Xabier Anduaga, Michael Spyres, Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges, Rachel Willis-Sørensen Headline 2024 Richard Tucker Gala

(Image courtesy of Richard Tucker Foundation) The Richard Tucker Foundation has announced its 2024 gala, scheduled for Oct. 27, 2024. This year’s event will feature the talents of Xabier Anduaga and Michael Spyres, who are presented as a special guest. He is joined by past winners including Jamie Barton (Richard Tucker Award 2015), Stephanie Blythe (1999 Richard Tucker Award), J’Nai {…}

Aug 23, 2024

National Symphony Orchestra Presents Strauss Concerts

(Credit: Andrew Eccles) The National Symphony Orchestra is set to open its 2024–2025 season with a variety of concerts featuring classics, new works, and collaborations. In a statement, Music Director Gianandrea Noseda, The Roger Sant and Congresswoman Doris Matsui Chair said, “It is a joy for me to be returning to Washington, D.C., to open my eighth season as Music {…}

Jul 8, 2024

Santa Fe Opera Announces New Cast Change for ‘Don Giovanni’

The Santa Fe Opera has announced that international soprano and former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice singer Rachel Willis-Sørensen will join the cast of “Don Giovanni.” The soprano will perform the role of Donna Anna for six performances between July 29 and August 23. Recently, Apprentice singer Rachel Fitzgerald made her Santa Fe Opera debut in the role, with performances on June {…}

May 13, 2024

Anna Netrebko, Juan Diego Flórez, Diana Damrau, Lise Davidsen, René Pape & Rachel Willis-Sørensen Lead Staatsoper Unter Den Linden’s 2024-25 Season

The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Luca Salsi and Anna Netrebko team up for Verdi’s “Nabucco.” Ivan Magrì, Marina Prudenskaya, and René Pape join them. Anastasia Bartoli also performs. Bertrand de Billy conducts the new production by Emma Dante. Performance Dates: Oct. 2-26, 2024 Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” receives a new production featuring multiple casts. {…}

May 3, 2024

Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Benjamin Appl, Sir Bryn Terfel, Roderick Williams, Elena Pankratova Headline Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024-25 Season

(Credit: Chris Christodoulou) The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a rundown of the vocal performances on offer. The season opens with a concert featuring soprano Sarah Wegener. The program includes Strauss’ “Four Last Songs” and works by Juan Bautista Plaza and Mahler. Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. 17 & 20, 2024 Next up is {…}

Apr 30, 2024

Pretty Yende, Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez, Allan Clayton, Lise Davidsen, & Lisette Oropesa Lead Royal Opera House’s 2024-25 Season

The Royal Opera House has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the season. Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” will open the season with a cast that includes Luca Micheletti, Ying Fang, Huw Montague Rendall, Jacquelyn Stucker, and Ginger Costa-Jackson. Performance Dates: Sept. 2-15, 2024 Verdi’s “La Traviata” will feature two casts. The first cast will be headlined {…}

Mar 16, 2024

Jonas Kaufmann, Elīna Garanča, Nicholas Brownlee, Lisette Oropesa, Pretty Yende & Christopher Maltman Lead Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2024-25 Season

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2024-25 season. Premieres Tobias Krazter directs a new production of Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” with Nicholas Brownlee, Milan Siljanov, Sean Panikkar, Markus Brück, Matthias Klink, Matthew Rose, Timo Riihonen, Ekaterina Gubanova, Mirjam Mesak, and Wiebke Lehmkuhl. Vladimir Jurowski conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. 27, 2024-July 31, 2025 Damiano Michieletto directs Donizetti’s “La Fille du Régiment” with {…}

Mar 14, 2024

Sondra Radvanovsky, Morris Robinson, Rachel Willis-Sørensen & Thomas Hampson Lead National Symphony Orchestra’s 2024-25 Season

The National Symphony Orchestra has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances on offer. Eugene Rogers conducts Morris Robinson in a program that includes music by Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland, and Carlos Simon. Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2024 Gianandrea Noseda and Rachel Willis-Sørensen join forces for music by Carlos Simon, Strauss, and Beethoven. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}

Nov 17, 2023

ORF to Broadcast Jonas Kaufmann’s ‘Otello’ from Wiener Staatsoper

(Credit: © Wiener Staatsoper | Michael Pöhn) ORF III is set to broadcast Wiener Staatsoper’s production of Verdi’s “Otello” on Nov. 19, 2023. The production, which is directed by Adrian Noble, was performed back in October and starred Jonas Kaufmann in the title role alongside Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Desdemona and Ludivoc Tézier as Iago. Alexander Soddy conducted the production. Critics {…}

Jul 3, 2023

Royal Opera House 2022-23 Review: Il Trovatore

If you’re not fully conversant with the tale that is the centerpiece of one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most celebrated and performed works, “Il Trovatore,” then I highly recommend a little further reading and research before attempting to digest this opera. It may well help to alleviate some of the confusion in following the plot. There’s little one can do, however, {…}

Jun 19, 2023

Q & A: Rachel Willis-Sørensen on Her Career & Focus Towards Being an Uplifting Role Model for Young Artists

(Photo by Olivia Kahler) American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen is known for her diverse repertoire ranging from Mozart to Wagner. She has performed at leading opera houses around the world to high acclaim. She won first prize at the 2014 Operalia competition in Los Angeles and at the 2011 Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, and she was a winner of the {…}

Rachel Willis-Sorensen