Sonya Yoncheva & Stephen Costello Headline New DVD/CD Releases – August 26

This week will feature two unique releases from 2018 festivals. Both sets were extremely well-regarded productions when they premiered. Rigoletto C Major releases a new production of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” from the Bregenz Festival. The new release stars Stephen Costello, Vladimir Stoyanov, Mélissa Petit, Miklós Sebestyén, and Katrin Wundsam in a production by Philipp Stölzl. Enrique Mazzola conducts the production which OperaWire {…}

Aug 2, 2019

Plácido Domingo Leads The Top 5 Operas To See This Weekend Internationally (8/2-4)

(Credit: Thomas Aurin/Arena di Verona) This weekend will feature the celebration of a major milestone for the living legend Plácido Domingo. But there are also a few fascinating productions around Europe (though to be fair, 80 percent of our choices are located in two countries) that you definitely have to check out if you have the chance. Médée – Salzburg Festival, {…}

May 20, 2019

San Diego Opera 2019 Review: One Amazing Night

On May 15, 2019, at the 1300-seat Balboa Theatre, San Diego Opera presented tenor Stephen Costello and baritone Stephen Powell in an evening of arias and duets accompanied by the full San Diego Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bruce Stasyna. Although titles are not possible in this house, the program contained all the words sung in both the original language and {…}

May 10, 2019

Pumeza Matshikiza & Scott Hendricks lead Opera National Du Rhin’s 2019-20 Season

The Opera National du Rhin has announced its 2019-20 season featuring a number of new productions and world premieres. Giuliano Carella conducts the opening night gala with soloists Olivier Breitman, Ambroisine Bré, Pumeza Matshikiza, and Ezgi Kutlu. Performance Dates: Sept. 25-28, 2019 Philip Venable’s “4.48 Psychosis” gets its first production by Ted Huffman, who directed the work at the Royal Opera {…}

Apr 22, 2019

Metropolitan Opera 2018-19 Season Review: La Traviata

On April 20, 2019, audiences gathered at the Metropolitan Opera for one of the last few performances of this season’s run of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The nearly-full auditorium was abuzz and for a number of reasons. This new production by Michael Mayer opened in December to mixed reception, resuming its run in the beginning of April. Despite the gorgeous {…}

Feb 20, 2019

Anna Netrebko, Klaus-Florian Vogt & Emily Magee Headline Semperoper Dresden’s 2019-20 Season

The Semperoper Dresden has announced its slate for 2019-20, which will include seven new productions to go along with 23 revivals. New Productions Rossini’s “Il Viaggio a Reims” is directed by Laura Scozzi with a cast that includes Elena Gorshunova, Maria Kataeva, Tuuli Takala, Iulia Maria Dan, Taylor Stayton, Edgardo Rocha, Georg Zeppenfeld, Maurizio Muraro, Martin-Jan Nijhof, Christoph Pohl, Tilmann {…}

Feb 12, 2019

Bryan Hymel Cancels Metropolitan Opera ‘Rigoletto’

Bryan Hymel has withdrawn from upcoming performances as the Duke in Verdi’s “Rigoletto.” The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Hymel has canceled due to personal reasons. As a result, Francesco Demuro will sing the Duke in the March 6, 9, 15, and 20 performances, while Matthew Polenzani will perform on April 26, May 1, and 4; tenor Stephen Costello will sing {…}

Dec 24, 2018

Stephen Costello Replaces Juan Diego Flórez In ‘La Traviata’

Juan Diego Flórez has canceled the Dec. 26, 2019 performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” The Metropolitan Opera announced that due to illness, the Peruvian tenor will not be able to perform the Verdi opera. As a result, Stephen Costello will replace him. Costello is already set to perform the April performances of “La Traviata” at the Met alongside Anita Hartig {…}

Nov 18, 2018

Interview: Tenor Stephen Costello’s Debut Double-Header

What’s a nice guy like the 2009 Richard Tucker Award-winner Stephen Costello to do when playing a character known for anger issues and a jealous streak a mile wide? Go for sympathy, make the audience empathize with “a lost person with a good heart.” That’s what Costello did for his role debut as Don José in the Dallas Opera production {…}

Nov 13, 2018

CD / DVD Releases – Week of Nov. 12

The holiday season is upon us and that means many great new offerings are coming out. This week will feature the realse of a solo album debut, a new DVD from the Metropolitan Opera, a lieder album, and a Christmas album. Here are our essential recordings to buy this week. A Te, O Cara Stephen Costello makes his solo album debut with “A {…}

Jul 30, 2018

Dmitri Hvorostovsky Gala To Feature Ildar Abdrazakov & Stephen Costello

On August 26, 2018, Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s family and friends, together with the Krasnoyarsk Government and Rusfond (Russian Fond for Help to Sick Children), will organize a charity concert “Hvorostovsky and Friends.” The concert, which is set to be in the memory of Hvorostovsky, will be held in Peace Square near the Great Concert Hall of the Krasnoyarsk Philharmonic where the {…}

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