Q & A: Gianandrea Noseda & Nicole Heaston on Performing Barber’s ‘Vanessa’ With the National Symphony Orchestra & Aspects of Live Recordings

 (Photo credit: Tony Hitchcock) Despite winning a Pulitzer Prize and receiving great acclaim following its Metropolitan Opera premiere in 1958, Barber and Menotti’s “Vanessa” is not regularly programmed as a full work. Arias such as “Must the winter come so soon?” and “Do not utter a word” are frequently heard in recitals, but this does not do justice to this {…}

Nicole Heaston Leads National Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Vanessa’

The National Symphony Orchestra is set to present Samuel Barber’s “Vanessa” on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1, 2025. The opera, which will be conducted by Gianandrea Noseda and will star Nicole Heaston in the title role, replacing Sondra Radvanovsky, who withdrew for personal reasons. Heaston will be joined by tenor Matthew Polenzani, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, and baritone Thomas Hampson. These performances of Barber’s “Vanessa” {…}

Sonya Yoncheva, Lise Davidsen, Ying Fang, Benjamin Appl, Thomas Hampson & Freddie De Tommaso Lead Verbier Festival’s 2025 Season

The Verbier Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. The Verbier Festival Orchestra and Barbara Hannigan perform works by Berlioz, Haydn, Copland, Rodgers, and Bill Elliot. Performance Date: July 17, 2025 Thomas Hampson and Ksenija Sidorova perform works by Schubert and Weill. Performance Date: July 20, 2025 The VF Academy Atelier Lyrique and {…}

Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Sonya Yoncheva, Rolando Villazón, Jonathan Tetelman & Aigul Akhmetshina Lead Festspielhaus Baden-Baden’s 2025 Season

The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Camilla Nylund, Andreas Schager, and Pietari Inkinen perform an evening of Wagner, Strauss, Kálmán, Lehar, Performance Dates: Jan. 12, 2025 Zum Rahmenprogramm des Festivals  Gianandrea Noseda, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, and Philharmonia Zürich lead an all-Strauss program. Performance Dates: Feb. 22, 2025 Andris Nelsons conducts Mahler’s {…}

Heidelberger Frühling Musikfestival Announces 2025 Season

The 29th Heidelberger Frühling Musikfestival has released the details of its 2025 season, titled “Liberated Time.” For the purposes of this article only vocal performances are included. Soprano Eleanor Lyons, mezzo-soprano Sophie Harmsen, tenor Benjamin Hulett, and bass Johannes Kammler with the Collegium Vocale Gent present works by Eisler and Beethoven. They are accompanied by the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées under {…}

Thomas Hampson, Maria Teresa Leva, Juan Francisco Gatell & Slávka Zámečníková Lead Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano’s 2024-25 Season

The Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano has announced its 2024-25 season. Here are the vocal performances. Michele Gamba conducts Verdi’s Requiem with Maria Teresa Leva, Deniz Uzun, Giovanni Sala, and Adolfo Corrado. Performance Dates: Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2024 Huandel’s “Messiah” will star Anna Prohaska, Chiara Tirotta, Ilker Arcayürek, and Liviu Holender. Christoph Koncz conducts. Performance Dates: Dec. 13 & 15, 2024 {…}

Sasha Cooke, Ingela Brimberg, Mark S. Doss & Eve-Maud Hubeaux Lead La Monnaie de Munt’s 2024-25 Season

La Monnaie de Munt has announced the 2024-25 season. Opera Wagner’s “Siegfried” will star Magnus Vigilius, Peter Hoare, Gábor Bretz, Scott Hendricks, Wilhelm Schwinghammer, Ingela Brimberg, Nora Gubisch, and Liv Redpath. Alain Altinoglu conducts Pierre Audi’s production. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 4, 2024 Kris Defoort’s “The Time of Our Singing ” will star Mark S. Doss, Claron Mcfadden, Simon Bailey, Levy {…}