(Photo credit: Ali Wright) Whatever your views on Puccini, “Tosca” always draws a crowd. In a UK opera landscape mired by cuts and ever-tightening budgets, it is reassuring to see an opera festival that continues to stand on its own two feet, irrespective of Arts Council funding (or perhaps more accurately lack thereof). A full house then, as it was {…}
(Photo: Frances Marshall) With Ireland’s Blackwater Valley Opera Festival about to get underway, OperaWire thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up with mezzo-soprano Sharon Carty, who will be playing the role of Sesto in the festival’s headline presentation, Handel’s “Giulio Cesare.” 2024 is proving to be a busy year for Carty. She has had a full calendar, {…}
(Photo credit: Paul Marc Mitchell) The English Concert marks its 50th anniversary with new releases of its legacy project, “Handel for All.” This spring the group will put on a number of special concerts and events in celebration, whilst continuing to build its library of recordings of Händel’s works that are free and accessible. Sopranos Jeanine de Bique and Liv {…}
(Photo: Birgit Gufler) Bernardo Pasquini (1637 – 1710) is not a particularly well-known name in opera circles, yet in his day he was considered the foremost composer of dramatic works for the stage in Rome, with his high point coming in the 1670s and 80s, after which he was slowly displaced by, amongst others, Alessandro Scarlatti. As well as 15 {…}
(Credit: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale official website) Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look at the operatic and vocal performances. Soprano Amanda Forsythe, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Brenden Gunnell, and bass Joshua Bloom present Schumann’s “Requiem” alongside conductor Richard Egarr and violinist Shunske Sato. Performance dates: Oct. 14 – 17, 2021 Performances {…}
The Innsbruck Festival of Early Music has announced its 2021 season, which includes over 50 events between July 13 through August 29, 2021. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal and operatic performances. Operas It all starts with Pasquini’s “Idalma.” The showcase will star Arianna Vendittelli, Anita Rosati, Margherita Maria Sala, Rupert Charlesworth, Juan {…}
The Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe in Germany has announced its 2021-22 season featuring ballet, theater, and opera. For this article, we will only highlight the opera productions. Premieres Mozart’s “La Finta Giardiniera” will get a new production with Yura Yang conducting and Anja Kühnhold directing. Premiere Date: Oct. 23, 2021 Emmerich Kálmán’s “Grafin Mariza” gets a new production with Georg Fritzsch {…}