(Credit: Metropolitan Opera / Ken Howard) Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera for 15 performances. The Anthony Minghella production will open on Jan. 9 and run through March 28 with different casts. The January performances will feature Ailyn Pérez as Cio-Cio-San, tenor SeokJong Baek as Pinkerton, Hyona Kim as Suzuki and baritone Andrzej Filończyk as {…}
(Credit: Soloman Howard) The Metropolitan Opera has announced a cast change for its production of “Madama Butterfly.” The company said that Ailyn Pérez and Toni Marie Palmertree will replace Elena Stikhina in March performances, singing the role of Cio-Cio-San. Pérez will sing the role on March 11, 14, 19, and 23, while Palmertree will sing the final performance on March {…}
This review of “Tosca” covers the June 17, 2025 production. On a warm June evening, the Princeton Festival staged “Tosca.” The setting didn’t match the material. A breezy night under a white tent, sipping wine, is incongruent with heinous assault, torture, and suicide. But maybe that’s the point. “Tosca” doesn’t need help being dramatic. And once the drama starts, it {…}
Seattle Symphony has announced its 2025-26 season, the first with Xian Zhang as its new music director. Here is a breakdown of the vocal performances on offer. Gemma New conducts works by Gabriella Smith and Vaughan Williams with Wendy Bryn Harmer and Jarrett Ott as the vocal soloists. The concert also features cellist Gabriel Cabezas and the Seattle Symphony Chorale. {…}
The Princeton Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a breakdown of the classical vocal performances on offer. Renée Fleming headlines the program, performing alongside the Princeton Symphony Orchestra under conductor Rossen Milanov. Performance Date: June 6, 2025 ”Tosca” will star Toni Marie Palmertree alongside Luis Ledesma as Scarpia and Victor Starsky as Cavaradossi. The cast is rounded out by {…}
The Arizona Opera is set to conclude the 2023-24 Season with a production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” The story of legendary libertine Don Juan is set to star Richard Ollarsaba, Joseph Lattanzi, Vanessa Vasquez, Lydia Grindatto, Toni Marie Palmertree, Mary-Hollis Hundley, Brad Bickhardt, Zachary Nelson, Vanessa Becerra, Véronique Filloux, Peter Barber, and Adam Lau. Daniela Candillari conducts the production by Tara Faircloth. {…}
The Hawai’i Opera Theatre has announced its 2022-23 season, which will include three operas. First up will be Nolan Gasser and Carey Harrison’s “The Secret Garden.” Karen Tiller directs the opera which will star Laura Corina Sanders and Taka Komagata. Elizabeth Askren conducts. Performance Dates: Oct. 14 & 16, 2022 Next up will be Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore.” The opera will {…}
Cincinnati Song Initiative has announced its 2020-21 season which will feature all-digital performances. The season will feature mainstage projects including “A World of Song,” “Winter Song Festival,” and “Let it Be New.” A World of Song The main slate will kick off with “For the Dream Unfinished” starring Jasmine Habersham, Nicole Heaston, Nicholas Newton, Blair Salter, and Rolando Salazar. The {…}
On Oct. 20 two rising stars in the opera world made unexpected Lyric Opera of Chicago debuts in Verdi’s “Luisa Miller.” Toni Marie Palmertree sang the title role, replacing Krassimira Stoyanova, who was under the weather; Jonathan Burton sang Acts two and three as Rodolfo, replacing Joseph Calleja who is recovering from a cold. Palmertree has performed at the San {…}
What are the stakes in “Turandot?” Calaf must answer a riddle or lose his head. Turandot must find out her suitor’s name or she will have to marry him. The people of Peking will have to help their icy princess to do just that or they will all be tortured and killed, in heartbeat, and in one fell swoop. No {…}