The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and members of the Curtis Opera Theatre will open the 2023–24 season on October 22 at 7 p.m. at Verizon Hall, Kimmel Cultural Campus, with a tribute to composer Richard Strauss entitled ‘Spectacular Strauss.’ Curtis’ young musicians will showcase their talent, led by conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Micah Gleason. Nézet-Séguin holds the position of music director {…}
The Canadian Opera Company has announced that filming is set to begin next week in Toronto on “Seven Veils,” a new feature film from acclaimed filmmaker Atom Egoyan and Rhombus Media. The production will star Amanda Seyfried who will play Jeanine, an earnest theatre director, who has been given the daunting task of remounting her former mentor’s most famous work, {…}
(Credit: Gillian Riesen) Houston Grand Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Salome.” The company said that Laura Wilde will now sing the title role, replacing Amanda Majeski. Wilde is currently in a production of “Tosca” at Arizona Opera and will reprise the role at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis this summer. She recently made her Met {…}
Jiří Rajniš belongs to the youngest generation of operatic singers from the Czech Republic. From an early age, the baritone was exposed to music from his parents who were also opera singers. He then went on to study in the U.S. and became a member of the Junges Ensemble at the Semperoper Dresden. Over the last few years, he has {…}
The Canadian Opera Company is set to present R. Strauss’ “Salome.” The opera will be performed by Canadian soprano Ambur Braid and will also include Karita Mattila, who once was a great Salome, in the role of Herodias, tenor Michael Schade as King Herod, baritone Michael Kupfer-Radecky in his COC and North American debut as Jochanaan, and, in a role {…}
(Credit: Agathe-Poupeney) This review compiles performances attended on Oct 15, 18 and Nov. 5. When conductor Simone Young entered the stage to be applauded after her performance in Paris Opéra’s new production of “Salome,” some incipient voices started to boo her. The booers quickly realized their error; they actually wanted to hoot the staging team commanded by Lydia Steier. It {…}
Photo credit: ROH Salome © Tristram Kenton David McVicar’s production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome”, designed by Es Devlin, was first seen in 2008, and is receiving its fourth revival at Covent Garden with Bárbara Lluch at the helm. It opened the night following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – “Don Giovanni” the night before was cancelled in the circumstances {…}
Photo: Bernd Uhlig Ingo Metzmacher, the conductor for this year’s Aix-en-Provence festival’s production of Strauss’ “Salome” stressed time and again throughout his program notes the need for a cool head, for orchestral restraint and calm, for sobriety and balance. His stated aim was to ensure the orchestra does not predominate, does not get carried away, is not too loud, but {…}
The Tulsa Opera will premiere a new production of “Salome” on April 29 and May 1, 2022 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The cast of this production stars Julia Mintzer, Wayne Tigges, Jay Hunter Morris, Katharine Goeldner, César Delgado, Kevin Thompson, Ryan Belongie, Kevin Thompson, Spencer Hamlin, Ashraf Sewailam, Pavel Suliandziga, Makudupanyane Senaoana, Marc Molomot, Jason Ferrante, and Joe {…}
(Credit: Kristin Hoebermann) The Bard College Conservatory of Music is set to present Strauss’ “Salome.” Adapted from Oscar Wilde’s one-act play, “Salome” depicts the biblical story of Salome, the Judean princess who demanded, and obtained, the head of St. John the Baptist. Bard Visiting Associate Professor of Music Peter Laki writes that the first performance of “Salome,” given in Dresden {…}
(Credit: Breeanne Clowdus) Tulsa Opera has announced a major cast change for its upcoming production of “Salome.” The organization noted that tenor Jay Hunter Morris will be taking on the role of Herod, replacing Anthony Dean Griffey who was originally cast in the part. Morris is also set to take on the role with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra in a {…}