(© Regina Aigner/BKA) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that it will open general dress rehearsals to young audiences aged up to 27. The intention is for younger audience members to get the opportunity to experience all the new opera and ballet productions at the house even before the official premiere date. Starting with the first production of the new season, {…}
(Credits: © Algirdas Bakas / Julian Baumann) The Wiener Staatsoper has confirmed that it will reopen on September 7, 2020. Vienna’s operatic behemoth will restart its performances after a six-month hiatus with the production “Madama Butterfly.” The strict COVID-19 rules for the audiences will include mandatory facemasks at all times, except when seated during the performance, and at least one {…}
(Credit: Dario Acosta NY) German mezzo-soprano Tanja Ariane Baumgartner is one of the most sought-after opera singers of our time. Baumgartner has been a member of the ensemble at Oper Frankfurt since the 2009-10 season. During her time in Frankfurt, Tanja Baumgartner made appearances in numerous operas including “Carmen,” “Giulio Cesare in Egitto,” “Don Carlo,” “Medea,” “Die Frau ohne Schatten,” {…}
(Credit: Samuel Hasselhorn Official Website) Baritone Samuel Hasselhorn has announced his upcoming album “Stille Liebe.” The new recording, by Harmonia Mundi, will feature a selection of songs by Robert Schumann including the Kerner Lieder, Andersen Lieder, and Heine ballads. Hasselhorn is accompanied by the British pianist Joseph Middleton. This marks the latest album by Hasselhorn, who has already recorded a {…}
The Austrian government has announced an emergency fund of 90 million euros to support freelancing and self-employed artists over the next few months. This fund will provide an estimated 15 thousand artists with 1,000 euros for six months. “We are acknowledging that the disruption of cultural life will last more than just one or two months,” Culture Minister and Vice {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced its massive 2020-21 season. Here is a rundown. Premieres Philippe Jordan conducts Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly“ in Anthony Minghella’s acclaimed production. The production from 2005 arrived in Vienna with Asmik Grigorian in the title role, Virginie Verrez, Freddie De Tommaso, and Boris Pinkhasovich. In January, Grigorian is joined by Noa Beinart and Marcelo Puente. A third {…}
A day after Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stated that small shops were slated to reopen April 13, with larger stores to follow on May 1, the Austrian leader also announced that theaters and big venues would remain closed until the end of June. That decision will ultimately affect numerous companies. Among those that have already been impacted are the Salzburg Easter {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has extended the time that it will remain closed in an ongoing effort to help with containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The company announced that “following the Austrian Federal government’s decision, the Wiener Staatsoper will remain closed until April 13.” The Wiener Staatsoper originally stated that it would be closed until March 31 but due {…}
Despite being closed for public performances, the Wiener Staatsoper has resolved to open up its streaming service to provide audiences with daily opera. Starting on Sunday, March 15, 2020, the company will start to stream operas from its archives for free on www.staatsoperlive.com. The online program is set to follow along with the same opera that audiences would have seen {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has canceled all of its remaining March performances due to the coronavirus. The company stated, “following the Austrian Federal government’s decision which has just been announced, all performances and events of the Vienna Wiener Staatsoper will be provisionally cancelled as of today until 31 March.” They added, “All customers will be directly contacted by the various organisers {…}
(Credit: Lorenzo Poli) Soprano Genia Kühmeier has withdrawn from the upcoming new production of Mozart and Da Ponte’s “Così fan tutte” at the Wiener Staatsoper due to the personal reasons, according to an official statement on the company’s website. As a result, soprano Mariangela Sicilia will perform the role of Fiordiligi in what will be her Wiener Staatsoper debut. Sicilia {…}
