Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Diana Damrau, Rolando Villazon, Asmik Grigorian, Ludovic Tézier, Jonathan Tetelman, Serena Sáenz & Sondra Radvanovsky Lead Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2025-26 Season

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 {…}

Feb 27, 2025

Opéra National de Paris 2025 Review: I Puritani

(Credit: Sébastien Mathé) Vincenzo Bellini’s last opera, “I Puritani,” premiered in 1835 at the Theatre d’Italie in Paris, in the same year he untimely died at 35. The story is set in England in the 17th century, during the civil war between Cromwell’s republicans (the Puritans of the title) and the Stuarts’ royalists. While the music sets this work as {…}

Dec 29, 2024

Teatro Real de Madrid 2024-25 Review: Maria Stuarda (Cast A)

(Photo: After having opened the season with his production of “Adriana Lecouvreur,” David McVicar returned to Teatro Real for his new production of “Maria Stuarda,” co-produced with Teatre del Liceu, Donizetti Opera Festival-Bergamo and Finland National Opera. McVicar is one of the greatest directors of this generation and his productions are shown at major opera houses around the world. He {…}

Apr 23, 2024

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma 2023-24 Review: La Sonnambula

Photo: The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma presents a new production of Vincenzo Bellini’s “La sonnambula,” crafted by Jean-Philippe Clarac and Olivier Deloeuil, boasting a stellar cast. Set in a picturesque Swiss village, the narrative revolves around Amina, a modest young woman on the brink of matrimony to a wealthy landowner. However, her world is turned upside down when she is {…}

Mar 19, 2024

Wiener Staatsoper 2023-24 Review: La Cenerentola

(Photo © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn) “La Cenerentola” premiered in 1817, shortly after Rossini’s success with “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” History tells us that it was composed in just three weeks, with only minimal self-plagiarism: the overture was borrowed from “La Gazetta,” and the protagonist’s final rondo from the tenor’s final aria in “Il Barbiere.” The story is a {…}

Mar 18, 2024

Gran Teatre del Liceu Announces Cast Changes for ‘La Cenerentola’

The Gran Teatre del Liceu has announced cast changes for Rossini’s “La Cenerentola.” The company said that bass-baritone Carlos Chausson has canceled his participation as Don Magnífico, while Roberto Tagliavini has also canceled the role of Alidoro due to personal reasons. As a result, Paolo Bordogna will replace Chausson, moving to the first cast. Meanwhile, Pablo Ruiz will replace Bordogna {…}

Aug 22, 2023

Salzburg Festival 2023 Review: I Capuleti e i Montecchi

(Photo: ©SF Marco Borrelli) It is believed that there are no bad orchestras, just bad conductors. Following this rationale, Marco Armiliato conducting my high school orchestra in David Gefffen Hall would be greeted with rave reviews. It is not that he wrung water out of stones—this miracle belongs exclusively to Moses’s staff. But, he did lead Salzburg’s Mozarteum Orchestra to {…}

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, {…}

Mar 10, 2023

Piotr Beczala, Magdalena Kožená & Asmik Grigorian Lead Gewandhausorchester Leipzig’s 2023-24 Season

The Gewandhausorchester Leipzig has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances for the season. Andris Nelsons conducts a concert that includes Hanna-Elisabeth Muller and Kirill Gerstein. Thomas Ades and Sibelius are featured on the program. Performance Dates: Sept. 14 & 15, 2023 Andris Nelsons conducts a Mendelssohn program with soloists Elsa Benoit, Werner Gura, and {…}

Jun 21, 2022

Teatro Real de Madrid to Broadcast ‘Nabucco’

The Teatro Real de Madrid is set to broadcast Verdi’s “Nabucco” on July 15. The company will showcase the production by Andreas Homoki around the world. Nicola Luisotti conducts the opera with a cast that includes George Gagnidze, Michael Fabiano, Roberto Tagliavini, Saioa Hernández, Elena Maximova, Simon Lim, Fabián Lara, and Maribel Ortega. The opera is part of the company’s {…}

May 27, 2022

Lisette Oropesa, Saioa Hernández, Anna Netrebko, Jakub Józef Orliński & Piotr Beczala Lead Teatro Real de Madrid’s 2022-23 Season

The Teatro Real de Madrid has announced its 2022-23 season featuring nine company premieres. Opera Philip Glass’ “Orphée” opens the season with Jordi Francés conducting Rafael Villalobos’ production. The chamber work stars María Rey-Joly, Isabella Gaudí, Sylvia Schwartz, Natalia Labourdette, Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, Juan Antonio Sanabria, Edward Nelson, Karina Demurova, Pablo García-López, and Emmanuel Faraldo. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-25, 2022 Nicola Luisotti, Diego García Rodríguez, {…}