By the end of the first act, I knew it: to watch Sabine Devieilhe singing “Lakmé” is one of the greatest privileges of my life. Sopranos who can undertake Leo Delibes’ most cultivated operatic role are so rare that generations could be named after them: from Mady Mesplé to Natalie Dessay, Joan Sutherland to Christiane Eda-Pierre, Mado Robin to {…}
The Philharmonie de Paris has announced its 2023-24 season. Here is a look at the vocal highlights of the season. Klaus Mäkelä conducts Orchestre de Paris with soloists Bertrand Chamayou, Olga Peretyatko, Pavel Petrov, Alexey Markov, and Bertrand Mandico. The program includes music by Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. Performance Dates: Sept. 6 & 7, 2023 Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Mass in {…}
The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has announced its 2023-24 season featuring opera, opera in concert, and recitals. Here is a look at the vocal performances of the season. Opera Thomas Hengelbrock conducts Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” in a production by Damiano Michieletto. Marina Viotti, Levy Sekgapane, Edward Nelson, and Peter Kálmán. Performance Dates: Oct. 9-19, 2023 Mozary’s “Die Zauberflöte” will be conducted {…}
Photo: ShoutPR (Shout Factory) This review was written jointly by Chris and Finn Ruel. Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” directed by Florian Sigl, hit the silver screen nationwide on Mar. 10, 2023. It’s a fantasy film that captures the essence of Mozart’s stunning operatic fairy tale and does it well. There is much to commend about Sigl’s film. It’s well put {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2023-24 season. New Productions The first new production of the season will be Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Stefano Montanari conducts the production by Evgeny Titov. The cast will include Huw Montague Rendall, Mattia Olivieri, Elsa Dreisig, Maria Bengtsson, Louise Alder, Konstantin Krimmel, Avery Amereau, and Dorothea Röschmann. Performance Dates: Oct. 30, 2023-July 17, 2024 {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera) John Dexter’s production of “Dialogues des Carmélites” remains one of the treasures of the Met stage. Especially during a time when directors are bringing rather bland new productions to timeless classics, here’s a staging that is both traditional in its concept and imagery, but simultaneously modern in its economy of execution. Black and white {…}
The Metropolitan Opera is set to revive John Dexter’s classic production of Poulenc’s “Dialogues des Carmélites” for five performances. The production, which is set to run between Jan. 15 and 28, 203, will star soprano Ailyn Pérez in her role debut as Blanche de la Force. She will be joined by French soprano Sabine Devieilhe who makes her highly anticipated {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2023 season featuring operas, concerts, recitals, and Mozart programs. Opera Raphaël Pichon will conduct Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in a new production by Martin Kušej. Andrè Schuen, Adriana González, Sabine Devieilhe, Krzysztof Bączyk, and Lea Desandre star. Performance Dates: July 27-August 28, 2023 Verdi’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Franz Welser-Möst and directed {…}
The Teatro Real de Madrid is set to host the 2022 International Opera Awards on Nov. 28, 2022. This is the first time in the awards’ history that they will be presented outside of the United Kingdom. “The International Opera Awards have always been international with winners from around the world as opera is one of the most international of {…}
(Photo: Jean-Louis Fernandez) As a rule of thumb, you know that if you have to rely on the director’s program notes to make sense of what is happening on stage, then the production is likely to disappoint. Of course, even in such circumstances it is sometimes possible to develop an intuitive understanding, even where the explicit meaning remains elusive, which {…}
The Opéra National de Bordeaux has announced its 2022-23 season featuring opera, ballet, concert, and great voices. Opera Paul Daniel conducts Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” with Yoshi Oïda directing. Karah Son, Virginie Verrez, Riccardo Massi, and André Heyboer. Performance Dates: Nov. 10-21, 2022 Roberto González-Monjas conducts Mozart’s Requiem in a production by Stéphane Braunschweig. The cast includes Hélène Carpentier, Fleur Barron, {…}