Michael Spyres, Benjamin Bernheim, Nina Stemme, Sonya Yoncheva, Ailyn Pérez & Ying Fang’s Festival Aix-En-Provence’s 2026 season

The Festival Aix-En-Provence has announced its 2026 season. Opera Leonardo García-Alarcón conducts Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” with Clément Cogitore directing. The production will star Ying Fang, Mauro Peter, Sabine Devieilhe, Sean Michael Plumb, Brindley Sherratt, and Edwin Crossley-Mercer. Performance Dates: July 2-21, 2026 Klaus Mäkelä conducts Strauss’ “Die Frau one Schatten” in Barrie Kosky’s production. The cast will include Michael Spyres, Vida Miknevičiūtė, Nina {…}

Nov 5, 2025

Michael Weinius, Sofie Asplund, Elin Rombo, & Nina Stemme Star in Royal Swedish Orchestra’s 500 Year Celebration

(Photo credit: Henrik Halvarsson) The Royal Swedish Orchestra celebrates its 500th anniversary with concerts at the Royal Swedish Opera and an international tour. This article only features classical vocal events. Royal Swedish Opera Chorus soloists Matilda Sterby, Miriam Treichl, Michael Weinius, and Ola Eliasson perform works by Beethoven and Helander. Alan Gilbert conducts. Performance Dates: January 17 & 18, 2026 {…}

Oct 10, 2025

Deutsche Oper Berlin 2025-26 Review: Lohengrin

(Photos: © Marcus Lieberenz / Bettina Stöß) The plot of “Lohengrin” is drawn from medieval German literature, a tale of chivalric values set in tenth-century Northern Germany. In this production, the stage during the prelude presents the aftermath of a battle, with corpses scattered across the scene and a comet—possibly Halley’s, which passed in 913 AD—brightening the night sky. Director {…}

May 31, 2025

Q & A: Nina Stemme on Her Farewell to Isolde, her Philadelphia Orchestra Debut & Singing Wagner

For years, Nina Stemme has been regarded as one of the great interpreters of the Wagner repertoire. Her Isolde has been widely admired by audiences around the world at some of the greatest theaters such as the Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne, and Berlin. In May 2004, she bid farewell to the role in a stage production, and now June 1, she {…}

May 19, 2025

Asmik Grigorian, Rolando Villazón, Xabier Anduaga, Jonathan Tetelamn, Aigul Akhmetshina, Anastasia Bartoli, Camilla Nylund, Clay Hilley & Freddie De Tommaso Lead Deutsche Oper Berlin’s 2025-26 Season

(Credit: Deutsche Oper) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Detlev Glanert ‘s “Die drei Rätsel” will be conducted by Dominic Limburg and directed by Brigitte Dethier. The production will star Martina Baroni, Philipp Jekal, Chance Jonas-O’Toole, Joel Allison, Padraic Rowan, Maria Vasilevskaya, and Alexandra Oomens. Performance Dates: Oct. 11, 2025-Feb. 15, 2026 Sir Donald Runnicles will {…}

Apr 17, 2025

Nina Stemme & Stuart Skelton Lead ‘Tristan und Isolde’ with the Philadelphia Orchestra

(Credit: Neda Navaee) The Philadelphia Orchestra is set to close out its 2024-25 season with Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” The full five-hour performance in a concert setting will feature Nina Stemme in her signature role as Isolde and Stuart Skelton as Tristan. The cast will be rounded by Karen Cargill as Brangäne, Tareq Nazmi as King Marke, Brian Mulligan as {…}

Apr 12, 2025

Nina Stemme to Make Carnegie Hall Recital Debut

Nina Stemme will make her long-awaited Carnegie Hall solo recital debut on May 2, 2025. The legendary soprano will perform Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and Liebestod from “Tristan und Isolde.” The soprano will also perform songs by Weill and Elgar’s “Sea Pictures” with pianist Roland Pöntinen. Stemme recently returned to New York for performances of “Die Frau ohne Schatten” at the {…}

Mar 16, 2025

Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Diana Damrau, Rolando Villazon, Asmik Grigorian, Ludovic Tézier, Jonathan Tetelman, Serena Sáenz & Sondra Radvanovsky Lead Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2025-26 Season

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Maurizio Benini conducts Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in a new production by Barbara Wysocka. Bekhzod Davronov, Igor Golovatenko, Ludovic Tézier, Serena Sáenz, Nadine Sierra, Riccardo Fassi, and Elmina Hasan star. Performance Dates: March 7-24, 2026 & July 28 & 31, 2026 Lotte de Beer directs a new production of Gounod’s “Faust” with Jonathan {…}

Dec 24, 2024

Latonia Moore, Pavol Breslik, Nina Stemme, MIles Mykkanen Headline The Cleveland Orchestra’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival 2025

The Cleveland Orchestra has announced its third annual Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Opera & Humanities Festival. First up is “United in Song! A Community Celebration.” Performance Dates: May 17, 2025 At the core of the experience will be three concert performances of “Jenůfa.” Franz Welser-Möst conducts the opera which will headline a slate centered on the theme of “Reconciliation.” Latonia {…}

Dec 1, 2024

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: Die Frau Ohne Schatten

For the first time in 11 years, the Metropolitan Opera has revived what I consider to be one of its greatest productions in my lifetime. Herbert Wernicke’s production of “Die Frau ohne Schatten” is simply one of the most sublime marriages of stage direction and opera in recent Met history. First off, it’s a challenging piece, not only musically, but {…}

Nov 21, 2024

Lise Lindstrom, Elza van den Heever & Nina Stemme Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’

(Credit: Ken Howard/Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Strauss’s “Die Frau ohne Schatten.” The production by Herbert Wernicke, which premiered on Dec. 13, 2001, and was last revived in 2013, will star soprano Elza van den Heever in her Met role debut as the Empress, soprano Lise Lindstrom in her Met role debut as the Dyer’s Wife, {…}