The Colburn School will host its Art of Song Festival on Oct. 18–19, 2025. The event is curated by LA Opera Music Director James Conlon. It will open on Oct. 18 with a masterclass featuring Frederica von Stade at 10 a.m. and another masterclass by Rod Gilfry and James Conlon on that same day at 1:30 p.m. Then on the {…}
(Photo: “Dead Man Walking” by Jake Heggie was twenty-five years old on Sunday, September 14th. In San Francisco, its anniversary was celebrated by the opening of a production, one of the 80 productions worldwide, with the composer, Jake Heggie there to receive the San Francisco Opera Medal, and Sister Helen Prejean, from whose book the opera arose, and retold in {…}
The San Francisco Opera is set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Dead Man Walking” by San Francisco-based composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrence McNally. The opera, which returns to the War Memorial Opera House stage on Sept. 14 through 28, 2025, will open the season. The opera premiered in 2000 and has since been seen in 80 productions worldwide, {…}
The New York Philharmonic has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the vocal performances. Santtu-Matias Rouvali and Miah Persson lead a performance of music by Sibelius, Julia Wolfe, and R. Strauss. Performance Dates: Nov. 7-12, 2024 Ton Koopman conducts Händel’s “Messiah” with soloists Maya Kherani, Maarten Engeltjes, and Klaus Mertens. Performance Dates: Dec. 11-14, 2024 Kevin John Edusei and Isabel {…}
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City has announced its 2024-25 season. Kevin Puts’ “The Brightness of Light” will be performed. The work is based on letters by Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry star. The work will be performed in a semi-staged concert with projections; the second half will consist of opera and Broadway {…}
The Dallas Opera is set to close its 65th Anniversary Season with the new-to-Dallas production of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte.” The production runs from March 24 through April 1, with the last performance on Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 pm, livestreamed exclusively via thedallasopera.TV. Elizabeth Askren, Alumna and Faculty Ambassador for TDO’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors, will lead The {…}
San Francisco Opera has announced its 2023-24 season, the 101st in the company’s history. The season will open with an Opera Ball featuring Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak. Eun Sun Kim conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a program of arias and duets. Performance Date: Sept. 8, 2023 Next up is “Il Trovatore” starring Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Angel Blue, Anita {…}
(Credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) Back in 2017, The Guardian meditated on why, despite being one of the world’s greatest plays, “Hamlet” had no great corresponding operatic adaptation. The article notes that despite there being about 40 actual operatic adaptations, none have stood the test of time or held the stage. Perhaps the lone work with staying power is {…}
The Houston Grand Opera has announced its 2022–23 season featuring operatic productions. Here is a look. Verdi’s “La Traviata” opens the season with Angel Blue and Cecilia Violetta López sharing the title role. They are joined by Bryan Hymel, Ricardo Garcia, Andrei Kymach, and Anthony Clark Evans. Matthew Aucoin conducts the production by Arin Arbus. Performance Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 8, 2022 Dame Ethel Smyth’s {…}
Photo by Andrew Eccles The Aspen Music Festival and School has announced the schedule for its 2022 showcase. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be solely on vocal and operatic performances. Soprano Renée Fleming and baritone Rod Gilfry will kick off the festival with a performance of Kevin Puts’ “The Brightness of Light.” The concert, which will {…}
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2022-23 season featuring two newly-commissioned world premieres, three premieres of works never before seen on Lyric’s stage, and a host of classic favorites. Here is a look. Russell Thomas sings the title role in Verdi’s “Ernani.” He is joined by Tamara Wilson, Quinn Kelsey, and Christian Van Horn. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production by Louisa {…}
