(Credit: Julian Hargreaves) Eleonora Buratto will step into the cast of the 150° Anniversary 1871 “Aida” Gala Concert at the Arena di Verona on June 19 & 22, 2021. Buratto will perform the title role instead of Sonya Yoncheva who was originally announced for the performance. The soprano will join a cast that includes Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris, Francesco Meli {…}
(Credit: Fay Fox) The Opéra National Du Rhin in France has announced that soprano Joyce El-Khoury’s recital has been canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns and the current lockdown in France. The recital was set to be held on March 26 and El-Khoury was supposed to present a mix of classic, traditional and Lebanese music. The French government imposed a {…}
(Credit: © Marco Glaviano) Tenor Vittorio Grigolo will give a recital at the Teatro alla Scala on Feb. 22, 2021. The tenor will be accompanied by pianist Vincenzo Scalera. Due to the Italian government’s COVID-19 regulations, the recital will be held without live audiences. The program for the concert includes “Inosservato, penetrava… Angelo casto e bel” from “Il Duca d’alba;” {…}
(Credit: Martin Bubandt) The Berlin Philharmonic has announced that due to the travel restrictions, General Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin Sir Donald Runnicles will not be able to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in the online festival “The Golden Twenties” on February 20, 2021. As a result, Thomas Søndergård, the Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, {…}
(Credit: Opera Australia official website) The Baluarte auditorium in Pamplona has announced a second cast change for its upcoming semi-staged performances of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut.” The Spanish opera house announced that tenor Walter Fraccaro will take over the role of Des Grieux, replacing Roberto Aronica. This marks the second high-profile replacement after soprano Ainhoa Arteta was forced to cancel due {…}
(Credit: Marco Borggreve) Famed Russian conductor Alexander Vedernikov has died at the age of 56, after having been diagnosed with COVID-19. Vedernikov died on Friday, Oct. 30 after being put on a ventilator for few days following the diagnosis. Born in Moscow, Vedernikov was the son of the bass Alexander Filipovich Vedernikov and Natalia Nikolaevna Gureeva. The conductor went on {…}
(Credit: Tulane University) American soprano Ruth Falcon died on Oct. 9, 2020, at the age of 77. Falcon graduated from Loyola University of the South and Tulane University. She made her first appearance at the New York City Opera in the role of Micaëla in Bizet’s “Carmen.” Falcon made her first high-profile debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1989, {…}
(Credit: Simon Pauly) “The music is giving me what I need. Music has always given me what I needed in my life.” When the COVID-19 hurricane struck humanity in full force in March, tenor Martin Muehle was about to begin rehearsals for the supernatural opera “The Queen of Spades” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. At that moment it was obvious {…}
(Credits: Peter Knutson / Vicor Santiago / Andrey Uspensky) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced changes to its October 2020 schedule. The performances of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” slated for October 2, 2020; “Così fan tutte” scheduled for October 20 & 25, 2020; Verdi’s “La Traviata” scheduled for Oct. 10, 2020; Bizet’s “Carmen” slated for Oct. 16, 21 & 24, 2020; {…}
(Credit: Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar / Bernd Uhlig) The Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar has announced that Andrea Moses will take over the helm as the new Opera Director. Moses will succeed Hans-Georg Wegner, who is moving to the Mecklenburgische Staatstheater in Schwerin as the new General Director. Moses has already established close connections with the opera house in Weimar and the ensemble {…}
(Credit: Marty Sohl) A little while back, we challenged you on how well you could identify an opera by its opening lines. Now we are going to flip it on its head and ask you to recall those final essential words of an opera libretto and identity the opera. As always, have fun!