Mariana Flores & Jakub Józef Orliński Headline La Cité Bleue’s 2025-26 Season

La Cité Bleue announces its 2025-26 season. For the purpose of this article only classical voice performances are included. Max Emanuel Cenčić takes on the title role in Cavalli’s “Pompeo Magno.” The concert version also features Logan Lopez Gonzalez, Valerio Contaldo, Mariana Flores, Alois Mülhbacher, Kacper Szelążek, Victor Sicard, Pierre-Antoine Chaumien, Lucía Martín Cartón, Valer Săbăduș, Jorge Navarro Colorado, Marcel {…}

Mar 6, 2025

Staatsoper Berlin 2024-25 Review: Merope

(Photo: Szofi Raffay) Domènec Terradellas, a composer born in 1711 in Catalonia, remains a somewhat elusive figure in the case of 18th-century opera. Following training at the prestigious Naples conservatory, his music flourished in Italy and London prior to his untimely death in suspicious circumstances in 1751. His “La Merope,” a testament to the abiding popularity of Merope’s tragic tale, {…}

May 23, 2024

Arianna Vendittelli, Jakub Józef Orliński, Luigi De Donato, & Benedetta Mazzucato Star in the 2024 Innsbruck Festival of Early Music

Programming for the 2024 Innsbruck Festival of Early Music has been announced. This article only features vocal performances. First up is a workshop for the upcoming performances of Giacomelli’s “Cesare in Egitto.” Soloists include Arianna Vendittelli, Emőke Barath, Filippo Mineccia, Margherita Maria Sala, Valerio Contaldo, and Federico Fiorio. Ottavio Dantone conducts the Accademia Bizantina. Performance Date: July 27, 2024 (Tyrolean {…}

Jul 20, 2023

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2023 Review: Le Prophète

(photo credit: Festival d’Aix-en-Provence © Vincent Beaume) In the audience, on my right side, a young person wears a T-Shirt that reads “Meyerbeer Fan.” On my left side, a spinster cries “Justice for Meyerbeer.” Rarely does an opera in concert raise so many people’s spirits. But, Giacomo Meyerbeer is not a composer. He is an idealist. History has Dreyfuss, but only {…}

Jun 24, 2022

Freddie De Tommaso, Anna Harvey & Asmik Grigorian Lead CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get to hear the second album by one of the rising tenors in the opera world as well as world premiere recordings and a DVD recording of a Wagner work. The Paper Lined Shack Supertrain Records is set to release Jeff Beal’s titular song cycle performed by the brilliant soprano Hilá Plitmann and Eastman Philharmonia and {…}

Jun 7, 2022

Rosa Feola, Pene Pati, Karine Deshayes & Jakub Józef Orliński Lead Opéra de Rouen’s 2022-23 Season

The Opéra de Rouen Haute-Normandie has announced its 2022-23 season featuring a number of productions, concerts and special guests. Here is a look. Opera The season opens with Verdi’s “Rigoletto” starring Sergio Vitale, Rosa Feola, Pene Pati, Agnès Letestu, and Paul Gay. Ben Glassberg conducts the production by Richard Brunel. Performance Dates: Sept. 22-Oct. 2022 “Mon amant de Saint-Jean” will {…}

Jun 4, 2022

Eleonora Buratto, Magdalena Kožená, Ismael Jordi, Cecilia Bartoli & Juan Diego Flórez Lead Palau de Les Arts’s 2022-23 Season

The Palau de les Arts in Valencia has announced its 2022-23 season featuring opera, zarzuela concerts and inetrnational stars. Opera Jamie Man’s “Zelle” will be showcased with countertenor Steve Katona, Ryoko Aoki, Jackie Janssens, Asko|Schönberg, Wiek Hijmans, Joey Marijs, and Tatiana Rosa. Man conducts his work. Performance Date: Sept. 16, 2022 Alex Esposito, Eleonora Buratto, Silvia Tro Santafé, and Ismael {…}

Nov 24, 2021

Michael Spyres, Golda Schultz, Sabine Devieilhe & Emily D’Angelo Lead Festival D’Aix-En-Provence’s 2022 Season

The Festival D’Aix-En-Provence has announced its 2022 slate featuring a varied repertoire and international stars. The festival will begin on July 4 and is set to run through July 23, 2022. Here is a look at the upcoming season: Mahler’s “Resurrection” will be conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen in a production by Romeo Castellucci. Golda Schultz and Marianne Crebassa star. Performance {…}

Oct 1, 2021

Karen Cargill, Carolyn Sampson & Nicole Chevalier Lead New CD/DVD Releases

This week audiences will get two full opera recordings and two recital albums. Here is a look at this week’s new releases. Thaïs Unitel and C Major will release Massenet’s opera from January 2021. The production was directed by Peter Konwitschny and conducted by Leo Hussain. Nicole Chevalier and Josef Wagner lead the cast. L’Orfeo Leonardo García Alarcón leads the {…}

Jul 12, 2021

Festival d’Aix-En-Provence 2021 Review: Combattimento, La Théorie du Cygne Noir

(Photo: Monika Ritterhaus) “Combattimento, La Théorie du Cygne Noir” is a staged work for eight singers, consisting of madrigals, arias, lamentations, and instrumental pieces from the baroque period taken from the years 1630 to 1650. Put together by musical director Sébastien Daucé and stage director Silvia Costa for the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, it includes works by Monteverdi, Cavalli, Messaino, Carissimi, Merula, {…}

Jun 24, 2021

Christina Gansch, Adriana Gonzalez, Rame Lahaj & Irene Roberts Headline Opéra National de Lorraine’s 2021-22 Season

(Credit: Opéra National de Lorraine) Opéra National de Lorraine in Nancy, France has announced its 2021-22 season. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the vocal works only. Opera Rossi’s “Le Palais Enchanté” opens the season. The opera spotlights Victor Sicard as Orlando, Arianna Vendittelli as Angelica/Alceste, Fabio Trümpy as Ruggiero, and Mark Milhofer as Atlante. The {…}