Sondra Radvanovsky, Leah Hawkins, Christian Van Horn, Gabriella Reyes, Federica Lombardi, Erin Morley Headline Lyric Opera of Chicago’s 2026-27 Season

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2026-27 season. Christian Van Horn and Kyle Ketelsen lead Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with Mané Galoyan, Nina Solodovnikova, Lawrence Brownlee, Tommaso Barea, Anna El-Khashem, Christopher Humbert, Jr., and David Leigh. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production by Robert Falls. Performance Dates: Oct. 10-Nov. 1, 2026 Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’s “Omar” will star Issachah {…}

Mar 18, 2026

Corinne Winters, Ryan Speedo Green, Federica Lombardi, Sara Jakubiak & Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen Lead Dutch National Opera’s 2026-27 Season

The Dutch National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” and Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” will be conducted by Andrea Battistoni. Leoncavallo’s work will star Corinne Winters, Riccardo Massi, Roman Burdenko, and Hubert Zapiór while Mascagni’s will star Raehann Bryce-Davis, SeokJong Baek, Enkelejda Shkoza, Roman Burdenko, and Maria Warenberg. Performance Dates: Sept. 5 – 23, 2026 Shostakovich’s “Cherry Town” will {…}

Jul 29, 2025

Tanglewood 2025 Review: Tosca

(Photo: Hillary Scott) I imagine that every lover of opera can reference memorable “Toscas” in their life, whether recordings or live performances. My first–as a young buff, via a vinyl box set–was indeed a classic. All thanks to Gino, who–many years ago–managed the classical section of LPs at Sam Goody’s in Yonkers. He could always be relied upon for spot-on {…}

Apr 2, 2025

Anna Netrebko, Freddie De Tommaso, Marina Rebeka, Bryn Terfel, Aigul Akhmetshina, Lisette Oropesa, Juan Diego Flórez & Pretty Yende Lead Royal Ballet & Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Oliver Mears. Anna Netrebko and Aleksandra Kurzak share the title role. Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley also star. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 7, 2025 Speranza Scappucci conducts Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” in a revival of Stefan Herheim’s production. Marina {…}

Mar 26, 2025

Royal Opera House 2024-25 Review: Turandot

At the risk of repeating myself, opera should be all about the music and the voice. If I’m ever asked to quantify that statement, I readily proffer “Turandot” in support of my assertions. For here is a ridiculous, cruel, convoluted tale that is impossible to like and grasp, perpetrated by a pair of unpleasant, thoroughly dislikeable characters with, were it {…}

Mar 19, 2025

Gustavo Dudamel, Pretty Yende, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha & Nicholas Brownlee Lead LA Philharmonic’s 2025-26 Season

The LA Philharmonic has announced its 2025-26 season. Gustavo Dudamel and Los Angeles Master Chorale perform Ellen Reid and Strauss. Performance Dates: Sept. 25-28, 2025 Gustavo Dudamel conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with soloists Chen Reiss and Beth Taylor. Performance Dates: Oct. 9-12, 2025 Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts a program of music by Debussy, Gabriella Smith, and Scriabin with soloists Pekka {…}

Jan 30, 2025

Kristine Opolais, Bryn Terfel, Federica Lombardi & Karen Slack Lead Tanglewood Festival’s 2025 Season

(Credit: Boston Symphony Orchestra) The Tanglewood Festival has announced the 2025 season. In a statement by Andris Nelsons, the conductor said, “We are excited for another fantastic summer at Tanglewood, full of exceptional music in the beautiful surroundings of the Berkshires. We are delighted to perform Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ with Kristine Opolais and Bryn Terfel, and excerpts from Prokofiev’s ‘Romeo and Juliet; with {…}

Jan 3, 2025

Following New Year’s Eve Controversy, Metropolitan Opera Announces Inevitable Cast Change for ‘Aida’

Everyone knows what happened on New Year’s Eve at the Metropolitan Opera. Tenor Piotr Beczala, sick as he was, sang through the entire night, creating an unforgettable experience for all involved, but not of the kind anyone will remember fondly. It was inevitable that he would cancel subsequent shows and that announcement has finally come. The company announced that tenor {…}

Dec 23, 2024

Best of 2024: OperaWire’s Top 11 Singers of the Year

It is time to wrap up the year and look back at our favorite moments and performers. After releasing our favorite performances of 2024 and showcasing our rising stars of the year, it’s time for OperaWire’s annual tradition of naming our top 11 singers of the year, performers that we thought stood out. Performers who had major breaks, headlined major productions or simply had {…}

Dec 12, 2024

Q & A: SeokJong Baek On His Favorite Roles & How His Faith & Voice Transitioned His Opera Career

(Photo: Dahyun Baek) SeokJong Baek’s rise to prominence in the opera world can only be described as meteoric, if not almost difficult to believe. Almost 15 years singing as a baritone, a chance encounter with fellow South Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee suggested to him that he might make a better tenor than a baritone. Despite joining the San Francisco Young {…}

Oct 7, 2024

Metropolitan Opera 2024-25 Review: Tosca

(Photo credit: Karen Almond / Met Opera) This season’s premiere of Met Opera’s “Tosca” features Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, in the titular role, marking her 100th Met performance. Her Met debut was in 2004 as Olympia in Offenbach’s “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” and her performances leading up to this season have all been unforgettable, especially Kurzak as Tosca. Her voice alongside tenor {…}