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 {…}
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 {…}
As part of this week’s CD / DVD releases, audiences will get to hear rarely performed works, a Rossini album, a documentary, a streamed opera, and a solo album by one of the great tenors of his generation. George Walker The fifth audio release on The Cleveland Orchestra’s own label showcased Music Director Franz Welser-Möst performing music by American composer {…}
Guild Hall and Bel Canto Boot Camp’s 2022 Resident Artist series will conclude with a recital featuring baritenor Michael Spyres alongside resident artists soprano Teresa Castillo and tenor Samual Keeler. The concert, which is set to take place on Oct. 15, is part of a series that supports an emerging generation of opera singers while bringing operatic performances and community {…}
Gramphone has announced its 2022 awards. The Bayerische Staatsoper won the Recording of the Year for its DVD of “Die Tote Stadt.” The recording also won Opera Award. The company also took home the Orchestral award from Kirill Petrenko and the Bayerisches Staatsorchester’s recording of Mahler’s Seventh Symphony while Cornelius Meister and the Bayerische Staatsoper’s DVD and Blu-Ray recording of {…}
For the second straight night, the Metropolitan Opera orchestra was at its peak level. After an incredibly immersive opening night performing in Cherubini’s “Medea,” the ensemble, under the musical direction of Manfred Honeck nearly outdid itself. From the thunderous overture all the way to the final triumphant march, Honeck had the ensemble surging forward with unbridled passion and a {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to present a revival of Mozart’s “Idomeneo.” The production, which is set to run between Sept. 28 and Oct. 20, will be conducted by Manfred Honeck, the music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cast will also include Michael Spyres in the title role of the king of Crete, Ying Fang as Ilia, Federica Lombardi as {…}
Vocal Arts DC has announced its 2022-23 season. The season opens with a recital featuring tenor Michael Spyres and pianist Mathieu Pordoy. The program will include music by Beethoven, Berlioz, and Liszt. Performance Date: Oct. 10, 2022 Rihab Chaieb and Brian Zeger will present music by Schumann, Ravel, Bizet, Aubert, Golijov, Ricketts, and songs from Chaieb’s Arabic heritage. Performance Date: {…}
(Photo: Jean-Louis Fernandez) As a rule of thumb, you know that if you have to rely on the director’s program notes to make sense of what is happening on stage, then the production is likely to disappoint. Of course, even in such circumstances it is sometimes possible to develop an intuitive understanding, even where the explicit meaning remains elusive, which {…}
The Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier Occitanie has announced its 2022-23 season. Opera Ainārs Rubiķis conducts Verdi’s “Aida” in a production by Annabel Arden. The opera stars Sunyoung Seo, Ketevan Kemoklidze, Amadi Lagha, Leon Kim, and Jacques Greg-Belobo. Performance Dates: Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2022 Noëlle Gény leads “Bach et le sacré.” Performance Date: Oct. 16, 2022 Noëlle Gény conducts “Musiques sacrées” Performance Date: Dec. 11, 2022 {…}
(Photo: Kayla Demi Pietersen) Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY has announced its summer 2022 season. “This season, artists take us offsite to experiences with programming at partner institutions and local businesses,” says Guild Hall Executive Director, Andrea Grover, in an official press statement. “Guild Hall is obsessed with collaboration and being nomadic is one way to bring our mission {…}