Karen Chia-ling Ho, Olga Kulchynska, Mattia Olivieri, Lucia Lucas & Iestyn Davies Lead Santa Fe Opera’s 2026 Season

The Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2026 season. Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will open the season with a revival production directed by Melanie Bacaling. The cast will include Karen Chia-ling Ho, Stephen Costello, Jonathan Burton, Jarrett Ott, and Sun-Ly Pierce. John Fiore conducts. Performance Dates: July 3-29, 2026 Harry Bicket conducts Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” in a production by Christopher Luscombe. Josh Lovell, Joélle Harvey, Rainelle {…}

Apr 24, 2025

Q & A: Olga Kulchynska on ‘Le Nozze di Figaro,’ The Metropolitan Opera & Her Salzburg Festival Debut

(Credit: Julia Wimmerlin) Olga Kulchynska is currently starring in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Le Nozze di Figaro.” The soprano made her Met debut six years ago and has already performed over 20 times with the company in “La Bohème” and Turandot.” This season, she will get her first Met Live in HD with her interpretation of Susanna in Mozart’s {…}

Apr 12, 2025

Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Michael Volle, Ludovic Tézier, Pretty Yende, Rolando Villazón, Federica Lombardi, Nicole Car, Freddie De Tommaso & Juan Diego Flórez Headline Wiener Staatsoper’s 2025-26 Season

The Wiener Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the operas and recitals for the new season. Premieres Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” will get a new production by Dirk Schmeding. The cast will be headed by Franz Xaver Schlecht, Margaret Plummer, Slávka Zámečníková, Ivo Stanchev, Monika Bohinec, Pavol Breslik, Michael Laurenz, Peter Kellner, Matthäus Schmidlechner, Ilia Staple, and Alex Ilvakhin. Tomáš Hanus conducts. A second cast will {…}

Apr 10, 2025

Federica Lombardi & Michael Sumuel Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ HD Performance

(Credit: Evan Zimmerman / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD season will continue with Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” on April 26, 2025. The production by Richard Eyre will be conducted by Joana Mallwitz and will star Michael Sumuel and soprano Olga Kulchynska as Figaro and Susanna. They will be joined by Joshua Hopkins as Count Almaviva, Federica Lombardi as the {…}

Apr 7, 2025

Kristine Opolais, Jonathan Tetelman, Eleonora Buratto, Kate Lindsey, Matthias Goerne & Rinat Shaham Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. It’s another week of many releases, including new complete opera recordings, solo albums, oratorios, and sacred works. John Weldon: The Judgment of Paris A long-lost masterpiece revived by Julian Perkins, Cambridge Handel Opera Company and Academy of Ancient Music Academy of Ancient Music {…}

Apr 1, 2025

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: Le Nozze di Figaro (Cast A)

The Metropolitan Opera revived “Le Nozze di Figaro” for the 2024-25 season. I’ve seen this Richard Eyre production countless times and it’s always a breath of air to see how different casts can take the same directions, but breathe new life into them. And this cast was no different. When I reviewed the opera in 2021-22, I remarked how different {…}

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 {…}

Feb 6, 2025

Federica Lombardi, Emily D’Angelo, Rosa Feola & Adam Plachetka Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’

The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive “Le Nozze di Figaro” for 13 performances. The opera will be conducted by Joana Mallwitz, who makes her company debut and will showcase Richard Eyre’s production. There will be two casts for the work, the first of which showcases Federica Lombardi, Olga Kulchynska, Sun-Ly Pierce, Joshua Hopkins, and Michael Sumel. The second cast {…}

Dec 26, 2024

Royal Opera House 2024-25 Review: La Bohème

(Photo: Puccini’s most beloved masterpiece is a feast at any time of the year, but as a Christmas treat, promises to deliver many gifts. Alas, like ALL gifts, some are more desirable than others; some special, some expected and some unwanted. As is the case with this fifth revival of Richard Jones’s classic 2017 production, where some presents are more {…}

Aug 21, 2024

Carnegie Hall Announces ‘Concert for the Children and Youth of Ukraine’

(Credit: Courtesy of Carnegie Hall) Carnegie Hall has announced a “Concert for the Children and Youth of Ukraine: A Benefit for Direct Relief.” The concert, which will be held on Oct. 23 at the Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, will showcase the Orchestra for Ukraine conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. The evening will include soloists violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, soprano Olga Kulchynska, {…}

Jul 8, 2024

Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón & Piotr Beczała Lead ‘Masters of Classic’s’ First Season

A new festival, “Masters of Classic,” will celebrate its first year in Bucharest, Romania with a star-studded lineup. The festival will occur between Sept. 1 and 15, 2024 at the Sala Palatului and the National Opera House in Bucharest. For this article, vocal performances will be emphasized. The season opens with Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov performing in concert. Performance {…}