(Credit: Richard Termine/Metropolitan Opera) On Oct. 11, 2019, the Metropolitan Opera raised the curtain on this season’s premiere of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Anthony Minghella’s production is a compelling mixture of traditional and modern creative choices, able to lend beauty as well as meaning to the unfolding story. One constant example came in the mirror hanging over the stage, reflecting all {…}
(Credit: Ken Howard/ Metropolitan Opera) Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera with two of the world’s greatest interpreters. Fall Cast The season premiere will open with Hui He in a role she has performed all over the world at such venues as the Arena di Verona, Opernhaus Zurich, Teatro Real de Madrid, the Dallas Opera, {…}
One day, as a 16-year-old, tenor Piero Pretti, was invited by Fabrizio Ruiu to audition for a polyphonic choir. That moment would have tremendous implications for the Sardinian tenor. Not only would Ruiu, a close friend from childhood, become the best man at his wedding, but this audition would change Pretti’s life forever. “I fell in love with it,” he {…}
(Credit: Christian Leiber/ ONP) This week the Metropolitan Opera is set to open its classic production of “Madama Butterfly” with some of the opera’s greatest interpreters and some Met favorites. And with the cast comes a new Met star, Piero Pretti. Pretti, who has established himself throughout Europe since his 2006 professional debut, will make his Met debut in his signature {…}
Three new releases will be seen this week featuring some rarely performed works. La Donna Serpente Piero Pretti, Carmela Remigio, Erika Grimaldi, Francesca Sassu, Anna Maria Chiuri, and Roberto de Candia star in a Alfredo Casella’s opera conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Naxos releases the production from the Teatro Regio di Torino. Eduardo e Cristina Naxos releases the rarely performed Rossini {…}
The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has announced its 2020 season. Here is a look at what to expect. The season opens with Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” conducted by Juraj Valčuha and in a new production by Ralf Pleger. Stefan Vinke and Ann Petersen take on the title role s with Albert Dohmen, Martin Gantner, and Ekaterina Gubanova. Performance Dates: Jan. 24-31, 2020 Karah Son, Cristina {…}
The Teatro La Fenice has announced its 2019-20 season featuring a number of productions and concerts. Opera Alex Esposito, Piero Pretti, Julian Kim, and Maria Agresta star in Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” Myung-Whun Chung conducts a production by Robert Carsen. Performance Dates: Nov. 24-Dec. 7, 2019 Enrico Calesso conducts a new production of Carlo Collodi’s “Pinocchio.” Gianmaria Aliverta directs the production in a new version with Silvia Frigato {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has announced its 2019-20 season featuring numerous new productions and two special concerts. Daniele Gatti conducts a new production of Verdi’s “Les Vêpres Siciliennes” by Valentina Carrasco. The production stars Roberto Frontali, John Osborn, Michele Pertusi, and Roberta Mantegna. Performance Dates: Dec. 10-22, 2019 Lyudmila Monastyrska and Monica Zanettin share the title role in Puccini’s “Tosca” with Giorgio Berrugi {…}
In Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1881 operetta “Patience,” the Oscar Wilde parody character Reginald Bunthorne boasts “I do not care for all one sees – that’s Japanese.” At the end of the Victorian era, the Land of the Rising Sun was an object of immense curiosity all over Western Europe and it seemed no occidental nation was immune to the craze {…}
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2019-20 season, featuring a number of important soloists and important works. For this season announcement, we will only focus on vocal showcases or programs related to opera in any way. Here is a look. Yannick Nezet-Seguin leads the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal in Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 as well as Joyce DiDonato in {…}
The Teatro Verdi Trieste has announced its 2018-19 season. The season opens with Bellini’s “I Puritani” starring Elena Moşuc, Antonino Siragusa, and Alexey Birkus. Fabrizio Maria Carminati conducts Emilio Sagi’s acclaimed production from the Teatro Real de Madrid. Performance Dates: Nov. 16-24, 2018 Christopher Franklin conducts Verdi’s “Nabucco” starring Giovanni Meoni, Giuseppe Infantino, Nicola Ulivieri, and Aya Wakizono. Performance Dates: Jan 18-26, 2019 {…}
