Michael Spyres, Véronique Gens, Paula Murrihy, Jakub Josef Orlinski, Francesca Aspromonte Headline Château de Versailles Spectacles’ 2023-24 Season

The Château de Versailles Spectacles has announced its 2023-24 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal performances. John Eliot Gardiner will lead the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique in Berlioz’s “Les Troyens.” The opera stars Michael Spyres, Paula Murrihy, and Alice Coote, among others. Performance Dates: August 29, 2023 Soprano Marie Perbost will join {…}

Apr 24, 2023

Michael Spyres & Chevalier Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get a chance to hear a soundtrack from an anticipated film and the new album from one of the most interesting tenors in the industry. Ariadne auf Naxos Dynamic releases Strauss’ work in a production by Matthias Hartmann. The Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is led by Daniele Gatti and production from Florence stars Krassimira Stoyanova {…}

Apr 4, 2023

Diana Damrau, Elīna Garanča, Patricia Nolz & Fatma Said Lead Wiener Konzerthaus’ 2023-24 Season

The Wiener Konzerthaus has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Riccardo Chailly conducts a Verdi program with the chorus and orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala. Performance Date: Sept. 4, 2023 The Bayerisches Staatsorchester will perform alongside Yefim Bronfman and Elsa Dreisig in a Schumann, Wagner, and Mahler program. Vladimir Jurowski conducts. Performance Date: {…}

Mar 8, 2023

Ailyn Pérez, Natalya Romaniw, Sonya Yoncheva, Michael Spyres & Lucas Meachem Lead Staatsoper Hamburg’s 2023-24 Season

The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2023-24 season. Opera Kent Nagano conducts Frank Castorf’s production of Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov.” The opera will star Alexander Tsymbalyuk, Kady Evanyshyn, Olivia Boen, Renate Spingler, Matthias Klink, Alexey Bogdanchikov, Vitalij Kowaljow, Oleksiy Palchykov, and Ryan Speedo Green. Performance Dates: Sept. 16-Oct. 7, 2023 Catherine Foster and Ewa Płonka sing the title role of Puccini’s {…}

Mar 3, 2023

Metropolitan Opera 2022-23 Review: Norma

Photo Credit: Marty Sohl On February 28, 2023, the Metropolitan Opera raised the curtain on this season’s run of Bellini’s “Norma,” starring Sonya Yoncheva in the title role. Revenge is a Forest David McVicar’s 2017 production is faithful to its source material and effective in its simplicity. The many slender trees either filled the space between the numerous warriors for choral {…}

Feb 24, 2023

“Carmen” in Concert with Joyce DiDonato at Royal Albert Hall Canceled

A planned concert presentation of Bizet’s “Carmen” at Royal Albert Hall, featuring Joyce DiDonato, has been canceled due to the health of conductor John Nelson. While the nature of Nelson’s health condition has not been disclosed, his doctors have advised him to rest for several weeks before returning to the podium. According to an official press release, the scheduled performances {…}

Jan 29, 2023

Sonya Yoncheva Leads ‘Norma’ at the Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Bellini’s “Norma” with Sonya Yoncheva. Yoncheva will make her Met role debut after performing the role at the Royal Opera House, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and the Bayerische Staatsoper. The cast will also include mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova as Adalgisa, tenor Michael Spyres as Pollione, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Oroveso. Maurizio {…}

Jan 20, 2023

New York Festival of Song to Present ‘Amor’

New York Festival of Song is set to present “Amor.” The concert will be presented on Feb. 15, 2023, at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center and will feature songs by Astor Piazzolla, Kurt Weill, Carlos Guastavino, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Vincenzo Bellini, Hector Berlioz, Stephen Sondheim, and more. It will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of NYFOS Artistic Director {…}

Dec 30, 2022

Diana Damrau, Michael Spyres & Véronique Gens Lead New CD/DVD Releases

With the year coming to an end, we bring you the last releases of 2022. Audiences will get a chance to hear a monodrama, a Christmas album, a solo album and rarities. Eternal Heaven Long-time musical partners Lea Desandre and Iestyn Davies present Thomas Dunford’s complete Handel program recorded with Ensemble Jupiter. Featuring Dunford on the lute, the new album {…}

Nov 29, 2022

Ermonela Jaho & Michael Spyres Named Artist Ambassadors of Opera Rara

Opera Rara has named Ermonela Jaho and Michael Spyres Artist Ambassadors. The company announced the news on the 225th anniversary of Donizetti’s birth. In the new role, Jaho and Spyres will work to raise the international profile of the charity, assist in the development of new projects and educational activities, and feature in the company’s recording and performance projects. In {…}

Nov 28, 2022

Opéra National de Paris 2022-23 Review: Carmen

This review is based on performances on Nov. 15 & 18, 2022. In every opera house, there is always an informal smoker’s meeting outside in the entr’acte. It is the best place to “feel the mood” of how an opera performance is being received. Hence, I am there solely for journalistic reasons, and nothing more. On this occasion, I went {…}