(Credit: Fernando Sancho) Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casado will conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo for the performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on Dec. 23, 25 & 26, 2020. The famed “Choral” symphony will showcase soprano Eri Takahashi, mezzo-soprano Etsuko Kanoh, tenor Naoki Miyasato, and baritone Shin Taniguchi. The presentation will also feature New National Theatre Chorus. Heras-Casado recently {…}
(Credit: Palau de la Música Catalana official website) Famed Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen has received an Honorary Knighthood by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for services to music and to relations between the United Kingdom and Finland. “This is a true personal honor, but more than that, it is meaningful to have artists honored at a national – at a {…}
(Credit: Jesús Cornejo/Cortesía) The Orquesta Del Teatro De Bellas Artes in Mexico City has announced that conductor and counter-tenor Iván López-Reynoso has been appointed its new Artistic Director. López-Reynoso also holds the position of the Chief Guest Conductor of the Oviedo Filarmonía. “Being the next Artistic Director of Orquesta Del Teatro De Bellas Artes is the greatest honor I have {…}
(Credit: Tomasz Konieczny’s official website / Stefan Panfili/Liszt Festival) The Weinviertler Festspiele has announced that it will stage the first open-air production of Wagner’s iconic “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in the history of the festival for its 2021 edition. The performances are set to take place at the Limberg-Maissau rock arena, which is located in the oldest part of the {…}
In the past eight months, many opera houses have used streaming to reach audiences around the world. This is a format that is new to many companies; however, some of the most prominent opera houses, such as the Metropolitan Opera, have been using this format for years. And while the aim with this format is to maintain companies relevant in {…}
(Credit: KAY HERSCHELMANN) This past September, famed tenor Stephen Gould presented a masterclass with the Wagner Society of New York. This Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, audiences will get a chance to stream the showcase. During the masterclass, Gould worked with three different heldentenors including Errin Duane Brooks, Jeremy Brauner, and Mauricio Trejo, all accompanied by pianist Craig Ketter. Throughout the {…}
Vegas City Opera is set to open its eleventh season with a new digital production of Richard Wagner’s “The Ring Cycle” on Dec. 12, 2020 and Jan. 2, 2021. More than 25 local artists from Las Vegas will be under the direction of Francisco Corredor, who will employ an unconventional approach that takes the audience to some iconic and familiar {…}
(Art by Zuleyka V. Benitez, used with permission from Haymarket Opera Company) Every Friday, Polina Lyapustina delivers a short essay on some of the most sensitive topics in the industry with the intent of establishing a dialogue about the opera world and its future. The choice of topics discussed, how they are researched, and how they are portrayed is conducted {…}
On November 14, 2020 Minnesota Opera will present Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” in a new, 3D format which will be available to stream online. This digital experience adapts the company’s 2016 production with the help of production company Sweet Sadie. “The sheer size and scope of ‘Das Rheingold’ presents a massive challenge for any opera company,” said President and General Director {…}
Dame Gwyneth Jones is one of the great Wagnerian sopranos in opera history. Her career, which is ongoing as of this writing, has spanned over half a century, with the soprano championing not only the great German operas by Wagner and Strauss but numerous Italian works by Verdi, among others. In recent years she has appeared in more modern operas {…}
With an election coming upon the U.S. and the world in general focusing on their nations’ leaders in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we turn to a topic that we believe is at the core of opera: politics. On a very personal note, it’s been rather surprising to hear many comments about how opera and politics should not be “mixed {…}