(Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera’s 2025–26 Live in HD season is set to present Strauss’s “Arabella” on Nov. 22. The opera will star soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Arabella, opposite bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as Mandryka. Soprano Louise Alder sings the role of Zdenka while soprano Julie Roset takes on the role of Fiakermilli. The cast also includes {…}
(Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) It’s been 11 years since the Metropolitan Opera presented Strauss’ “Arabella,” one of the composer’s most beautiful and charming works, and his last collaboration with Hofmannsthal. The work has been championed by many great sopranos and baritones throughout history. While originally scheduled for Lise Davidsen, the Met was able to find a soprano in {…}
(Credit: Photo: Marty Sohl / Met Opera) The Metropolitan Opera is set to present Strauss’ “Arabella” for the first time since 2014. The company will present Otto Schenk’s 1983 production, with sets designed by Günther Schneider-Siemssen, costumes by Milena Canonero, and lighting by Gil Wechsler. The work will star Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen in the title role and Tomasz Konieczny as {…}
(Credit: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera) In 2006, the Beverly Sills Award was established to help further the careers of rising stars by providing additional funding for vocal coaching, language study, travel costs, and other professional expenses. Sills was well-known as a supporter and friend to developing young artists, and the award was meant to honor her legacy as an {…}
(Photo by Olivia-Kahler) The Metropolitan Opera has named Rachel Willis-Sørensen the 2025 Beverly Sills Artist Award Winner. Willis-Sørensen will receive $50,000 as part of the award, which recognizes “extraordinarily gifted singers with rising Met careers.” The soprano debuted in 2014 in “Le Nozze di Figaro” and has since appeared in several major productions with the company. This season, she was {…}
Glyndebourne Festival has announced its 2026 season. New Productions Puccini’s “Tosca” will be directed by Ted Huffman with two casts. Robin Ticciati conducts the first run with a cast that includes Caitlin Gotimer as Floria Tosca, Matteo Lippi as Mario Cavaradossi, and Vladislav Sulimsky as Baron Scarpia. Jordan de Souza conducts the second cast that includes Natalya Romaniw as Floria {…}
(Credit: Bernd Uhlig) On April 13, the Berlin State Opera kicked off a new production of “Norma” by Vasily Barkhatov. The opera opened the company’s 2025 festival with Rachel Willis-Sørensen making her role debut as Norma. For the American soprano, this new venture into the bel canto repertory represents a departure from the repertoire she is best known for, which {…}
The Opéra National du Capitole de Toulouse has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Hervé Niquet conducts a production of Massenet’s “Thaïs” with Stefano Poda directing. Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Tassis Christoyannis, and Jean-François Borras star. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 5, 2025 Thomas Dunford conducts Handel’s “Theodora” in concert with Lea Desandre, Véronique Gens, Hugh Cutting, Laurence Kilsby, and Alex Rosen. Performance Date: {…}
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 {…}
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Fabio Luisi and Sofia Fomina lead a program of Mahler and Haydn. Performance Dates: Oct. 2 & 5, 2025 Fabio Luisi and Inon Barnatan lead a program with the Dallas Symphony Chorus of music by Angelica Negron, Gerswhin, and Gould. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
(Photo credits: Vedinaș, Behrmann, & Adjahoe) The George Enescu International Festival 2025 announces its star-studded lineup. This article only features vocal works. The opening concert features the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Iosef Ion Prunner and Cristian Măcelaru conduct. Performance Date: August 24, 2025 Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen performs with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra under the direction of Keri-lynn Wilson. {…}