Mezzo-soprano Sophie Koch has joined Do Opera’s roster for worldwide career management. Koch is a leading artist at the Wiener Staatsoper, where she has sung roles including Octavian in “Der Rosenkavalier,” the Composer in “Ariadne auf Naxos,” Charlotte in “Werther,” and Fricka in “Das Rheingold.” She was named an Österreichische Kammersängerin by the Vienna State Opera in 2016. Her other {…}
Full disclosure: my definition of purgatory is a Christof Loy opera staging. They are not infernal—there is always some redemption—and they used to be good. But now, they are definitely not for me. That mono-scenario, that preference for milk-aisle lighting and the somewhat surreal stagings. I get it, some people might like it. I am even friends with some of {…}
The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Premieres Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel” will get a new production by Richard Jones and will be presented for the first time since 1996. The new Finnish translation by Mikko Koivusalo will star Tommi Hakala, Samuli Takkula, Tuija Knihtilä, Maiju Vaahtoluoto, Elli Vallinoja, Polina Liiv, Suvi Väyrynen, Emma Mustaniemi, Dan Karlström, and Roland Liiv. Antony Hermus conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. {…}
(Photo: © Vincent Pontet) A few moments before the start of the opera, a friend of mine told me that this is the first time Aquarius has been in Pluto’s orbit since 1789. Whether or not that is true, I cannot say; I did not have the willingness to check. Still, it could be a sign from the stars that {…}
(Credit: W.Hoesl) It was particularly notable to watch Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s opera, “Die Passagieren” in Munich, even all these years after World War II. To walk the same streets where once goose-stepping Nazi soldiers rallied round Hitler and to visit the elegant, rebuilt National Theater to see an opera about the tragedy of that very subject intensified the experience. “Die Passagieren” {…}
This week audiences will get a chance to hear a soundtrack from an anticipated film and the new album from one of the most interesting tenors in the industry. Ariadne auf Naxos Dynamic releases Strauss’ work in a production by Matthias Hartmann. The Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is led by Daniele Gatti and production from Florence stars Krassimira Stoyanova {…}
The Opéra national du Capitole, Toulouse has announced its 2023-24 season featuring seven productions and recitals. Opera Victorien Vanoosten conducts Bizet’s “Les pêcheurs de perles” with Thomas Lebrun Mise directing. The cast includes Anne-Catherine Gillet, Mathias Vidal, Alexandre Duhamel, and Jean-Fernand Setti. Performance Dates: Sept. 26-Oct. 8, 2023 Andris Poga conducts Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” in a production by Olivier Py. The {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2023-24 season. New Productions The first new production of the season will be Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Stefano Montanari conducts the production by Evgeny Titov. The cast will include Huw Montague Rendall, Mattia Olivieri, Elsa Dreisig, Maria Bengtsson, Louise Alder, Konstantin Krimmel, Avery Amereau, and Dorothea Röschmann. Performance Dates: Oct. 30, 2023-July 17, 2024 {…}
Opera Naples will be presenting a summer film series starting on July 6, 2022 and running through Oct. 19. The screenings, which will take place at the Wang Opera Center, will kick off with a performance of “Madama Butterfly” from the Teatro alla Scala. The showcase, which is conducted by Riccardo Chailly and stars María José Siri, features the original {…}
The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced its 2022-23 season featuring 10 new productions. Premieres Benedict Andrews directs Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” with Vladimir Jurowski conducting a cast that includes Louise Alder, Avery Amereau, Konstantin Krimmel, Sebastian Kohlhepp, Sandrine Piau, and Christian Gerhaher. Performance Dates: Oct. 26, 2022-July 17, 2023 Wagner’s “Lohengrin” will be conducted by François-Xavier Roth and directed by film director {…}
The Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse has announced its 2022-23 season featuring opera and recitals. Here is a look: Opera The season opens with Dvorák’s “Rusalka” conducted by Frank Beermann and directed by Stefano Poda. The opera stars Anita Hartig, Aleksei Isaev, Piotr Buszewski, Béatrice Uria-Monzon, and Janina Bachle. Performance Dates: Oct. 6-16, 2022 Vannina Santoni, Anaïs Constans, Kévin Amiel, {…}