(Photo: Padraig Grant) In 1752, Händel’s final complete composition, his oratorio “Jephtha,” was premiered at London’s Covent Garden Theatre, bringing to an end the composer’s illustrious career. Just over ten years earlier, he had premiered his opera “Deidamia” at London’s Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre, in what proved to be another significant landmark; it was to be the last of his {…}
(Photo: Clemens Manser) In 1637, the San Cassiano theatre opened its doors for the first time with a performance of Francesco Minelli’s “L’Andromeda,” an event that took opera out of the palazzi and drawing rooms of the aristocracy and into the public arena. Within a matter of only a few years, the city was awash with opera houses. Composers and {…}
The Grand Théâtre de Genève has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Mark Elder will conduct a new production of Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” starring Daniel Johansson, Samuel Sakker, Jennifer Davis, Victoria Karkacheva, Franz-Josef Selig, and Stéphane Degout. Tatjana Gürbaca directs. Performance Dates: Sept. 21-Oct. 4, 2025 Debussy’s “Pelléas & Mélisande” will star Björn Bürger, Mari Eriksmoen, Leigh Melrose, Nicolas Testé, Sophie Koch, {…}
The Rotterdam Orchestra has announced its 2025-26 season. Here are the vocal performances for the season. The season opens with Dalia Stasevska conducting Aphrodite Patoulidou in a program of music by Meredith, Sibelius, Berio, Patoulidou, Sibelius, and Respighi. Performance Dates: Sept. 12, 2025 Lahav Shani conducts an all-Bruckner program, including his Te Deum and Symphony No.4 with Elza van der {…}
(Photo: Felix Grünscloß) Although “Siroe, re di Persia” managed a good run of 17 performances, following its premiere at the King’s Theatre, London in 1728, Händel never revived the work. Apart from a couple of productions in Brunswick in 1730 and 1735, it lay dormant until the 20th century, has never managed to establish itself in the repertoire, and remains {…}
The Caramoor Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here are the vocal performances. Rafael Payare conducts the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Gabriella Reyes, Tamara Mumford, Viktor Antipenko, and Joseph Parrish. Performance Date: June 21, 2025 Telemann’s “Pimpinone & Ino” will be performed by Amanda Forsythe, Danielle Reutter-Harrah, and Christian Immler. The Boston Early Music Festival accompanies. {…}
The Wexford Festival Opera has announced its autumn 2025 festival. The festival will run for 16 days between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1 and will explore the theme of Myths & Legends. In a statement, Rosetta Cucchi said, “Journey through the timeless and boundless realm of myth and legend, woven into the fabric of lyric opera. This art, grand and {…}
France’s Opéra de Dijon has announced its 2023-24 season. Here are the operatic and vocal concerts. Opera Händel’s “Ariodante” is set to star Lea Desandre, Ana Maria Labin, Ana Vieira Leite, Hugh Cutting, Kresimir Spicer, Moritz Kallenberg, and Renato Dolcini. William Christie conducts. Performance Date: Oct. 15, 2023 Beethoven’s “Fidelio” will star Sinead Campbell Wallace, Maximilian Schmitt, Martina Russomanno, Mischa {…}
The Göttingen International Handel Festival has announced its 2022 slate, entitled “New Horizons.” The festival opens with “Aminta e Fillide” starring Bruno de Sá and Myrsini Margariti. George Petrou conducts the FestspielOrchester Göttingen. Performance Dates: May 12, 2022 Next up is the opening of “Giulio Cesare” starring Yuriy Mynenko, Sophie Junker, Nicholas Tamagna, Francesca Ascioti, Katie Coventry, Riccardo Novaro, Artur {…}
(Credit: Festival de Saint-Denis official website) The Festival de Saint-Denis has announced its 2022 season. For the purpose of this article we will focus on the vocal works only. Soprano Selene Zanetti, mezzo-soprano Marianna Pizzolato, tenor Xabier Anduaga, and bass Gianluca Buratto perform Mozart’s “Ave Verum” and Rossini’s “Stabat Mater” alongside conductor Myung-Whun Chung, the Chœur de Radio France, and {…}
(Credit: EPV / Christian Millet) Opéra Royal de Versailles has announced its 2021-22 season, featuring number of rarely performed operas and vocal works. Here is the full slate. Opera André Grétry’s opera “Richard Cœur de Lion” features Rémy Mathieu as Blondel and Pierre Derhet in the title role. The cast will be rounded out by Melody Louledjian, Marie Perbost Antonio, {…}