The holiday spirit resonated powerfully at the Elbphilharmonie’s recent Christmas-themed concert, a year-end highlight crafted by the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists. Christophe Rousset’s much-anticipated debut as guest conductor, stepping in after Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s departure as artistic director, brought a fresh sense of artistic renewal and festive splendor. Drawing from the rich traditions of French and German Baroque music, Rousset and the ensemble took the audience on an enchanting musical journey, showcasing their exceptional artistry and energy. 

By pairing Charpentier’s “Messe de Minuit” with “Noëls sur les instruments,” Rousset crafted a well-balanced first half through thoughtful programming. The graceful carols served as a charming prelude, while faster-paced pieces after the mass added a spirited finale. This structure not only created a satisfying musical arc but also subtly referenced the tradition of earlier parody masses, where compositions were built on pre-existing tunes. 

Rousset’s direction emphasized dynamic interplay between choir and instruments, highlighting Charpentier’s masterful use of Baroque orchestration. The orchestra’s jubilant tones—especially from the violins, flutes, and basses—captured both the spiritual depth and intricate beauty of the Baroque style. While the positive organ was more limited in tonal range than a grand organ, its rich resonance filled the acoustically stunning Elbphilharmonie. 

Standout Vocalists

The vocalists were standout, blending clarity and expressiveness with remarkable finesse. Their “Kyrie” and “Gloria” radiated festive joy, with soprano lines soaring above the rich choral harmonies. The soloists brought dramatic contrast to the following movements, their voices intertwining with heartfelt precision. A particularly striking moment came with the soprano’s tender “Quoniam tu solus Sanctus,” full of lyrical warmth. The choir’s dynamic control and nuanced articulation shifted the mood effortlessly from the solemn “Crucifixus” to the exuberant “Agnus Dei,” leaving the audience deeply moved by Charpentier’s seamless blend of sacred and popular traditions. 

The second half showcased the young soloists’ brilliance. It opened with Bach’s “Schwingt freudig euch empor,” BWV 36c, a cantata bursting with joy and energy. The oboe d’amore’s lively solo set a cheerful tone, seamlessly leading into the choir’s bright and powerful entrance. Soprano Hilary Cronin’s aria offered a moment of contrast; her voice diverged from the ascending melody, followed by a thoughtful pause that highlighted the interaction with the instruments. Tenor Ruairi Bowen, warmly supported by the oboe d’amore, delivered an emotionally resonant performance. Each soloist sang with clarity and expression, balancing introspective passages with jubilant outbursts.

Rousset’s Inspiring Interpretation

The concert concluded with Bach’s “Unser Mund sei voll Lachens,” BWV 110, a festive cantata composed for Christmas Day 1725. The French-style overture, featuring flute, trumpet, and timpani, set a celebratory tone from the first bar. The choir’s fugal entry filled the hall with joyous energy, drawing appreciative murmurs from the audience. The young soloists embraced a more operatic style in this secular cantata, vividly portraying characters from the joyful to the contemplative while maintaining a dynamic connection with the listeners. Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Leggett conveyed deep introspection and doubt in her aria, offering a reflective counterpoint to the exuberant bass aria. In the latter, Florian Störtz’s commanding voice soared over bold trumpet fanfares and dazzling coloraturas, stirring the crowd. The final triumphant chorale faded, the concert hall erupted with enthusiastic cries of “Merci!” from Rousset’s devoted French fans, adding a heartfelt and spontaneous touch to the evening’s celebration. 

Though the concert faced a conductor change, Mr. Rousset’s debut with the English Baroque Soloists more than made up for any initial disappointment. For devoted Baroque enthusiasts who might have attended Sir Gardiner’s performance with his newly formed ensemble, The Constellation Orchestra, just a week earlier—featuring a similar program—this was a rare opportunity to compare the artistry of two distinguished early music specialists. Ultimately, Rousset’s interpretation stood out for its vitality, elegance, and emotional depth, leaving a lasting impression on all present.

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Puccini’s “Tosca” will be revived from a 2008 OHP production. Matthew Kofi Waldren conducts a cast that includes Amanda Echalaz, José de Eça, Edwin Kaye, and Jack Holton.

Performance Dates: May 28-June 22, 2024

A new production of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” will be showcased with a cast that includes Paul Grant, Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Heather Lowe, Stephen Gadd, Jack Holton, and Janis Kelly. Charlotte Corderoy conducts the production by Cecilia Stinton.

Performance Dates: June 4-21, 2024

Three semi-staged performances of Puccini’s “Edgar” will be performed with a cast that includes Peter Auty, Anne Sophie Duprels, Gweneth Ann Rand, and Julien Van Mellaerts. Ruth Knight conducts.

Performance Dates: July 2-6, 2024

Coupled with a double bill, there will be a new production of Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” and a revival of John Wilkie’s acclaimed 2019 staging of Wolf-Ferrari’s comedy “Il segreto di Susanna.” Wolf Ferrari’s opera will star Clare Presland, Richard Burkhard, and John Savournin while Leoncavallo’s work will include David Butt Philip, Alison Langer, Robert Hayward, Zwakele Tshabalala, and Harry Thatcher. John Andrews and Francesco Cilluffo conduct.

Performance Dates: July 17-August 3, 2024

Opera Holland Park’s first production of Händel’s “Acis and Galatea,” completes the 2024 Season. Anthony Gregory, Elizabeth Karani, Chuma Sijeqa, and Ruairi Bowen star in a production by Louise Bakker. Michael Papadopoulos conducts.

Performance Dates: July 19-August 2, 2024

Sullivan’s comic opera “The Yeomen of the Guard” will be the fourth co-production between Opera Holland Park and Charles Court Opera. David Eaton conducts the production by John Savournin.

Performance Dates: August 7-10, 2024

The City of London Sinfonia returns in 2024 for its 20th anniversary as the resident orchestra for all six productions and the Opera in Song recital series curated by Julien Van Mellaerts and Dylan Perez returns for its fourth year.

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Opéra de Lille has announced its 2021-22 season. Here is a look.

Operas

André Campra’s “Idoménée” spotlights Tassis Christoyannis, Samuel Boden, Chiara Skerath, Hélène Carpentier, Eva Zaïcik, Yoann Dubruque, Victor Sicard, Enguerrand de Hys, and Frédéric Caton. Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the production by Àlex Ollé /La Fura dels Baus.

Performance Dates: Sep. 24 – Oct. 2, 2021

Marie-Claude Chappuis and Jarrett Ott star in the title roles of Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas.” The cast also includes Emöke Barath, Marie Lys, and Ruairi Bowen. Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the production by Franck Chartier / Peeping Tom.

Performance dates: Dec. 3 – 10, 2021

Sivan Eldar’s new chamber opera “Like Flesh” spotlights Helena Rasker, William Dazeley, Juliette Allen, Adèle Carlier, Hélène Fauchère, Guilhem Terrail, and Sean Clayton. Maxime Pascal conducts the production by Silvia Costa.

Performance dates: Jan. 21 – 28, 2022

Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges” will star Catherine Trottmann, Caroline Jestaedt, Ambroisine Bré, Marie Kalinine, Raphaël Brémard, Philippe-Nicolas Martin, and Thibault de Damas. Corinna Niemeyer conducts the production by James Bonas.

Performance dates: Feb. 19 – 23, 2022

American soprano Sydney Mancasola makes a role debut as Tytania in the new production of Benjamin Britten‘s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” alongside Christophe Dumaux in the role of Oberon, David Portillo as Lysander, Antoinette Dennefeld as Hermia, Charles Rice in the role of Demetrius, and Louise Kemény as Helena. The cast will be rounded out by Dominic Barberi, Charlotte Dumartherey, Gwilym Bowen, David Ireland, Thibault de Damas, Dean Power, Kamil Ben Hsaïn Lachiri, Tomislav Lavoie, and Clare Presland. Guillaume Tourniaire conducts the production by Laurent Pelly.

Performance dates: May 6 – 22, 2022

The double bill of Bizet‘s “Djamileh” and Saint-Saëns’ “La Princesse jaune” showcases Aude Extrémo, Sahy Ratia, Philippe-Nicolas Martin, Johann Cuny, and Jenny Daviet. François-Xavier Roth conducts the production by Géraldine Martineau.

Performance dates: May 19 – 22, 2022

Fiona McGown, Mariamielle Lamagat and Agathe Peyrat star in the Thomas Bouvet’s production of Gluck’s “Orphée et Eurydice” alongside conductor Fiona Monbet.

Performance date: June 5, 2022

Concerts and Recitals

“Des Nuits” is inspired by the roman “Le Livre des nuits” and will star soprano Maud Kauffmann performing music by Berg, Debussy, Ligeti, Poulenc, Respighi, Saariaho, Schubert, and Schumann alongside pianist Elsa Cantor. Pauline Ringeade is the director.

Performance date: Oct. 8, 2021

Soprano Véronique Gens performs works by Berlioz, Chausson, Fauré, Lekeu, Massenet, and Saint-Saëns alongside pianist David Violi and the ensemble I Giardini.

Performance date: Nov. 15, 2021

“Mawâl de la terre” spotlights singer and composer Aida Niati performing songs in Arabic. Zied Zouari conducts and plays the violin.

Performance dates: Nov. 20 – 21, 2021

Contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux performs works by Gounod, Poulenc and  Tchaikovsky alongside pianist Roger Vignoles.

Performance date: March 8, 2022

Purcell’s semi-opera “The Fairy Queen” spotlights Vox Luminis. Lionel Meunier conducts the production by Emilie Lauwers.

Performance date: March 23, 2022

Ballet and vocal performance “C(H)OEURS 2020” will feature soprano Reisha Adam alongside conductor Marc Piollet. Alain Platel is the director.

Performance dates: June 11 – 14, 2022

The post Sydney Mancasola, David Portillo, Jarrett Ott & Marie-Nicole Lemieux Lead Opéra de Lille’s 2021-22 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The Priestess of Morphine

Navona releases composer Rosśa Crean and librettist Aiden K. Feltkamp’s haunting portrait of Gertrud Günther, a young Jewish lesbian caught between her two selves during the Third Reich. The monodrama’s unusual story is matched by a unique ensemble and features Katherine Bruton and Jessie Lyon representing each side of Gertrud’s life.

Motets

The MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and its chief conductor Philipp Ahmann present motets by Anton Bruckner and Michael Haydn. The album offers Bruckner’s “Locus iste,” “Christus factus est” and “Ave Maria” and the lesser-known works of Michael Haydn. The album combines the two works in order to discover the Austrian church-musical style.

Rebirth 

Sonya Yoncheva releases her fourth solo album for Sony Classical featuring music by Cavalli, Monteverdi, Stradella, Gibbons, Alarcon, Strozzi, and many more.

In a statement, the soprano noted, “This project is of great importance to me. I would like to highlight the timeless quality of this music, the sense of unlimited freedom that it offers us. It is an appeal for a rebirth, for the renewal our world so desperately needs.”

Rebirth was recorded in the concert hall of La Chaux-de-Fonds, with Alarcón and his ensemble Cappella Mediterranea, during the first European lockdown.

Naga

Scott Wheeler’s opera is set to be released on New Worlds Records. The work is a fairy tale two-act opera set to a libretto by Singapore-born Cerise Lim Jacobs and creatively produced by Beth Morrison Projects. The new recording is led by conductor Carolyn Kuan and soprano Stacey Tappan and countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo.

“Naga” is the first part of The Ouroboros Trilogy, a cycle of three grand operas with different composers including the 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning “Madame White Snake” by Zhou Long and “Gilgamesh” by Paolo Prestini. All with librettos were written by Jacobs.

Orson Rehearsed

The post Sonya Yoncheva, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Rosśa Crean & Patrizia Ciofi Lead New CD/DVD Releases appeared first on OperaWire.

The work will use the dramatic setting of the Vernon Watkins poem of the same name to celebrate the life of Bowen and will be performed by an all-Wales cast that includes Shân Cothi and Rhodri Prys Jones, performing alongside the London Welsh Chorale, Liverpool Choral Union, Wrexham Youth Choir, in a massed choir.

“I am honored and privileged to be able to create a piece in memory of my friend and inspiration, Kenneth Bowen, that celebrates the Land of Song as its very best,” Harry noted in a press release. “He was a long-time collaborator of another of my inspirations William Mathias CBE, and was founder of the London Welsh Chorale whom I have the honor to direct, so it will be a beautiful and emotional evening to have the chorale perform this premiere.”

The piece will be performed on July 3 for its world premiere and will be followed on July 6 by the London Welsh Chorale at St Giles Cripplegate, Barbican, London, where Kenneth Bowen’s grandson Ruairi Bowen will sing tenor.

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