 12 months. The last of the trifecta was written specifically for Rosine Stolz (née Victoire Noël) {…}
It’s a weekend of Bel Canto, Wagner, Mozart, and Puccini with many of the greatest stars in the world. There are some rarities and some signature pieces that are must see. Tosca – Teatro Municipal de Chile, Chile Melody Moore and Lilit Soghomonyan share the title role in Puccini’s masterpiece with Leonardo Caimi and Artem Golubev alternating Cavaradossi. Elchin Azizov and Alexander Krasnov {…}
Opera Philadelphia has announced its 2018-19 season. The season will see the company continue to shape the future of opera. The 2018-2019 season will kick off on September 20-30 with the festival’s second edition, O18, comprising five operatic happenings – two world premieres, two new productions, and a three-part cabaret event – at multiple venues across the city. The season will {…}
This weekend looks a bit interesting for opera lovers looking to leave the core repertoire. Baroque dominates our selections for what we recommend and there is also a French rarity that no one should miss. Here is a glimpse. Saul & Ariodante – Wiener Staatsoper & Theatre an der Wien, Austria Austria audiences are in for a Handel double. At the {…}