Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get to relive two acclaimed performances from the 2023 Salzburg Festival as well as two world premiere recordings. Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth C Major Entertainment releases Salzburg’s production of Verdi’s masterpiece which was recorded in August 2023. The production by {…}
Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world. This week audiences will get to see a compilation of Tchaikovsky songs, a Händel Oratorio and a solo album by one of the leading sopranos of today. Neun Deutsche Arien LAWO Classics is set to release Daniel Sæther’s album with the Ensemble C4. {…}
(Credit: © SF / Peter Rigaud) The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2024 Season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. Opera Strauss’ “Caprricio” is set to be performed in concert form with Elsa Dreisig and Bo Skovhus as Countess and Count. The cast also includes Sebastian Kohlhepp (Flamand), Konstantin Krimmel (Olivier), Mika Kares (La Roche), Ève-Maud Hubeaux (Clairon), {…}
The Berlin State Opera has announced cast changes for its production of Verdi’s “Aida.” The company said that for performances on Oct. 19, 22, 25, and 29, 2023, Clémentine Margaine and Ketevan Kemoklidze will take over the role of Amneris, replacing Ekaterina Semenchuk. Margaine will perform on Oct. 19 and 29 while Kemoklidze will perform on Oct. 22 and 25. {…}
Photo credit: SF Bernd Uhlig In one of his literary excursions, the great Portuguese author Eça de Queiroz reviewed the premiere of Verdi’s “Macbeth” in Lisbon. He did not see the original Italian version of the opera, but the revised French one and quite likely with the same cast as in Paris. Eça insisted that Verdi was the greatest living {…}
(c: sf bernd uhlig) The Salzburg Festival will broadcast Verdi’s “Macbeth.” The production, directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski and conducted by Philippe Jordan, will be showcased on ORF 2, Arte, Arte Concert, and BR Klassik on July 29 in a time-delayed broadcast. The cast will include Vladislav Sulimsky in the title role, Tareq Nazmi as Banco, Asmik Grigorian as Lady Macbeth, and Jontahn {…}
The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2023 season featuring operas, concerts, recitals, and Mozart programs. Opera Raphaël Pichon will conduct Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in a new production by Martin Kušej. Andrè Schuen, Adriana González, Sabine Devieilhe, Krzysztof Bączyk, and Lea Desandre star. Performance Dates: July 27-August 28, 2023 Verdi’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Franz Welser-Möst and directed {…}
The Bucharest National Opera is set to present Verdi’s “Otello” starting on June 8, 2022. The opera will be conducted by Christian Badea and stars Arsen Soghomonyan, Hrachuhí Bassénz, and Vladislav Sulimsky. Soghomonyan will take on the title role. He has appeared at such companies as the Royal Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Berliner Philharmoniker. Bassénz will interpret Desdemona and has appeared with {…}
The Mariinsky Theatre led by Pro-Putin conductor Valery Gergiev has announced the annual Casta Diva Awards. The company noted that this year’s singer of the year awards went to Ekaterina Semenchuk and Vladislav Sulimsky. The jury gave the prize to mezzo-soprano Semenchuk for her work at the Mariinsky Theatre’s “The Maid of Orleans” and “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” {…}
The Oper Köln has announced its 2022-23 season featuring nine new productions and five revivals. Here is a look at the operatic productions of the season. Premieres Enea Scala headlines Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” alongside Mirko Roschkowski in a new production by Johannes Erath. The cast also includes Veronica Simeoni, Isabelle Druet, and Marco Spotti. Francois Xavier-Roth conducts. Premiere Date: Sept. {…}
On Jan. 21, the Royal Opera House Muscat presented the second performance of Franco Zefirelli’s new “Rigoletto.” The evening presented a new cast of rising stars and veteran singers and brought to life a production that transports audiences back to a time when singing and music were at the center of opera. The result was a refreshing evening with Vladislav {…}