Mozart’s “Mitridate, re di Ponto” premiered on the day of Germany’s elections on February 23, 2025 at the Staatsoper Hamburg. It was conducted by Adam Fischer and directed by Birgit Kajtna-Wönig, marking an ambitious co-production with the Salzburg Festival. Set in the final days of Pontic Greek King Mitridate VI’s resistance against Rome, the opera explores power, betrayal, and dynastic {…}
(Photo Credit: Claudia Hoehne) René Jacobs’ concert performance of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” at the Elbphilharmonie provided a resplendent conclusion to Hamburg’s Amadeus Festival, bringing the celebration of Mozart’s genius to a fittingly grand finale. This semi-staged version was a testament to how a concert performance can achieve full theatricality. Compared to his 2009 recording, Jacobs presented a fresh and immediate interpretation, {…}
In the grand setting of the 2025 Amadeus, Amadeus Festival in Hamburg, Jordi Savall delivered a performance of Mozart’s “Great Mass in C Minor,” (K.427) that stood as a testament to the power of unfinished works. Collaborating with his longtime assistant and keyboardist Luca Guglielmi, Savall brought one of Mozart’s most intricate and incomplete masterpieces to life, blending historical {…}
(Photos: © Met Opera) This holiday season’s production of Metropolitan Opera’s “The Magic Flute” brings joy and grandiosity to Met Opera’s stage, and audience members of all ages. Julie Taymor’s beloved production is a nostalgic showcase of thoughtful set designs, costume designs, and dancing. This is the abridged, English adapted version of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” designed to run in under {…}
Random Opera is set to present “Don Giovanni.” The Mozart masterpiece will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 at Temple Speech Room, Rugby, and features James Gillett at the piano and conducting a cast that stars Mike Dewis in the title role. Richard Tegid Jones’ production showcases the infamous anti-hero as an aging rock star who is still able {…}
(Photo: Erik Berg) Malmö Opera is set to live stream Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” on Dec. 8, 2024 on its website. The production opens on Nov. 30 and stars Matilda Sterby, Annie Fredriksson, David Risberg, Caspar Singh, Elinor Fryklund, and Daniel Giulianini headline the third Da Ponte-Mozart collaboration. Magnus Fryklund conducts a production directed by Katrine Wiedemann. For Wiedemann’s production, {…}
A number of new works by Mozart were discovered, while the new Köchel-Verzeichnis was in preparation. The new Köchel offers the latest results of international Mozart research. This edition contains new entries in the main section from KV 627 for 95 works, mainly fragments and lost compositions by Mozart, which were missing in the previous editions or only mentioned in {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl) Throughout the entire history of opera, from its beginning in the Francophile 18th century to the American 21st, there have been numerous moments which stand out as having been controversial of their time and controversial even today due to the contentious nature of the events. If one looks to contemporary issues like Anna Netrebko’s alleged blackface while {…}
(Credit: Clive Barda) As marriages go, this wasn’t one made in heaven. But despite an uneven performance, it ultimately won the audience over and did have moments of striking musical beauty. As the opening night for the 2024-25 season at Covent Garden, the revival of David McVicar’s “Le nozze di Figaro” did predictably well, and filled the house on a {…}
Tri-Cities Opera is set to kick off its new season with a production of “The Magic Flute.” The Binghamton-based company will showcase the opera as part of the LUMA Arts Projection Festival on Sept. 6 and 8, 2024. The Mozart opera will be conducted by David Bloom and features a production directed by Stefanos Koroneos. The opera has been adapted {…}
Sarasota Opera has unveiled its 2024-25 season. First up is “The Music of Giuseppe Verdi” featuring principal artists of the company. Victor DeRenzi conducts the two performances of the concert. The showcase includes music from nine operas, including “I Lombardi alla prima crociata,” “Aida,” “Rigoletto,” “Attila,” “La Traviata,” and “Don Carlos.” Performers include Virginia Mims, Rochelle Bard, Jean Carlos Rodriguez, {…}
