On Monday, soprano Evelyn Herlitzius kicks off her first year on the North American opera scene. For years, the German soprano has dominated Europe as a leading interpreter of the German repertoire. She has dominated Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, Milan, Baden-Baden, Salzburg, and Paris, among others, in such operas as “Elektra,” “Tristan und Isolde,” “Wozzeck,” “Lohengrin,” and Wagner’s “Der Ring des {…}
René Pape, opera’s most iconic bass had an eventful 2017 and is kicking off the New Year in tremendous style. For those who want a recap – the bass sang in 14 productions throughout the year, mostly in Wagner operas and then ended 2017 by releasing a rubber duck in his image, the famed “Papeduck.” And now he’s back for {…}
Wagner’s “Parsifal” opens on Feb. 5, 2018, at the Metropolitan Opera in a revival of the successful production by François Girard with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in the pit. René Pape and Peter Mattei reprise the roles that they dominated the last time this production came to the Met, but the other two singers to take on major roles are perhaps less {…}
“To see the elephants. The lights. The action. I was sold. I didn’t understand why I had to go to school because I knew what I wanted right away. I thought it was the most amazing magical night ever.” That was mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught’s description of her first ever experience at the Arena di Verona as a 13-year-old. The Dundalk, {…}
René Pape is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, living bass of his generation. He has performed with all the leading opera companies and has sung numerous leading roles. But there is a composer that he has become associated with, in particular, Wagner. In celebration of Pape’s birthday on Sept. 4, 1964, OperaWire looks at some of {…}
We have a conductor change at the Bayreuth Festival for the “Parsifal” performance on August 5, 2017. Per the company’s official website maestro Harmut Haenchen will be replaced by Marek Janowski due to illness. The performance of Wagner’s final opera will include RyaMcKinny as Amfortas, Karl-Heinz Lehner as Titurel, Georg Zeppenfeld as Gurnemanz, Andreas Schager as Parsifal, Derek Welton as {…}
Richard Wagner is one of the most controversial figures in all of history, his antisemitic statements often creating staunch adversaries to his art. And just as the man was condemned for his abject racism, some of his operas have been at the heat of controversy. Take the “Ring,” for example, with many seeing Mime and Alberich as anti-semitic symbols. But {…}
This week opera lovers get a chance to discover new music from Robert Franz and Handel and relive a classic work from Wagner. They also get a chance to listen to some of the world’s foremost Baroque specialists and Wagner singers. Check it out! Parsifal A new recording of Wagner’s “Parsifal” is scheduled for release this week as part of Elder’s new {…}
The Opera Ballet Vlaanderen has officially revealed its schedule for the 2017-18 season. The company kicks things off in Gent and Antwerp on Sept. 15 with a production of “Das Wunder der Heliane” by Korngold. The opera gets four performances at Opera Gent and five at Opera Antwerpen with Alexander Joel conducting a cast that includes Ian Storey as the {…}
It’s the holiday season with Easter and Passover taking place at the same time. As a result, OperaWire is taking a look at some of the operas that are set during these very sacred holidays. Easter For those not familiar with what Easter Sunday celebrates, it is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as {…}
On Thursday, April 13, 2017, the Vienna State Opera is live streaming its current run of Wagner’s “Parsifal.” The Vienna State Opera’s current production of “Parsifal” has garnered strong reviews since it debuted a few weeks ago with Classical Source praising conductor Semyon Bychov for leading “a patient but never dragging interpretation. He and his musicians demonstrated great endurance and {…}