(Credit: Tatjana Daschel) Ruth Berghaus’s legendary production of “Pelléas et Mélisande” (seen July 9), which has remained in the repertoire of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden since 1991, returned once again to Berlin, proving that genuinely great theatre neither ages nor relinquishes its power to surprise. The evening possessed the aura of an encounter with operatic history: not merely a {…}
There will be two major performances to close out LIFE Victoria’s 2025-26 season. At 7 p.m. on May 26, 2026, mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson and pianist Francesca Lauri, both associated with the Oxford International Song Festival, will make their LIFE Victoria debuts with a recital exploring the theme of youth through works by Satie, Fauré, Hahn, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss, Lehmann, and {…}
(Photo: Monika Rittershaus / La Scala) “Opera sings too much” provocatively declared a barely thirty-year-old Claude Debussy shortly before revolutionizing the concept of lyric theater in France with what would become his only operatic work: “Pelléas et Mélisande.” A work built upon silences, allusions, and a circular sense of time: a fable situated outside reality. The result was not what {…}
The Staatsoper Hamburg has announced its 2026-27 season. Premieres Tomáš Hanus and Daniele Squeo lead Verdi’s “Macbeth” in a production by Tobias Kratzer. The cast includes Kartal Karagedik, Simon Keenlyside, Alexander Vinogradov, Aleksei Kulagin, Nino Machaidze, and Dovlet Nurgeldiyev. Performance Dates: Sept. 12-Oct. 20, 2026 Tohar Gil conducts Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” in a new production by Nils Voges. Aebh {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2026-27 season. Premiere Productions The first production of the season will be Wagner’s “Siegfried” with Benjamin Bruns, Matthias Klink, Nicholas Brownlee, Georg Nigl, Timo Riihonen, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Simone Schneider, and Miina-Liisa Värelä. Vladimir Jurowski conducts the production by Tobias Kratzer. Performance Dates: Oct. 29, 2026-July 29, 2027 Nadine Sierra and Lisette Oropesa alternate as {…}
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden has announced its 2026-27 season. Premiere Carlo Rizzi and Giuseppe Mentuccia conduct a new production of Spontini’s “La Vestale” by Lydia Steier. Sonya Yoncheva, David Butt Philip, Marina Prudenskaya, Siyabonga Maqungo, Jean Teitgen, and Hanseong Yun star. Performance Dates: Sept. 26, 2026-May 8, 2027 Christina Pluhar conducts Cavalli’s “La Calisto” in a production by Stefan Herheim. {…}
The Wiener Konzerthaus has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances of the season. The Constellation Choir & Orchestra under Sir John Eliot Gardiner perform Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Performance Date: Sept. 14, 2025 Fabio Luisi conducts the Wiener Symphoniker in Franz Schmidt’s “Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln.” Soloists incude Maximilian Schmitt, David Steffens, Giulia {…}
La Monnaie de Mont has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Falstaff” starring Simon Keenlyside in the title role, Lionel Lhote, Bogdan Volkov, Sally Matthews, Benedetta Torres, and Daniela Barcellona. Alain Altinoglu and Ouri Bronchti alternate and Laurent Pelly directs the new production. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2025 Ricard Soler Mallol and Grey Filastine showcase {…}
The Cleveland Orchestra is teaming up with WCLV / Ideastream Public Media and WFMT to present a 13-week radio international broadcast series. Here is the rundown of the vocal performances on offer. First up is Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection.” Franz Welser-Möst conducts with Lauren Snouffer and Marie-Nicole Lemieux as the soloists. Streaming Date: Jan. 7, 2025 Then comes a concert {…}
The Cleveland Orchestra unveiled its digital season for 2024-25, which will include six “Live from Severance” concerts and nine digital premieres. Here is a breakdown of the vocal performances on offer. Adella Premiere Daniel Harding conducts Liv Redpath in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. Streaming Date: Sept. 10, 2024 Barbara Hannigan conducts the ensemble in a program of works by Haydn, Vivier, {…}
Palau de les Arts in Valencia has announced its 2024-25 season. Opera Gorges Ocloo’s “The Golden Stool” will star Nobulumko Mngxekeza-Nziramasanga and Nonkululeko Nkwinti. Performance Dates: Sept. 19, 2024 Lisette Oropesa sings the title role of Massenet’s “Manon” with Carles Pachon and Charles Castronovo. James Gaffigan conducts the production by Vincent Huguet. Performance Dates: Oct. 3-15, 2024 Elena Stikhina, Piero {…}