It’s festival season and that means many stars are heading over to major companies to make role debuts, perform signature roles, or simply make important debuts with companies. Here is a look at what OperaWire recommends for this weekend.

Nabucco – State Opera Stara Zagora, Bulgaria 

Maria Guleghina takes on her signature role of Abigaille alongside Romanian baritone Ionut Pascu and bass Ivailo Dzhurov. Ivaylo Krinchev conducts Verdi’s early masterpiece.

L’Elisir d’Amore – Bayerische Staatsoper, Germany 

Vittorio Grigolo makes a one night only appearance at the Munich Opera festival alongside rising star Olga Kulchynska as Adina. Andrei Bondarenko and Ambrogio Maestri also star with bel canto specialist Giacomo Sagripanti conducting.

La Gioconda – Deutsche Oper Berlin, Germany 

The Berlin theater continues its run of Ponchielli’s rarely performed work with an impressive cast that includes Hui He, Judit Kutasi, Ievgen Orlov. Daniela Barcellona, Alfred Kim, and George Gagnidze. Pinchas Steinberg conducts the new production by Filippo Sanjust.

La Traviata – Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Italy

Kristina Mkhitaryan and Valentina Varriale share the title role in Verdi’s ever-popular “La Traviata” as the Rome Opera presents its first staged performances at the famed Caracalla. Alessandro Scotto di Luzio and Giulio Pelligra share the role of Alfredo, while Fabián Veloz and Marcello Rosiello alternate Germont.

Die Walkure – Mariinsky Theatre, Russia 

The Stars of the White Nights  Festival continues with Plácido Domingo conducting Wagner’s epic work. Ekaterina Semenchuk, Elena Stikhina, Mikhail Petrenko, and Tatiana Pavlovskaya star.