The holiday season is in full swing and this weekend will feature a number of operas and performances that reflect the spirit of this time of year. 

Hansel and Gretel – Wiener Staatsoper, Austria

Vienna celebrates the holiday season with a cast of young and veteran singers including Boaz Daniel, Donna Ellen, Margaret Plummer, and Mariam Battistelli. Axel Kober conducts Adrian Noble’s production.

Maria Stuarda – Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Germany

Adela Zaharia  makes her role debut in Donizetti’s tudor queen. The soprano is joined by Maria Kataeva as Elisabetta and Shalva Mukeria in the role of Leicester. Guy Joosten directs the production, which Antonino Fogliani conducts.

Fantasio – Opéra National de Montpellier, France

Rihab Chaieb headlines Offenbach’s rarely performed comic masterpiece in a new production by Thomas Jolly that will be conducted by Pierre Dumoussaud. Julien Véronèse, Sheva Tehoval, Armando Noguera, and Enguerrand de Hys also star.

Rodelinda – Opéra National de Lyon, France

Sabina Puértolas sings the title role in Handel’s most popular opera. Krystian Adam, Avery Amereau, and Christopher Ainslie also star in Claus Guth’s production. Stefano Montanari conducts.

Aida Garifullina in Recital – Mariinsky Theatre, Russia

The Russian superstar performs alongside Valery Gergiev in a program that will include arias by Gounod, Leoncavallo, Bellini, Rimsky-Korsakov, Puccini, Rachmanioff, and Massenet. The concert will be at the Mariinsky II.

Sweeney Todd – Opernhaus Zürich, Switzerland

Starting Friday night, Bryn Terfel takes on the role that he has dominated for years alongside Angelika Kirchschlageras Mrs. Lovett. There will also be a Sunday performance of the Sondheim piece.