San Francisco Opera has announced its 2023-24 season, the 101st in the company’s history. The season will open with an Opera Ball featuring Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak. Eun Sun Kim conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a program of arias and duets. Performance Date: Sept. 8, 2023 Next up is “Il Trovatore” starring Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Angel Blue, Anita {…}
(Photo: Ruth Walz) It never ceases to surprise how Monteverdi’s operas prove themselves time and again to be not just supreme examples of how the art form succeeds as a dramatic medium, able to communicate directly with present day audiences, with characters who resonate so clearly with the modern mind, even over a distance of 400 years, but also the {…}
Chicago Opera Theater has announced its 2022-23 season, which will celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. The season opens with Szymanowski’s “King Roger.” The work will be presented in partnership with Lira Ensemble as well as Apollo Chorus. Lidiya Yankovskaya, who has extended her contract with the company through 2024, will conduct with Dylan Evans directing. The cast includes Iwona Sobotka, {…}
This week audiences will get a chance to hear a debut album by one of the world’s great tenors, a recording of one of Puccini’s most beloved works, a world premiere recording of a great contemporary opera, and many more. Madama Butterfly Lawrence Foster expands his Puccini discography on PENTATONE with “Madama Butterfly,” together with the Coro & Orquestra Gulbenkian. {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl/ Met Opera) On Sept. 28, Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” returned to the Met for the first time in a decade in Stephen Wadsworth’s acclaimed production. When the production first premiered back in 2010, the company had presented the 1872 version with the composer’s original orchestration and additions from the 1869 version. The production was conceived with Mussorsgky’s revisions {…}
The Lithuanian National Opera has announced its 2020-21 season. Here is a look at the operas and operettas for the upcoming season. Opera Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena“ opens the season with Sesto Quatrini and Ričardas Šumila conducting. Francesca Sassu and Joana Gedmintaitė headline the cast in the title role, with Raffaella Lupinacci, Justina Gringytė, and Eglė Šidlauskaitė as Giovanna, Tadas Girininkas {…}
Over 100 singers came together for a video performance of “Light Shall Lift Us,” a work by librettist Mark Campbell and composer Paul Moravec. The duo, which has worked together on “The Shining” proposed the idea to Marc Scorca of Opera America, who embraced the idea and helped put together the 107 artists who would eventually record their individual parts {…}
The Mostly Mozart Festival has announced its 2020 festival. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal performances. The season kicks off with “Divine Connection,” a world premiere staging of Mozart’s Requiem and works by Arvo Pärt. The performance will feature Sunhae Im, Daniela Mack, Matthew Swensen, Ryan Speedo Green, and the Choir of Trinity Wall {…}
(Credit: Sasha Vasiljev / Mathias Bothor, Deutsche Grammophon) The Festival Aix-en-Provence has just announced the program for 2020 season, which will include a total of six works. The season will open with Berg’s opera “Wozzeck,” starring Christian Gerhaher, Anja Kampe, Daniel Brenna, Peter Hoare, Brindley Sherratt, Evan LeRoy Johnson, J’Nai Bridges, Alexander Kiechle, Tomasz Kumięga, and Graham Clark. Sir Simon {…}
The Seattle Opera has announces its 2020-21 season featuring an all-star lineup and some ambitious productions. Here is a look: The season opens with the double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” with Gregory Kunde headlining both productions in a rare U.S. appearance. He will share the run with Arsen Soghomonyan. Melody Moore and Marcy Stonikas will share the role {…}
The Knights are set to return to Ravinia Festival for a performance of Bernstein’s “Candide.” The showcase will be led by conductor Eric Jacobsen with Alison Moritz directing. The production will star Met Opera Auditions-winning tenor Miles Mykkanen in the title role, Sharleen Joynt as Cunégonde, Margaret Gawrysiak as the Old Lady, Evan Jones as Pangloss/Voltaire/Cacambo, Evan Bravos as Maximilian/Grand Inquisitor/Sea Captain, and Alex Mansoori {…}
