(Credits: Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn) “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” is one of the touchstone French operas, especially for tenors. It features a role most tenors look to sing because of the acting possibilities and the rich music that Offenbach wrote. But it is also a challenging evening that requires stamina from its leading man, as well as a solid cast {…}
***Update: This performance will feature Ekaterina Siurina as Violetta instead of Lungu. The article, as originally published, follows. The Vienna State Opera will kick off the live stream series for the 2019-20 season with a performance of Verdi’s ever-loved “La Traviata” on Sept. 7, 2019. The performance, the second of the run, will feature soprano Irina Lungu in the title {…}
The Vienna State Opera has made a statement regarding Plácido Domingo’s future with the company. The company revealed that it will maintain its relationship with the famed singer and that his performances planned for October 2019 and June 2020 will take place. The company noted that it did not see any “legally tenable reason” to not fulfill its existing contracts {…}
(Credit: Simon Pauly) Canadian tenor Josh Lovell’s career started in his native home before shifting to Chicago and will now take its next big step in Vienna this fall. He is a 2018 Grand Prize and Opera Prize winner at the 52nd Annual International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the second place winner of the 2018 Dallas Opera Competition, third place winner of the Marcello Giordani {…}
Two major European Opera companies revealed financial figures for their recent seasons, noting strong numbers. First up, the Berlin Komische Oper, under the leadership of noted auteur Barrie Kosky, managed to sell over 90 percent of tickets for a whopping 239 performances. In sum, the Komische Oper sold over 225,000 tickets for the season. This is the first time it {…}
The Vienna State Opera’s final live stream of the season will be a production of Verdi’s “Aida” on June 29, 2019. The epic opera will star Ekaterina Gubanova, Elena Guseva, Gregory Kunde, and Simone Piazzola. Marco Armiliato will conduct the production by Nicolas Joel. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time and is slated to run until around {…}
(Credit: Michael Pohn/Wiener Staatsoper) Polish tenor Piotr Beczała, currently starring as Cavaradossi in Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Wiener Staatsoper, will receive the title of Kammersänger. According to Salzburger Nachrichten, the ceremony will take place on Jun. 23, 2019 following the final performance of “Tosca,” which will be broadcast live on Herbert von Karajan-Platz as part of “Oper live am Platz.” {…}
Audiences will get a chance to see the Vienna State Opera’s production of Puccini’s “Tosca” via the company’s live stream service this Sunday, June 23, 2019. The iconic opera will star Nina Stemme in the title role with Piotr Beczala as Cavaradossi. Carlos Alvarez rounds out an all-star cast that will be conducted by Marco Armiliato. Margarethe Wallmann directs. The {…}
Verdi’s “Otello” will be live streamed via the Vienna State Opera’s live streaming service on June 20, 2019. Verdi’s final tragedy will star Aleksandrs Antonenko in his signature role alongside soprano Olga Bezsmertna with Vladislav Sulimsky as Iago. Myung-Whun Chung will conduct a production that will be directed by Adrian Noble. The stream kicks off at 4 p.m. local time {…}
Massenet’s famed “Manon” will take the stage on June 9, 2019 at the Vienna State Opera. The company will be live streaming the work to audiences around the world as well. The famed French masterwork will star Nino Machaidze in the title role with Juan Diego Flórez as her lover Des Grieux. The cast also features Dan Paul Dumitrescu and {…}
Gottfried von Einem’s “Dantons Tod” will be live streamed from the Vienna State Opera on May 29, 2019 via the company’s own streaming service. The opera will feature Tomasz Konieczny, Benjamin Bruns, Jörg Schneider, Thomas Ebenstein, and Olga Bezmertna. Michael Boder conducts. The stream kicks off at 7 p.m. local time and is slated to run until around 8:30 p.m. {…}