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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
Bryan Hymel has withdrawn from upcoming performances as the Duke in Verdi’s “Rigoletto.”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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
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 {…}
Apart from the onslaught of syphilis, 1840 was a good year for Gaetano Donizetti. He become the first composer to have three operas (“La Fille du Régiment”, “Lucrezia Borgia,” and “La Favorite”) debut in three different theaters in Paris within a period of less than 12 months. The last of the trifecta was written specifically for Rosine Stolz (née Victoire Noël) {…}
It’s a weekend of Bel Canto, Wagner, Mozart, and Puccini with many of the greatest stars in the world. There are some rarities and some signature pieces that are must see. Tosca – Teatro Municipal de Chile, Chile Melody Moore and Lilit Soghomonyan share the title role in Puccini’s masterpiece with Leonardo Caimi and Artem Golubev alternating Cavaradossi. Elchin Azizov and Alexander Krasnov {…}