(©Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera) The San Francisco Opera has announced plans for the Company’s upcoming presentation of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring of the Nibelung (Der Ring des Nibelungen).” The company noted that it will present the tetraoly in summer 2028 with director Francesca Zambello reviving her acclaimed production. The cast will include Tamara Wilson as Brünnhilde, Brian Mulligan as Wotan, and {…}
Simon O’Neill has joined the roster of Askonas Holt for worldwide general management excluding Australia and New Zealand. The tenor will be managed by Joel Thomas and Paul Meyer zu Schwabedissen. O’Neill is a well-known Heldentenor who has performed at the Royal Opera, Berliner Staatsoper, Metropolitan Opera, Staatsoper Hamburg and the Bayerisches Staatsoper, as well as the BBC Proms and the {…}
(Photo: Herwig Prammer / OnP) A very promising night indeed: Paris Opera takes its first step toward its new Ring under the direction of Calixto Bieito—one of the most exciting artists in his field—and with a promising cast. The stakes are particularly high for the company president, Alexander Neef, who would crowd his tenure with a Wagner Ring in continental {…}
(Credit: Cory Weaver) Whether you view Richard Wagner’s opera, “Tristan und Isolde,” as an expressive tale of universal human redemption or simply a unique take on the many medieval romances of love and death, there is no question it casts a spell. In the opening of San Francisco’s new production by Paul Curran, conducted by San Francisco’s own Eun Sun {…}
The release of “Eun Sun Kim: A Journey Into Lohengrin,” an hour-long film by San Francisco Opera and Lumahai Productions has been announced. Directed by Elena Park, the new film takes viewers behind the scenes during the weeks of rehearsal leading up to the opening of Wagner’s “Lohengrin” at San Francisco Opera last October. It follows the production team and {…}
San Francisco Opera is set to present Richard Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” The opera is set to be presented between Oct. 19 and Nov. 5 for five performances under the baton of Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim. Paul Curran makes his company debut directing a cast that will be led by Wagnerian interpreters Simon O’Neill and Anja {…}
Photo credit: Daniel Boud We can be grateful that the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Simone Young has a passion for the music of Arnold Schoenberg in this, his 150th anniversary year. On Friday March 15th, it led to the first performance in Sydney of Schoenberg’s concert-drama “Gurrelieder,” a massive work that was first performed in Vienna 111 years ago, {…}
(Photo credit: SSO) Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor, Simone Young leads Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder,” at Sydney Opera House in celebration of the composer’s 150 birthday. “Gurrelieder” make its Sydney debut with soloist soprano Ricarda Merbeth, mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble, tenors Simon O’Neill and Andrew Goodwin, and bass Sava Vemić. They are joined by a chorus of more than 200 and an orchestra of {…}
(Photo credit: Daniel Boud) Concert performances of “Das Rheingold” by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in the Opera House Concert Hall November 16-18 were the most recent events in what is shaping up to be a bit of a Wagner year in Australia. Next month sees Opera Australia’s much-awaited new “Ring cycle” in Brisbane, delayed twice previously by COVID. Back {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. In this edition, a leading Bel Canto interpreter delves into mad scenes with her new alum while a rarely performed opera by a female composer gets a new release. There is also a special Wagner recording out this week. Rheinberger & Mendelssohn Choral {…}
Richard Wagner fell in love with the story of Lohengrin. How could he not? A handsome knight, with a golden disposition of purity, nobility and generosity. The son of Parsifal. The leader of the Grail. Destined to rescue, save and uplift all who needed rescuing and salvation. With soaring and beauteous romantic melodies, rich choral support, dazzling duets between glorious {…}