(Photo: Andrea Butti / OperaLombardia) Although “I Puritani” is an Italian opera through and through, it was conceived in Paris, at the height of the grand opéra tradition. Bellini studied Meyerbeer and Halévy in great detail, noting in his personal papers certain orchestral “effects” he wished to emulate and others he intended to avoid. As a result, the score, especially {…}
(Photo credit: Roberto Catani) Teatro Pergolesi announces its 2025 season. This article only features operatic performances. The season opens with Paul-Émile Fourny’s new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Christian Federici, Maria Mudryak, Louise Guenter, Valerio Borgioni, Stefano Marchisio, Gianluca Failla, Eleonora Boaretto, and Luca Dall’Amico make up the cast. They are joined by the Ventidio Basso Choir from Ascoli Piceno. {…}
The Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania has announced its 2025-26 season. Opera Fabrizio Maria Carminati conducts Verid’s “Aida” in a production by Marco Vinco. The production will star Oksana Dyka and Valentina Boi in the title role alongside Jorge de León, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Nino Surguladze, Irene Savignano, Franco Vassallo, Alberto Gazale, Insung Sim, and Simón Orfila. Performance Dates: Jan. 20-28, {…}
(Photo: Alia Simoncini) “The Merry Widow,” an operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár with libretto by Victor Léon and Leo Stein, is based on Henri Meilhac’s comedy play “L’Attaché d’ambassade” (1861). The first performance took place in Vienna, Theater an der Wien, on December 30, 1905. The operetta’s newest Italian version production was featured at this season’s Macerata Opera {…}
The Teatro Regio di Torino has announced its 2024-25 season. “Manon” Renato Palumbo conducts Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” with Arnaud Bernard directing. The cast will include Erika Grimaldi, Dinara Alieva, Andeka Gorrotxategui, Carlo Ventre, Carlo Lepore, and Alessandro Luongo. Performance Dates: Oct. 1-26, 2024 Massenet’s “Manon” wil star Ekaterina Bakanova, Martina Russomanno, Bjorn Burger Maxim Lisiin, Atalla Ayan, Andrei Danilov, Roberto {…}
The Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari has announced its 2024 season. Opera Beethoven’s “Fidelio” will open the season with Joan Anton Rechi directing and Stefano Montanari conducting. The production is set to star Modestas Sedlevičius, Vito Priante, Jörg Schneider, Helena Juntunen, Tillman Rönnebeck, Francesca Benitez, and Pavel Kolgatin. Performance Dates: Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2024 Vittoria Yeo, Michiko Takeda, Mario Cassi, Luca Galli, {…}
(Credit: Priamo Tolu) The Teatro Lirico di Cagliari has announced its fall 2021-22 season. Here are the vocal and operatic performances of the year. Luciano Acocella conduct the Orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari in music by Helios, Brahms, and Schumann. Performance Dates: Oct. 1 & 2, 2021 Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice” is set to star Victória {…}