Spoleto Festival USA has announced its 2023 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances. The company will present “Vanessa” at the Charleston Gaillard Center. The Barber opera will star Nicole Heaston, Zoie Reams, Edward Graves, Rosalind Plowright, and Malcolm MacKenzie. The opera is conducted by Timothy Myers and directed by Rodula {…}
San Francisco Opera outdid itself with Christoph Willibald Gluck’s 18th century masterpiece, “Orpheo ed Euridice.” An absolute gem, the opera was the piece de resistance of the season. The cast, the set, the music, all in a new production by director Matthew Ozawa and conducted by acclaimed early music interpreter Peter Whelan in his American opera stage debut. Rena Butler made {…}
(Credit: Jiyang Chen) San Francisco Opera is set to open a new production of Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice” on Nov. 15, 2022. The opera will feature countertenor Jakub Jósef Orlinski in his company debut alongside Meigui Zhang and Nicole Heaston. Peter Whelan, in his American debut, will conduct the opera, which will be directed by Matthew Ozawa and choreographed by {…}
The Norwegian National Opera is set to present the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s “The Listeners” starting on Sept. 24, 2022. The opera, which runs through Oct. 9, will be directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, the Resident Director at Lincoln Center Theater. Ilan Volkov will conduct a cast starring Nicole Heaston, Simon Neal, Eirik Grøvedt, and Frøy Hovland. {…}
San Francisco-based Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has announced its exciting 2022-23 season spotlighting rare works by Handel and featuring Anthony Roth Costanzo, along with 13 guest artist debuts. Here’s what’s in store for Bay Area audiences. For this article, only vocal performances are listed. First up is Händel’s oratorio “Theodora,” featuring mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston in her PBO and American debut, soprano {…}
On Nov. 21, 2021, the San Francisco Opera unveiled Michael Cavanagh’s new production of “Così fan tutte’ that rocked with energy, gaiety, verve, and abundance. The production worked on all fronts. The stage design, created by Erhard Rom, featured the so-called Wolfbridge Country Club, in the 1930s, complete with Fitness Center, Ballroom, Badminton Court, and Swimming Pool, unfolded lively and {…}
San Francisco Opera continues its season with Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” in a new production by Michael Cavanagh. The new production is part two of the Company’s Mozart-Da Ponte Trilogy which sets the opera’s amorous deceptions and confusions in a 1930s American country club. The production is set to be conducted by Henrik Nánásiand will star sopranos, Nicole Cabell and {…}
Cincinnati Song Initiative has announced its 2021-22 season which will feature seven concerts. First up will be a “Season Opening Gala: The Great American Songbook” at the Liberty Exhibition Hall. soprano Amy Burton and pianist John Musso will perform music from The Great American Songbook. Performance Date: Oct. 2, 2021 “The Belletrists: Heinrich Heine” will feature soprano Elizabeth Marshall, tenor {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2021-22 season, which will feature six productions. It all starts with Bizet’s “Carmen” starring Carolyn Sproule, Richard Trey Smagur, Christian Pursell, and Heidi Stober. Lidiya Yankovskaya conducts a production directed by Rob Ashford. Performance Dates: Oct. 22 – Nov. 7, 2021 Next up is the world premiere of “The Snowy Day.” The new {…}
If last week’s central theme was all about Wagner, it seems that this week formed around tenors. Superstar tenors. Of course, there are loads of other types of performers, but if you’re a fan of the tenor, you’re in for a nice series of offerings (especially today, April 5). So without further ado, let’s take stock of the top 10 {…}
On April 9, 2021, Houston Grand Opera will present April’s installment of “Live from The Cullen,” featuring a performance from soprano and HGO alumnus Nicole Heaston, set at the Wortham Theater Center. Accompanied by Richard Bado, HGO chorus master and director of artistic operations, Heaston will deliver a recital of classics from the American songbook. Heaston is a frequent collaborator {…}