Miah Persson, Ricarda Merbeth, Iwona Sobotka & Michael Schade Lead Orchestra RAI’s 2026-27 Season

The Orchestra RAI has announced its 2026-27 season. Here are the vocal performances. Michele Mariotti and Miah Persson team up for Strauss’ “Vier letzte Lieder.” The concert also includes Schubert’s Symphony No. 9. Performance Dates: Dec. 10 & 11, 2026 Fabio Luisi conducts Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Valentina Farcas, Anke Vondung, Tuomas Katajala, and Modestas Sedlevičius. Performance Date: Dec. 22, {…}

Jun 13, 2025

Carlo Vistoli, Liv Redpath & Fleur Barron Lead Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai’s 2025-26 Season

The Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai has announced its 2025-26 Season. Here are the vocal performances of the season. Thomas Dausgaard and Liv Redpath lead a program of music by Rued Langgaard, Hans Abrahamsen, and Carl Nielsen. Performance Date: Sept. 12, 2025 Andres Orozco-Estrada conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with Anke Vondung. Performance Dates: Oct. 9 & 10, 2025 Emmanuel {…}

Aug 18, 2024

Festival Valle d’Itria 2024 Review: Norma

(Photo: Clarissa Lapolla) One of the main events at this summer’s Valle D’Itria Festival was a production of Bellini’s oft-performed masterpiece, “Norma.” However, rather than using the traditional Ricordi score, which gained widespread acceptance about 100 years ago, the festival decided to present a new edition by Roger Parker. The argument for the decision was not to rediscover Bellini’s original {…}

Jul 12, 2024

Jacquelyn Wagner Leads Festival della Valle d’Itria’s Production of ‘Norma’

The Festival della Valle d’Itria is set to open its 50th edition on July 17, 2024 with Bellini’s “Norma.” The opera, which will be presented at the Palazzo Ducale di Martina Franca, will see Bellini’s masterpiece in Roger Parker’s Ricordi edition. Fabio Luisi will conduct the new production by Nicola Raab. Jacquelyn Wagner sings the title role with soprano Valentina {…}

Jun 7, 2024

Jonas Kaufmann, Nicholas Phan, Siobhan Stagg & Janai Brugger Lead Hong Kong Philharmonic’s 2024-25 Season

The Hong Kong Philharmonic has announced its 2024-25 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Ralf Otto conducts Händel’s “Messiah” with Valentina Farcas, Catriona Morison, Nicholas Phan, and Thomas E. Bauer. Performance Dates: Dec. 20 & 21, 2024 Benjamin Northey and Siobhan Stagg celebrate the New Year with a Viennese program. Performance Dates: Dec. 29 & 30, 2024 {…}

Mar 5, 2024

Teatro La Fenice 2024 Review: Mozart’s ‘Requiem’

Each music-lover has their “Requiem” of choice. The Heroic will want to be mourned under Verdi’s; tender souls feel represented by the ethereal melodies of Brahms or Fauré. But, it is safe to say that nine of ten music-lovers prefer Mozart’s unfinished “Requiem.” More than a masterpiece, it is arguably the most gracious sacred work in the classical repertoire. However, {…}