(Photo Credit: Bernd Uhlig) Deutsche Oper’s Ring Cycle started promisingly with an original staging of “Das Rheingold,” with provocative ideas, irreverence and even humor. However, unfortunately it continued with a constant rehashing of ideas, which proved inadequate for the gigantic enterprise that is Wagner’s “Ring.” After a vocally satisfactory but scenically uninspired “Die Walküre,” matters deteriorated considerably on May 29 {…}
(Photo Credit: Bernd Uhlig) Stefan Herheim’s take on “The Ring” promises to be an interesting one: original, irreverential and, most of all, not trying to shock for the sake of it. This is my impression based on “The Ring’s” first installment. The imagery and the cultural references are approachable and familiar to the average German operagoer: Loge, who dominates this {…}
The Minnesota Orchestra has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. Jonathan Taylor Rush conducts John Holiday in music by Montgomery, Simon, Hahn, and Bizet. Performance Dates: August 7, 2026 Jonathan Taylor Rush conducts the American Songbook with John Holiday, Jearlyn Steele, and Jevetta Steele. Performance Dates: August 8, 2026 Jane Glover conducts Handel’s “Messiah” with Lauren Snouffer, Clara Osowski, Eric Ferring, and Michael {…}
The Boston Lyric Opera has announced its 2026-27 season celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company will present Gioachino Rossini’s “Guillaume Tell” in a production by Vita Tzykun and David Adam Moore. David Angus conducts that includes George Gagnidze, Konu Kim, Anya Matanovič, Nina Yoshida Nelsen, Brianna J. Robinson, Morgan Mastrangelo, and James Demler. Performance Dates: Sep. 25-Oct. 4, 2026 The Boston Lyric Opera will celebrate its {…}
LA Opera has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the MainStage and LA Opera Off productions. Mainstage Rihab Chaieb, Joshua Guerrero, Kathleen O’Mara, and Liam James Karai lead a new production of Bizet’s “Carmen“ by Thaddeus Strassberger. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. 17-Nov. 7, 2026 Lina González-Granados conducts Bernstein’s “Candide“ with Duke Kim, Deanna Breiwick, and Patti LuPone. Francesca Zambello {…}
(© S. Richards Photography 2016) Houston Grand Opera is set to present “Giving Voice” on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. The concert, the company’s seventh annual showcase of Black artists in classical music and opera, takes place at The Fort Bend Church in Sugar Land, Texas, marking the first time the event is held at the venue. Soloists {…}
(Photo credit: Keith Saunders) This winter season at Sydney Opera House has seen Opera Australia once again revive Sir David McVicar’s 2015 production of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro,” restaged by Andy Morton previously, as recently as 2022. OperaWire has pertinently noted the repeat of “tried and true” in Opera Australia’s 2025 season in a recent review of “Rusalka” (itself not {…}
(Image Source: IMG Artists) When Bass Baritone Michael Sumuel landed in San Francisco after finishing his run as Porgy in the Washington National Opera’s “Porgy and Bess,” he realized he’d only been home about 15 days the entire year. He was in town for a couple weeks before he flew to Sydney where he’ll sing the title role in “Le {…}
(Credit: Deutsche Oper) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Detlev Glanert ‘s “Die drei Rätsel” will be conducted by Dominic Limburg and directed by Brigitte Dethier. The production will star Martina Baroni, Philipp Jekal, Chance Jonas-O’Toole, Joel Allison, Padraic Rowan, Maria Vasilevskaya, and Alexandra Oomens. Performance Dates: Oct. 11, 2025-Feb. 15, 2026 Sir Donald Runnicles will {…}
The Metropolitan Opera revived “Le Nozze di Figaro” for the 2024-25 season. I’ve seen this Richard Eyre production countless times and it’s always a breath of air to see how different casts can take the same directions, but breathe new life into them. And this cast was no different. When I reviewed the opera in 2021-22, I remarked how different {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive “Le Nozze di Figaro” for 13 performances. The opera will be conducted by Joana Mallwitz, who makes her company debut and will showcase Richard Eyre’s production. There will be two casts for the work, the first of which showcases Federica Lombardi, Olga Kulchynska, Sun-Ly Pierce, Joshua Hopkins, and Michael Sumel. The second cast {…}