(Photo credit: Chris Christodoulou) Marin Alsop will lead the Philharmonia Orchestra in the UK premiere and world premiere performance of Karpman and Gail Collins’ “Balls” with a full orchestra. Mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz takes on the role of Billie Jean King with tenor Nicky Spence as Bobby Riggs. Lotte Betts Dean, Eve Pearson Maxwell, Oliver Barker, and Mia Serracino-Inglott are among {…}
(Photo credit: Tristram Kenton) Profane escapes scale heights heretical in offbeat tales. These contests of one-upmanship with God breed killers; lesser sinners stray with strangers. Dvořák’s unnamed “Spectre’s Bride” – the leading lady of his 1885 cantata – steals away with a dead demon. Four decades later a Chinese adventurer is robbed and killed in Bartók’s “The Miraculous Mandarin,” a {…}
The Royal Ballet & Opera has announced a cast change for its “Jakub Hrůša and Friends in Concert” on Sept. 20, 2025. Tenor Pavel Černoch has withdrawn from the showcase due to illness. In his place, Nicky Spence will take on the tenor part in “The Spectre’s Bride.” Spence debuted with the company back in 2018-19 and has performed in {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will be able to listen to the world premiere of a new work, a DVD of Weinberg’s opera from Salzburg, and a rarely performed opera by Giacomelli. Adoration Bright Shiny Things releases “Adoration,” the world premiere live recording of an {…}
(Credit: Kai Price) The Guildhall School has announced the Nicky Spence Scholarship for Vocal Studies students. The scholarship will be offered to singers who have been educated at a UK state school and would not otherwise have the financial means to accept an offer to study at the Guildhall. The school raised £50,000 for the scholarship, thanks to the generosity {…}
The Opéra de Rouen Normandie has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Chelsea Lehnea, Leonardo Sanchez, and Anthony Clark Evans lead Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Dayner Tafur-Diaz conducts the production by Jean-François Sivadier. The opera will be livestreamed on Oct. 4, 2025. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 7, 2025 Elsa Benoit and Samuel Hasselhorn lead Brahms’ Deutsche Requiem. Laurence Equilbey conducts the production {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week, audiences will get to hear two Strauss recordings and a complete recording of Lalo’s famed work. Jewish Vienna Chen Reiss and Daniel Grossmann team up with the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Munich for an album which highlights Vienna at the turn of {…}
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Kelsey Thomas and Edward Lloyd perform a lunchtime recital. Performance Date: Sept. 22, 2025 Geoffrey Paterson conducts Julian Bliss and Agustin Pennino in Boccherini, Bernstein, Copland, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and Sibelius. Performance Date: Oct. 11, 2025 Domingo Hindoyan conducts Brahms’ Requiem with Sophie Bevan and {…}
The Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España has announced its 2025-26 season. Here are the vocal performances. Concert Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck” will be conducted by David Afkham. Martin Winkler, Lise Lindström, Rodrigo Porras, Tansel Akzeybek, Jürgen Sacher, Stephen Milling, and Susana Gómez. Performance Dates: Oct. 3 & 5, 2025 Michael Laurenz, Christof Fischesser, Louise McClelland, Valentina Stadler, Tae Hwan Yun, {…}
The Royal Philharmonic has announced its 2025-26 season. Mahler, Bernstein, and Puccini will be conducted by Vasily Petrenko. The Philharmonia chorus will be showcased. Performance Dates: Oct. 21, 2025 Sir John Rutter celebrates his birthday with soloists Melanie Marshall and Jonathan Brown. Performance Dates: Nov. 5, 2025 Daniel Hyde conducts Poulenc’s “Gloria” with Sally Matthews. The program also includes music {…}
(Photo credit: © Camilla Greenwell/Royal Ballet & Opera) Pinching pitches at an apex, Janáček’s “Jenůfa” scales extremes. The opera tells of sextoness Kostelnička Buryjovka, who takes a lethal misstep to protect her stepdaughter. Persuaded Laca will agree to wed Jenůfa if she’s childless, Kostelnička drowns newborn baby Števa. Rue accrues until Kostelnička confesses. Any other art form would attribute her {…}