(Photo: Noah Shaye) OperaWire: What was the first opera you saw? Raffaele Pe: Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” in Parma, when I was 11. OW: What was the last opera you appeared in? RP: Vivaldi’s “Giustino” in Drottningholm, Stockholm. OW: What role are you currently performing? RP: Apollo in Mozart’s “Apollo et Hyacinthus” in Venice OW: In which opera are {…}
This week audiences can listen to world premieres, rising stars, and watch two rarely performed operas. Songs of Earth and Air Lorelt CD Label is set to release an album of vocal works composed by Rhian Samuel, inspired by poetry celebrating nature and her love of the Welsh countryside. Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams presents a collage of songs and {…}
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma has announced its 2022-23 Season. Emma Dante conducts Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmelites” with Michele Mariotti conducting. Corinne Winters stars alongside Anna Caterina Antonacci, Ewa Vesin, Ekaterina Gubanova, and Jean-François Lapointe. The opera will be transmitted live on Rai Cultura and Rai5. Performance Dates: Nov. 27-Dec. 6, 2022 Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” will be conducted by Francesco {…}
The Clermont Auvergne Opéra has announced its 2022-23 season featuring opera, concerts, and recitals. Opera Gaspard Brécourt conducts Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” with Éric Pérez conducting. Julie Goussot, Ania Wozniak, Marielou Jacquard, Antoine Foulon, Jean Miannay, and Mikhael Piccone star. Performance Dates: Oct. 13 & 14, 2022 Amaury du Closel conducts Pierre Thirion-Vallet production of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Erminie Blondel, Matthieu {…}
The Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe has announced its 2022-23 season featuring six premieres and several revivals. Premieres Wagner’s “Der fliegende Holländer” with Georg Fritzsch conducting and Ludger Engels directing. Premiere Date: Dec. 10, 2022 Yura Yang conducts Bizet’s “Carmen” in a new production by Immo Karaman. Premiere Date: Jan. 21, 2023 Regie Carlos Wagner directs Händel’s “Ottone, Re di Germania” with {…}
(Credit: RibaltaLuceStudio) Wigmore Hall is set to present countertenor Raffaele Pe and baroque ensemble “La Lira di Orfeo” on June 20, 2022. The performance will include music by Monteverdi, Giovanni Paolo Cima, and Dario Castello. In an official press statement, Pe noted that this program was “a way to evoke Monteverdi’s introverted yet generous and cheerful spirit letting his immortal {…}
The Göttingen International Handel Festival has announced its 2022 slate, entitled “New Horizons.” The festival opens with “Aminta e Fillide” starring Bruno de Sá and Myrsini Margariti. George Petrou conducts the FestspielOrchester Göttingen. Performance Dates: May 12, 2022 Next up is the opening of “Giulio Cesare” starring Yuriy Mynenko, Sophie Junker, Nicholas Tamagna, Francesca Ascioti, Katie Coventry, Riccardo Novaro, Artur {…}
(Photo: Marco Caselli) In 1739 Vivaldi complained in a letter to his patron Marquis Guido Bentivoglio about the treatment he had suffered from the directors of Ferrara’s Teatro Bonacossi: “My reputation has been scourged…to the extent they are refusing as a second opera ‘Farnace,’ which I have prepared afresh especially for the company according to written agreements… I will not {…}
(Photo: Gianpaolo Parodi) In 1708 Händel wrote “Aci, Galatea and Polifemo,” a serenata for three voices, as part of the celebrations to mark the marriage of Beatrice Tocco di Montemiletto and Duke D’Alvito Tolomeo III. Its narrative, taken from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” relates how the love between the shepherd Aci and the nymph Galatea enrages the cyclops Polifemo, who in a {…}
This week audiences are in for a treat with numerous new releases of world premieres, full operas, solo albums, and classic productions. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Il Pirata Prima Classic releases Bellini’s rarely performed work with Javier Camarena, Marina Rebeka, and Franco Vassallo performing the leading roles. The album was recorded at Bellini’s homeland, Catania, {…}
(Credit: © Gregor Hohenberg / Sony Classical/Michael Cooper/Dario Acosta) Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia has announced its 2021-22 season featuring concert performances with some of the greatest stars in the world. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on vocal performances only. Concerts Jakub Hrůša conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Wiebke Lehmkuhl. Performance {…}