Artist of the Week: Mihails Culpajevs

On May 3, the Bühnen Bern is set to present a new production of Verdi’s rarely performed opera “La Forza del Destino.” The opera will feature several rising stars Mihails Čuļpajevs. Over the past years, the rising star has performed at the Bregenzer Festspiele, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opéra de Lyon, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Finnish National Opera, Ópera Nacional de Chile, Royal {…}

Latvian National Opera 2024 Review: The Elixir of Love

(Photo credit: Agnese Zeltiņa) Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love” (L’elisir d’amore) is frequently appreciated for its vibrant comedy and charming music. However, this opera offers a depth that goes beyond surface-level amusement, engaging themes of love, illusion, and societal structures in nuanced ways. Traditional productions often miss the deeper layers of the opera, focusing instead on its comedic aspects. In {…}