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 {…}
The San Diego Symphony has announced its 2025-26 season. In a statement, Martha Gilmer, President and CEO of the San Diego Symphony said, “Now that we have been able to experience the wonderful acoustic of our renovated Jacobs Music Center, it was a great joy to imagine our second season in this marvelous hall. In what was the Fox Movie Theatre, a {…}
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the vocal performances. Nicholas Kraemer conducts a program that includes the music of Händel, Beethoven, and Mozart. Soloists include Amanda Forsythe, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Josh Lovell, and Michael Sumuel. Performance Dates: Oct. 17-19, 2024 Fabien Gabel and Konstantin Krimmel team up for a program of music by Britten, Mahler, {…}
The Detroit Opera has announced its 2023-24 season featuring a wide array of repertory. Matthew Ozawa directs a new production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” with Kensho Watanabe conducting. Karah Son sings the title role alongside Eric Taylor, Kristen Choi, and Nmon Ford Performance Dates: Oct. 7-15, 2023 The company is set to present the site-specific operatic experience composer John Cage’s “Europeras {…}
The Pittsburgh Opera is set to present “The Marriage of Figaro” in a revival production. The opera, which is set to take the stage between Nov. 5 and 13, will star Natasha Te Rupe Wilson, Michael Sumuel, Nicole Cabell, Jarrett Ott, Ricardo Lugo, Daniel O’Hearn, and Jazmine Olwalia. Antony Walker conducts the revival production by Stephanie Havey, which is jointly owned {…}
The Washington Concert Opera has unveiled its lineup for the fall Gala. The performance, which is set for Oct. 12, 2022, at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., will star soprano Tamara Wilson and bass-baritone Michael Sumuel. Wilson is an internationally renowned soprano who has appeared with a number of major companies including the Canadian Opera Company, the English National {…}
(Disclosure: Out of respect for the sensitivity of our audience we will only link to images of blackface instead of showing them here) Following a performance of “Aida” at the Arena di Verona on July 8, several opera singers are calling out Anna Netrebko for the use of blackface. Jamie Barton took to Twitter and said, “It’s been a long {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta) The Handel and Haydn Society has announced its 2022-23 season featuring important vocal performances. The season opens an all-Bach program at Symphony Hall. Bernard Labadie conducts The Glories of Bach with featured soloist soprano Lauren Snouffer, countertenor Cody Bowers, tenor Andrew Haji, and bass Michael Sumuel. Performance Dates: Oct. 7 & 9, 2022 Raphaël Pichon will return {…}
The English National Opera has announced its 2022-23 season featuring eight productions and seven operas. Leo Hussain conducts Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Christof Loy. The cast will include Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, Adam Smith, and Noel Bouley. Performance Dates: Sept. 30–Nov. 4 2022 Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Yeomen of the Guard” will include Anthony Gregory, Neal Davies, Alexandra Oomens, Heather {…}
Photo credit: Elliot Mandel Chicago’s Music of the Baroque (MOB) has lined up five concerts as its season continues into winter and spring 2022. Here are the vocal performances MOB has slated. “Classical Heroines,” conducted by Nicholas Kraemer, features baroque specialist, soprano Amanda Forsythe singing Cleopatra’s aria “Da tempeste” from Händel’s “Giulio Cesare,” Haydn’s “Scena di Berenice,” Dido’s famous lament {…}