Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman, has been a crossroads of culture for centuries. Ships from as far away as China once arrived here, bearing precious spices. Oman itself was and remains the leading producer of frankincense, the scent of which hangs in the air. The Sultanate sits at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, with {…}
(Photo credit: Khalid Al Busaidi) General Director of the Royal Opera House Muscat, Umberto Fanni, led a media briefing on the company’s upcoming season. During the briefing, Fanni gave insight to the planning of the 2024-25 season, and beyond. He also spoke to the company’s mission and dedication to community and culture. The 2024-25 season titled “Timeless Tales and Fabulous {…}
(Credit: Courtesy of Royal Opera House Muscat) The Royal Opera House Muscat has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera The season will open with Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” featuring The National Centre for Performing Arts Beijing. The cast will include Elena Stikhina, Piotr Bezcala, Liao Chaoyong, and Agnieszka Rehlis, and will be directed by Hugo de Ana. Giampaolo Bisanti conducts. {…}
(Photo: Khalid Al-Busaidi) On October 14th, 2011, the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) opened its doors for its inaugural season with a production of Puccini’s “Turandot,” with the aim of establishing itself as a “centre of excellence in global cultural engagement.” It is a noble and ambitious aim, for sure, but for a country without a tradition of opera, it {…}
(Photo: Khalid Al-Busaidi) Although Maria Callas died almost 50 years ago, her name is still able to draw in the crowds. One of the headline offerings of the Royal Opera House Muscat’s (ROHM) current opera season was a concert entitled “Homage to Maria Callas,” which drew an enthusiastic audience. Of course, the presence of the fabulous soprano Sonya Yoncheva and {…}
(Photo: Khalid Al-Busaidi, ROHM) OperaWire has been in Oman at the Royal Opera House Muscat to review a production of Puccini’s “La Bohème” and a concert performance entitled “Homage To Maria Callas,” starring the great Italian baritone Leo Nucci and the fabulous Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, along with the Egyptian tenor Ragaa Eldin. The stars of the show, Yoncheva and {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat and Teatro La Fenice have met to discuss future collaborations. On a recent visit to Teatro La Fenice his Highness Sayyid Dr. Kamil Fahad Al Said, the Secretary General in the General Secretariat for the Council of Ministers and Member of the Board of Directors of Royal Opera House Muscat met with Fortunato Ortombina, General {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat has released a lineup of events in celebration of its upcoming production of “La Bohème.” Activities begin on April 23 with the Middle East’s first showing of the “La Bohème” film directed by Mario Martone. Prior to the showing a short talk with the RAI TV team and Martone is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat is set to present “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Feb. 9 and 10, 2024. The showcases will be directed by Laurence Dale and feature Sydney Mancasola as Titania, Christopher Ainslie as Oberon, Matteo Anselmi as Puck, Scott Wilde as Theseus, Kamelia Kader as Hippolyta and Peter Kirk as Lysander. Donato Renzetti conducts the Orchestra and {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat has canceled performances in solidarity with Palestine. The company said, “The Royal Opera House Muscat announces the cancellation of the Omani Women’s Day event and the suspension of all other performances until further notice, in solidarity with the People of Palestine.” The company was set to open a production of “The Barber of Seville” at {…}
The Royal Opera House Muscat has unveiled its 2023-24 season. Here is the rundown of the classical vocal performances on offer. First up is “The Barber of Seville” with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and the Intermezzo Choir under the musical direction of Antonino Fogliani. The opera stars Antonino Siragusa as Conte d’Almaviva, Carlo Lepore as Dr. Bartolo, Nicola {…}