Anna Netrebko, Freddie De Tommaso, Marina Rebeka, Bryn Terfel, Aigul Akhmetshina, Lisette Oropesa, Juan Diego Flórez & Pretty Yende Lead Royal Ballet & Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Oliver Mears. Anna Netrebko and Aleksandra Kurzak share the title role. Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley also star. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 7, 2025 Speranza Scappucci conducts Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” in a revival of Stefan Herheim’s production. Marina {…}

Mar 3, 2025

Quinn Kelsey, Sasha Cooke & Russell Thomas Lead Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-26 Season

The Baltimore Symphony has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Music Director Jonathon Heyward conducts Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and Scriabin’s “Prometheus: Poem of Fire,” alongside Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé: Suite No. 2” and Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain.” The concert features George Li and the University of Maryland Concert Choir. Performance Dates: Nov. 6-9, 2025 Patrick Quigley conducts {…}

Feb 20, 2025

Russell Thomas, Iestyn Davies, Kseniia Proshina, Quinn Kelsey & Karen Cargill Lead Canadian Opera Company’s 2025-26 Season

The Canadian Opera Company has announced its 2025-26 season. The company opens its new season with Gounod’s “Romeo et Juliette” starring Bekhzod Davronov and Kseniia Proshina. The cast also includes Robert Pomakov, Gordon Bintner, Korin-Thomas Smith, Owen McCausland, Alex Halliday, and Alex Hetherington. Yves Abel conducts Amy Lane’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 27-Oct. 18, 2025 Robert Carsen’s production of Gluck’s {…}

Jan 6, 2025

Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Controversial’ ‘Aida’ Set for Cinemas

(Credit: Ken Howard / Met Opera) Verdi’s “Aida” will be the next HD in the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series. The new production of “Aida” opened on Dec. 31 to controversy and mixed reviews with OperaWire noting, “Mayer’s production was passable, especially by his standards. Whether the execution justified its own existence is certainly a question for those managing {…}

Jan 1, 2025

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: Aida

(Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera) The curtain rose on Egyptian tombs. In the center, a rope came down and with it an archeologist. As he reached the bottom to get off the rope, he fell to the ground, the sound of his body crashing over the delicate violins that opened the prelude to Verdi’s Aida.” That was not supposed {…}

Nov 29, 2024

Angel Blue, Piotr Beczała, Brian Jagde, & Elīna Garanča Lead Metropolitan Opera’s New ‘Aida’ Production

(Credit: Paola Kudacki / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present a new production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The new production will open on Dec. 31, 2024, and will be directed by Michael Mayer, who has already been in charge of the Met’s productions of “Grounded,” “Rigoletto,” “La Traviata,” and “Marnie.” This will be the first new production of {…}

Nov 13, 2024

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: Tosca – Cast B

(Credit: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera) On Nov. 12, the Metropolitan Opera revived its production of Puccini’s “Tosca” to celebrate 100 years of the composer’s death. It was the second cast in the season following an acclaimed turn from Aleksandra Kurzak in September. For this evening, the Met put its hopes on what, on paper, looked like an all-star cast {…}

Nov 11, 2024

Lise Davidsen & Freddie de Tommaso Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Tosca’ HD

(Photo: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024–25 Live in HD season will continue with Puccini’s “Tosca” on Nov. 23. The HD will star Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen in the title role, tenor Freddie De Tommaso in his company debut as Cavaradossi, and baritone Quinn Kelsey as Scarpia. Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi returns as the Sacristan and Yannick Nézet-Séguinconducts David {…}

Sep 22, 2024

Quinn Kelsey & Luca Salsi Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Rigoletto’

The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive Verdi’s “Rigoletto” in Bartlett Sher’s production. The opera will showcase two different casts. In the fall season, Quinn Kelsey reprises his devastating portrayal of the title court jester. operaWire noted, “Note for note, moment for moment, this without any doubt in my mind is the most compelling Rigoletto that I’ve heard at the {…}

Sep 16, 2024

Aleksandra Kurzak, Sondra Ravdanovsky & Lise Davidsen Lead Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Tosca’ Revival

(Credit: Karen Almond/Metropolitan Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present Puccini’s “Tosca” for 13 performances. The production, which runs between Sept. 25 and Jan. 23, will feature three casts. The opening cast in September–October, will star soprano Aleksandra Kurzak in the title role alongside tenor SeokJong Baek and baritone George Gagnidze. Xian Zhang and Marco Armiliato conduct. OperaWire raved {…}

Jun 17, 2024

Opernhaus Zürich 2023-24 Review: I vespri siciliani

(Photo: ) Giuseppe Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” recounts the story of a historical revolution: the uprising of the Sicilian people against their French rulers in 1282, leading to the liberation of the island from their occupation. The political narrative is intertwined with the personal lives of the main characters. Duchess Elena, whose brother was killed by the French, seeks vengeance {…}

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