(Photo: © Clive Barda/Royal Opera House) “Tosca” is back at Covent Garden, for the second time this season, revived by Lucy Bradley and conducted by Marco Armiliato. It is especially notable as it marks thirty years since the house debut of Angela Gheorghiu, who returns in what is something of a signature role in a production over which she has {…}
The Semperoper Dresden is set to present a recital featuring baritone Michael Volle and pianist Helmut Deutsch. On. Feb. 6, 2022, the duo will present the song cycle “Die Schöne Magelone.” The work is comprised of 15 romances by Johannes Brahms, based on text by Ludwig Tieck. The showcase will feature actor Hartmut Volle. Michael Volle was set to appear {…}
(Credit: Achim Graf) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča will not be appearing in the title role of Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera “Samson et Dalila” for the entire run ending Dec. 19, 2021. The mezzo-soprano already missed the opening night performance on Dec. 5 and was replaced by mezzo-soprano Anna Lapkovskaja. Lapkovskaja will now take over {…}
(Credit: Achim Graf) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča will not be appearing in the title role of Camille Saint-Saëns’ opera “Samson et Dalila” on Dec. 5, 2021. As a result, mezzo-soprano Anna Lapkovskaja will take over the role. The mezzo joins a cast that includes Michael Volle, Jongmin Park, Paul Gay, Magnus Dietrich, Benjamin {…}
(Credits: Holger Hage / David Jerusalem / Carsten Sander) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden will present Camille Saint-Saëns’ and Ferdinand Lemaire’s “Samson et Dalila” in December 2021. Mezzo-soprano superstar Elīna Garanča and famed Austrian heldentenor Andreas Schager star in the title roles, while baritone Michael Volle appears as Le Grand-Prêtre de Dagon. The cast is rounded out by Jongmin Park, {…}
Rolando Villazón will celebrate his 50th birthday with a concert “Cinquentañero.” The concert, which will be held on Feb. 21, 2022, one day before his 50th birthday, will take place at the Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg. Many of Villazón’s closest collaborators will celebrate the famed tenor’s milestone birthday including Daniel Barenboim, Plácido Domingo, Charles Castronovo, Magdalena Kozena, Regula Muehlemann, Fatma Said, {…}
(Credit: Richard Termine) The Metropolitan Opera opened its revival of Wagner’s masterpiece “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021 to a half-full hall. I don’t usually bring up audience attendance because it is beside the point in terms of artistic merit and the integrity of performances. But given that we live in a “post-pandemic” world, there is no {…}
PBS has announced that it will start broadcasting “Wagnerians in Concert” from the Met Opera on Nov. 5, 2021. The showcase stars Elza van den Heever, Christine Goerke, Michael Volle, and Andreas Schager, accompanied by pianist Craig Terry. The quartet, which performed from Wiesbaden in Germany, took on music from “Tannhäuser,” “Parsifal,” “Die Walküre,” “Die Frau ohne Schatten,” and more, {…}
This week audiences can expect two complete opera recordings, an oratorio recording, and a new solo album. Here is a look at the exciting new recordings. Platée Rameau’s opera gets a new release on C Major in a production from the Theater an der Wien. Directed by Robert Carsen, the production featured William Christie leading Les Arts Florissants and starred {…}
(Credit: Theater Dortmund) The Oper Dortmund has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look at the opera and the vocal performances of the season. Premieres Gabriela Scherer and Stéphanie Müther share the title role in Puccini‘s “Tosca.” James Lee performs Mario Cavaradossi, and Michael Volle and Mandla Mndebele alternate as Scarpia. Gabriel Feltz conducts a production by Nikolaus Habjan. {…}
The Semperoper Dresden has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, revivals, jung oper, and Chamber works. Premieres Gaetano d’Espinosa conducts a new production of Peter Konwitschny Bellini’s “Norma” with Yolanda Auyanet in the title role. The cast will also include Dmytro Popov, Alexandros Stavrakakis, and Stepanka Pucalkova. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-31, 2021 Ivan Repušić conducts a new production of {…}