Over time, enough foods, wines, and spirits have been themed to “Lohengrin” that all gathered together; they could well be presented during that opera’s opulent wedding feast. The Alsatian producer Victor Hertz, for example, offers a Cuvée Lohengrin, a pinot gris. In 2012, when La Scala opened with a Claus Guth production of “Lohengrin” starring Jonas Kaufmann, Milan’s late, great {…}
Romantische Oper (or German romantic opera) was a style developed in the 19th century, inspired from the movement known as the Counter-Enlightenment begun in the late 18th century. Generally, this style meant the incorporation of emotion, existential themes, and varied levels of nationalism and nationalist themes into opera’s aesthetics and themes. Defining The Style The style’s origins can be traced {…}
Professor Paul Goldmark of Case Western Reserve University is set to present “Oh, Bwunhilde you’re so lovely:” Wagner’s Music in Classic Hollywood Cartoons. The showcase will take place on Feb. 17, 2023, between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the National Opera Center in New York City. During the program, Goldmark, the Head of Popular Music Studies at Case Western {…}
(© Semperoper Dresden/Matthias Creutziger) Semperoper Dresden is set to bring back Willy Decker’s production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” this February. This revival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this staging’s first performances and the first in five years. In sum, there will be two cycles – one starting on Jan. 27 and running through Feb. 1 and a second {…}
(Credit: Rosie Hardie) Lise Lindstrom has canceled her participation in Dresden’s Ring Cycle. The soprano took to social media and said, “due to unforeseen circumstances, the situation in Dresden has changed and I have withdrawn from the Ring. To my dear fans, friends, and family: I am disappointed to not be bringing my Brundhilde to you at this time.” As {…}
Per reports, the Metropolitan Opera will no longer be able to present its upcoming Ring Cycle production in 2025. Back in 2021, the company announced that it would showcase a new staging of Wagner’s famed tetralogy in co-production with the English National Opera. However, earlier today the ENO announced that while it had been given new funding by Arts Council {…}
Konzert und Theater St. Gallen is set to present “The Ring in One Evening,” at Tonhalle St. Gallen from Jan. 12 -15, 2023. The abridged concert version of Wagner’s epic includes interludes by German humorist, cartoonist, film director, and actor Loriot. Loriot cut the 14-and-one-half-hour saga into a digestible concert featuring highlights from each opera. At the concert’s premiere in {…}
(Photo: Andrea Ranzi) For the Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s final production at the Sala Bibiena, before its four-year closure for major refurbishment, it presented Wagner’s “Lohengrin” conducted by Asher Fisch and directed by Luigi De Angelis. For those who like their operas to be a challenge, this production may have proved to be a worthwhile experience, but even then, this {…}
Theater Basel is set to preview its upcoming production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen” on Oct. 31, 2022. The organization announced that artistic director Benedikt von Peter and his team will present ideas for the first Ring cycle to grace the company’s stage in over 40 years. Von Peter will direct the cycle alongside co-director Caterina Cianfarini. The production team {…}
On September 17, 2022, the newly renamed Detroit Opera, formerly Michigan Opera Theatre, mounted the first production of their 2022-2023 season. What Detroit Opera (DO) presented was nothing short of unique. Marketed as a “one-night miracle” by the Los Angeles Times, DO’s digitally enhanced retelling of Act three of Wagner’s “The Valkyries,” the second in his four-opera epic “The Ring {…}
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is set to live stream the Sept. 8 performance of the second Act of “Tristan und Isolde.” The performance, which is led by conductor Susanna Mälkki, stars Stuart Skelton and Lise Lindstrom in the title roles. They are joined by Jenny Carlstedy as Brangäne, Markus Nieminen as Kurwenal, Brindley Sherrat as King Marke, and Roland Liiv {…}