Lise Davidsen, Sondra Radvanovsky, Saioa Hernández & Xabier Anduaga Lead Gran Teatre del Liceu’s 2022-23 Season

The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced its 2022-23 season featuring two world premieres and classic works with international stars. Here is a look at the new season. Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” will star Carlos Chausson, Alessandro Corbelli, Andrzej Filonczyk, Carles Pachón, Xabier Anduaga, Iván Ayón-Rivas, Sara Blanch, and Serena Sáenz. Josep Pons conducts. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2022 “La {…}

Dec 22, 2021

Ramón Vargas Takes Over Remaining Performances of Wiener Staatsoper’s ‘Don Carlo’

(Credit: LA Opera official website) Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas has replaced Italian tenor Fabio Sartori in the title role in Wiener Staatsoper’s “Don Carlo” for the remaining two performances on Dec. 22 & 25, 2022. Sartori withdrew from the production due to illness. Vargas joins a cast that includes René Pape as Philippo II, Ain Anger as The Grand Inquisitor, {…}

Dec 13, 2021

Wiener Staatsoper Announces Multiple Cast Changes For ‘Don Carlo’

(Credit: © Peter Mayr) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced multiple cast changes for its upcoming production of Verdi’s “Don Carlo.” Following the replacement of Asmik Grigorian in the role of Elisabetta di Valois; Ain Anger replaces Dmitry Ulyanov as the Grand Inquisitor; while René Pape replaces Anger in the role of Philippo II. The rest of the cast includes María {…}

Dec 13, 2021

Joseph Calleja, Pretty Yende, Alice Coote & Freddie De Tommaso Lead Riga Jurmala Music Festival’s 2022 Edition

(Credit: Riga Jurmala Music Festival) The Riga Jurmala Music Festival has announced its 2022 slate. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the vocal works only. Soprano Pretty Yende, mezzo-soprano Alice Coote, tenor Julien Prégardien, and bass René Pape perform Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626. The rest of a program features Sibelius’ Symphony No. 4 {…}

Dec 9, 2021

Georg Zeppenfeld Replaces René Pape in Wiener Staatsoper’s ‘Parsifal’

(Credit: Georg Zeppenfeld) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that bass René Pape will not be appearing in the role of Gurnemanz in the run of Wagner’s “Parsifal.” As a result, German bass Georg Zeppenfeld will take over the role. Zeppenfeld joins a cast that includes Wolfgang Koch, Anja Kampe, Nikolay Sidorenko, Artyom Wasnetsov, Carlos Osuna, Erik Van Heyningen, Patricia Nolz, {…}

Dec 1, 2021

Staatsoper Berlin Announces Cast Change for ‘Turandot’

(Credit: Bolshoi Theatre official website) The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced that tenor Yusif Eyvazov will not be appearing in the role of Calaf in Puccini’s “Turandot” for performances between July 1 – 10, 2022. As a result, tenor Murat Karahan will take over the role. Karahan joins a cast that includes Graham Clark, René Pape, Grigory Shkarupa, Olga {…}

Sep 29, 2021

Metropolitan Opera 2021-22 Review: Boris Godunov

(Credit: Marty Sohl/ Met Opera) On Sept. 28, Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” returned to the Met for the first time in a decade in Stephen Wadsworth’s acclaimed production. When the production first premiered back in 2010, the company had presented the 1872 version with the composer’s original orchestration and additions from the 1869 version. The production was conceived with Mussorsgky’s revisions {…}

Sep 24, 2021

René Pape Leads Metropolitan Opera’s ‘Boris Godunov’ Revival

(Credit: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera) On Sept. 28, the Metropolitan Opera is set to open Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov.” The company will revive Stephen Wadsworth’s celebrated 2010 production which saw the Met perform the 1875 version of the opera. It was broadcast live in cinemas with critics noting the production was “coherent and strong.” This season the company has made modifications to {…}

Jul 28, 2021

Piotr Beczała, Camilla Nylund, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller & Saimir Pirgu Headline Staatskapelle Dresden’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Johannes Ifkovits / © anna.s. / Hanna-Elisabeth Müller official website / LA Opera official website) The Staatskapelle Dresden has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purposes of this article we will focus only on vocal performances. Baritone Matthias Goerne presents works by Richard Wagner alongside conductor Manfred Honeck and the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. Performance date: Aug. 31, 2021 Soprano {…}

Jun 18, 2021

Catherine Foster, Adrian Angelico, Kangmin Justin Kim & Günther Groissböck Lead Staatstheater Wiesbaden’s 2021-22 Season

(Credit: Uwe Arens) The Staatstheater Wiesbaden in Germany has announced its 2021-22 season featuring new productions, revivals, and jung oper. Premieres Alexander Joel and Christoph Stiller conduct a new production of Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” by Philipp M. Krenn. The work stars Aluda Todua, Aleksei Isaev, Cristiana Oliveira, Vesselina Kasarova, Jordanka Milkova, and Aaron Cawley. Performance Dates: Sept. 19, 2021-July 15, 2022 {…}

Jun 14, 2021

Anna Netrebko, Renée Fleming, Sonya Yoncheva, Anita Rachvelishvili & Lise Davidsen Headline Berlin Philharmonic’s 2021-22 Season

(Credits: Dario Acosta / Andrew Eccles/Decca / Javier del Real / Dario Acosta / Ray Burmiston) The Berlin Philharmonic has announced its 2021-22 season, spotlighting some of the world’s greatest performers. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on vocal works. Here is the full slate: The Bundesjugendchor presents works by Brahms, Schumann, di Laso, Harvey, Rihm, and {…}

Rene Pape