Cleveland Orchestra Extends Franz Welser-Möst’s Contract, Announces New Opera Performances Including Piotr Beczala As ‘Parsifal’

(Credit: Julia Wesely) The Cleveland Orchestra has announced a new five-year extension of Franz Welser-Möst’s contract as Music Director. The new contract will continue the conductor and orchestra’s partnership that began in 2002 and will now be extended until 2027. “I am delighted to announce this extended contract, ensuring The Cleveland Orchestra’s acclaimed partnership with Franz Welser-Möst for an additional {…}

Sep 22, 2019

Joyce DiDonato, Piotr Beczala & Edita Gruberova Win Oper Magazine Awards

Joyce DiDonato and Piotr Beczala won top prizes at the first annual Oper Magazine awards. The singers won Best Female and Male singer of the year, while the Best Opera House award went to the Zurich Opera House. The awards also saw the Donizetti Opera Festival take home the Best Festival award, while Joana Mallwitz won the as Best Conductor award. {…}

Sep 18, 2019

Dmytro Popov To Take Over ‘Un Ballo In Maschera’ At Deutsche Oper Berlin

(Credit: Anton Ovcharov) Dmytro Popov is set to sing performances of Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. The company announced that Popov will take over the Sept. 19 and 23 performances in the role of Gustav which Piotr Beczala was originally scheduled to sing. Popov sang the opening night on Sept. 15 and is next scheduled {…}

Sep 14, 2019

Piotr Beczala Cancels ‘Un Ballo In Maschera’ In Berlin

(Credit: Johannes Ifkovits) Piotr Beczala has canceled performances of Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” in Berlin. The Deutsche Oper Berlin announced via social media that Beczala was ill. The company stated, “Due to problems with his vocal chords, Piotr Beczala has to cancel his performances as Gustaf III in ‘Un Ballo in Maschera’ on 15/19/23 Sept at the Deutsche Oper.” As {…}

Aug 23, 2019

Marina Rebeka & Piotr Beczala Lead Top 6 Operas To See This Weekend Internationally (8/23-25)

(Credit: SF/Ruth Walz /Metropolitan Opera / Rossini Opera Festival) Stars, season finales, and some of the greatest operas in the standard repertoire are set to take over your weekend. Here are our picks for the operas to see this weekend. Luisa Miller – Salzburg Festival, Austria Plácido Domingo returns to the Salzburg stage in a concert performance of one of his {…}

Aug 19, 2019

Festival Castell De Peralada Announces Luxury Cast For New ‘Aida’

The Festival Castell de Peralada has announced that it will present Verdi’s “Aida” in 2020. Festival director Oriol Aguilá announced the new production of Verdi’s opera, which will be directed by Paco Azorin and will star soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role with tenor Piotr Beczala as Radamès. Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili will sing the role of Amneris, a portrayal for {…}

Jul 31, 2019

Gran Teatre de Liceu 2018-19 Review: Luisa Miller

(Credit: A Bofill) “Luisa Miller,” which premiered in 1849, marks the inflection point from the early Verdi style, strongly influenced by the formal structure of the Bel-canto operas, to the mature Verdi who looked for a dramatic communion between the text, the vocal line, the music, and the characters. We can even appreciate an evolution within the opera, where the {…}

Jul 28, 2019

Piotr Beczala Encores At Gran Teatre Del Liceu

On July 26, 2019, Piotr Beczala continued making history as he encored during his final performance of Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. The tenor encored the aria “Quando le sere al Placido” after receiving a rousing ovation during his final performance. It’s not the first time the tenor encores at the famed Barcelona theater. During the {…}

Jul 12, 2019

Jonas Kaufmann, Plácido Domingo & The Top 7 Opera To see This Weekend Internationally (7/12-14)

(Credit: Gran Theatre del Liceu/Bayerische Staatsoper/Metropolitan Opera) This weekend is stacked with a number of new productions and revivals with some of the biggest stars. Here is a look at seven works we think are unmissable. Guillaume Tell – Chorégies d’Orange, France Nicola Alaimo takes on Rossini’s final opera, a work that has become his signature. He is joined by {…}

Jul 3, 2019

Piotr Beczala & Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen Highlight New CD/DVD Releases – July 1

Three new releases are set for this week. One of the the releases comes from last summer while another is a world premiere of an interesting new work. Lohengrin Piotr Beczala stars in Yuval Sharon’s acclaimed production of Wagner’s masterwork from last summer’s Bayreuth production. Anja Harteros, Waltraud Meier, Tomasz Konieczny, and Georg Zeppenfeld also star. Christian Thielemann conducts this {…}

Jun 21, 2019

Lisette Oropesa & Piotr Beczala & The Top 7 Operas To See This Weekend – International

Credit: Opera de Pairs/Teatro alla Scala/Wiener Staatsoper/Opera Royal de Wallonie It’s a weekend filled with broadcasts, premieres and new productions that are not be missed. Tosca – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria Piotr Beczala receives his Kammersänger honor after the performance of Puccini’s masterpiece. He is joined by Nina Stemme and Carlos Álvarez. The starry cast is joined by Marc Armiliato in the {…}