This weekend will showcase a world premiere, a highly anticipated new production, a classic revival, a visiting opera company and the continuation of Wagner’s tetralogy. Here is a look at what OperaWire recommends this weekend. Berénice – Opéra National de Paris, France Barbara Hannigan creates the role of Berénice in Michale Jarrell’s new work. The work also stars Bo Skovhus, Alastair Miles, and {…}
The 2018-19 season is about to start with numerous new productions, revivals and world premieres. With a ton of selections to be sure in many of the world’s greatest houses, we whittled it down to the 10 Must-See productions operas that you cannot miss this fall. Medée – Berlin State Opera Sonya Yoncheva takes on her 50th role in Cherubini’s rarely {…}
“Parsifal. Parsifal.” Real? Dreamed? Which? In the opening of the Bayerische Staatsoper Opernfest 2018, we couldn’t tell. The new production by Pierre Audi and Georg Baselitz, which featured Jonas Kaufmann, René Pape, Christian Gerhahar, Nina Stemme, Wolfgang Koch, and conductor Kirill Petrenko, took us to a world far-beyond the drizzly night outside the doors, and watched a human and sacred {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper will live stream its new production of Wagner’s “Parsifal” on Sunday, July 8, 2018. The production, directed by Pierre Audi, will be led by Music director Kirill Petrenko and star Jonas Kaufmann, Christian Gerhaher, René Pape, Wolfgang Koch, and Nina Stemme. The stream kicks off at 5 p.m. local time. That’s around 12 p.m. EDT and 9 {…}
It’s a star-studded weekend. Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Angela Gheorghiu, and many others perform around the world. Here is a look at what you cannot miss this weekend. Nabucco – Prague National Theatre, Czech Republic Jose Cura directs a new production of Verdi’s early work with Anda-Louise Bogza in the role of Abigaille and Miguelangelo Cavalcanti in the title {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has announced its Live in HD Summer Encores series. The Met will rebroadcast four popular operas including Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” starring Roberto Alagna and Kristine Opolais from 2016, followed by Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” starring Anna Netrebko, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Dolora Zajick, and Yonghoon Lee from 2015. The series will then feature Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” with Renée Fleming, Hvorostovsky, {…}
Nina Stemme has won the 2018 Birgit Nilsson Prize. The Birgit Nilsson Foundation announced that the prize will be awarded at a special ceremony on Oct. 11, 2018 at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Stemme was recognized for her interpretations of the dramatic soprano repertoire with her respect for the composer’s intentions, her tireless dedication to the dramatic soprano {…}
The 2017-18 season comes to an end and in comes festival season. So where are the big stars and what are interesting works being discovered this year? With a ton of selections to be sure, we whittled it down to the 10 Must-See productions (as we did with the U.S.) that cannot be missed this summer. 10. Tristan und Isolde – {…}
Swedish soprano Nina Stemme, born on May 11, 1963, has had a career that many sopranos would envy. For most singers, Wagner doesn’t come easily. For others, it doesn’t come at all. Stemme has made a career out of dominating the works by the famed composer, among many other noted works. She actually kicked off her professional life studying business {…}
The Vienna State Opera has announced the 2018-19 season, which is incidentally the company’s 150-anniversary year. The season will include six new productions, including a world premiere production. Here is a breakdown of what’s to come. New Productions (In Order of Opening) Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” will be the first new production, starting on Oct. 14, 2018. David McVicar directs while {…}
The Vienna State Opera has announced the 2018-19 season, which will feature many of opera’s great stars. There are a ton of ensemble artists that are due for big years, including Olga Bezsmertna who is slated for a whopping nine roles this season. But here is a look at five other artists who are poised to be the must-see performers {…}