Puccini called his work “La Rondine” a “commedia lirica,” effectively COMIC opera, but I consider it a TRAGEDY that this work isn’t performed more in the opera house.

“La Rondine” comprises some of the most exquisite, emotive music the maestro ever penned. Alas, devoid of the dramatic impact and impetus of his more famous, regularly performed works, it is scarcely deemed worthy of staging by impresarios, given its lightweight theme: a doomed romance with no histrionic turn of events or tragic deaths.

Maestro Sir Antonio Pappano gave no thoughts to such trivial matters as he took to the podium at the Barbican in London however, where he commanded the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and a cast of singers in a concert version of the work.

Mainly obscured, as he invariably was in the opera house pit, it was a joy to see him, literally, under the spotlight and in full view. It is indeed a sight to behold, watching him at work, an elite marionettist pulling ALL the strings of his players, gesturing here, pointing there, driving his charges, dancing, gesticulating, prancing, at times so animated that I feared he would lose his footing and fall from his small, confined podium. That he is a musical genius is inarguable. The passion for what he does emanates from his very being, an almost tangible aura surrounding his enthusiastic, vibrant form.

The LSO itself, led by Pappano since September of this year, were quite majestic; again, the experience enhanced somewhat by virtue of being on full view, turning out Puccini’s score with exquisite care and attention.

Whether or not the lack of any requirement to concentrate on staging positions or real direction served to enhance or focus the singing performance of the artists, I can not say, except to state that this proved to be a euphonious delight, vocally.

Spectacular Singing

Nadine Sierra was penned in to perform the role of Magda, but she is in recovery from a medical procedure. Instead, Bolivian-Albanian soprano Carolina López Moreno  performed the role of Magda and positively shone here as the Parisian courtesan. She may have been a stand-in, but she had no need to refer to the score, singing with glorious aplomb. She possesses a shimmering tone, often voluminous, with a radiant, top. She delivered an exquisite “Ore dolci e divine” and her signature aria “Chi il Bel Sogno di Doretta?” was sublime, receiving much deserved applause.

Her chief admirer, Ruggero, was performed by the renowned American tenor Michael Fabiano who cut a rather studious, serious first impression with his bespectacled form. Vocally, seemingly hesitant in the early stages with his “Parigi! È la città dei desideri,” he soon blossomed to produce a fine and very sweet accompaniment in “Nella dolce carezza della danza” before producing a most sudden, unexpected and ardently pressed kiss that appeared to even take Carolina by surprise!

His powerful line and silvery top came into further prominence in the “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso” quartet where his piercing tone cut through both the orchestration and eager chorus. He impressed throughout the evening, delivering a contemplative “Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi” which managed to avoid the usual, overly saccharine sentimentality. His “Ma come puoi lasciarmi se mi struggo in pianto” where he begs Magda not to leave him was genuinely moving and, for me, was one of the key highlights of the evening.

By contrast, the other lovebirds in the equation, supercilious poet Prunier and his secret on/off lover Lisette, maid to Magda, performed by American tenor Paul Appleby and Italian soprano Serena Gamberoni respectively, ham it up for laughs. Appleby has a fine, shiny bright tenor instrument with which he impresses throughout the whole first act. In fact, until Ruggero makes his entrance later in Act one, he holds the pivotal role as the lead tenor. He sets the stage and to a degree, the characters on it. His “Forse, come la rondine” was especially warm and enchanting, but his triumphs lay in his melodramatic yet witty retorts, along with the comedic squabbles with his girlfriend Lisette.

Gamberoni has a strong, expressive soprano and combined with her jocoseness, probably epitomized to perfection what Puccini meant by “commedia lirica”. Whether entering or exiting the stage, she did so with comical gusto.

More Performance Highlights

British baritone Ashley Riches takes on the role of Rambaldo, Magda’s wealthy ‘protector’. Cutting a very tall figure, he is suitably austere and constraining and sings his lines with rich, dark resonance.
Sarah Dufresne, Angela Schisano and Marvic Monreal are the essential party girls who give the whole show the requisite, essential sparkle, beauties for the eyes as well as the ears. I have frequently pondered why; after having seen her excel on a number of occasions now, Canadian soprano and former Jette Parker Alumna Sarah Dufresne has not been contracted to perform more substantial roles in the house. She has a voice of pure crystal, exquisitely polished, clarion and attention grabbing and I am always left wishing I could hear more of her.

The London Symphony Orchestra chorus made invaluable contributions here, not just with their delightfully engaging swaying during certain passages, but especially during the final passages of the “Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso” where the sheer wall of sound produced, quite literally, took one’s breath away. Possibly not surprising, given that their numbers were close to NINETY strong!

Whoever labelled “La Rondine” a “poor man’s ‘Traviata’” never lived, and certainly never loved. For what makes this underplayed mini-masterpiece so special is, frustratingly, the very reasons it is seldom staged. It is devoid of all the overly-melodramatic, theatrical murders, suicides and completely improbable tales of woe that are the hallmarks of most operas. Yet in its uncomplicated, simple story of near-tangible heartbreak, it is all the more potent for it. It is genuine. Real. TRUE verismo.
It’s NOT a “poor man’s Traviata.” It’s pure, unbridled richness for everyone.

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The orchestra said, “Nadine Sierra has had a recent medical procedure, the recovery from which is taking longer than anticipated. She has therefore had to withdraw from the LSO’s performances of ‘La Rondine’ on 10 and 12 December. The role of Magda will now be sung by Carolina López Moreno.”

Moreno has performed at the Puccini Festival Torre del Lago, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Club, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Jugendstil-Festhalle Landau, and Cambridge University in England, among others. She has performed the works of Offenbach, Verdi, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Mercadante, Poulenc, Puccini, and Nino Rota.

Moreno is set to join a cast that includes Serena Gamberoni, Michael Fabiano, Paul Appleby, and Ashley Riches. Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symphony Orchestra.

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On Dec. 7, a concert will be held to commemorate the reopening of Notre Dame.

The showcase commences at 9 p.m. local time and will feature numerous classical music stars, including several opera superstars. Among them are Pretty Yende, Nadine Sierra, Benjamin Bernheim, and Julie Fuchs, all regulars of the Opéra National de Paris. Also on the program are Gautier and Renaud Capuçon, Yo-Yo Ma, Katia Buniatichvili, and Daniel Lozakovich.

They will be joined by conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; Dudamel was the Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris before stepping down in 2023.

The concert will streamed on Deutsche Grammophon’s Stage+.

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The company said that for the performance, the role of Gilda will be sung by Erin Morley, replacing Nadine Sierra.

Morley performed the role of Gilda during the 2021-22 season and scored rave reviews with critics calling her performance “Incandescently voiced.” Morley is coming off acclaimed performances of “Les Contes d’Hoffmann and is also set to perform the role of Gilda at the Met in January with Luca Salsi and Pene Pati and this summer at the Arena di Verona.

For the November performance, she is set to join a cast that includes Quinn Kelsey, Stephen Costello, J’nai Bridges, and Ante Jerkunica. Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts the production by Bartlett Sher.

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Opera

“Hotel Metamorphosis,” a pastiche of Vivadi’s music, will be conducted by Gianluca Capuano and directed by Barrie Kosky. The production will star Cecilia Bartoli, Varduhi Abrahamyan, Lea Desandre, Philippe Jaroussky, and Angela Winkler. 

Performance Dates: June 6-8, 2025

Nadine Sierra, Piotr Beczala, and Luca Salsi star in Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Massimo Zanetti conducting.

Performance Date: June 8, 2025

Rossini in Venice will features arias and scenes from “La cambiale di matrimonio,” “Tancredi,” “Semiramide,” “La scala di seta,” “L’italiana in Algeri” and other operas. Gianluca Capuano conducts a cast that includes Mélissa Petit, Cecilia Bartoli, John Osborn, and Ildebrando D’Arcangelo.

Performance Date: June 9, 2025

Concert 

The festival will present “Vespro della Beata Virigine” with Gianluca Capuano conducting Il Canto di Orfeo and Les Musiciens du Prince. The concert includes Monteverdi and Mantovani. 

Performance Dates: June 7, 2025

Matthias Goerne  and Markus Hinterhäuser perform “…..Sofferte onde Serene…”The recital will include music  Berg, Liszt, Wagner, and Sciarrino.

Performance Dates: June 9, 2025

The post Cecilia Bartoli, Matthias Goerne, Piotr Beczala & Philippe Jaroussky Lead Salzburg Whitsun Festival’s 2025 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

Verdi’s “Nabucco” will get a new production. Stefano Poda will direct the new production. Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Youngjun Park, Luca Salsi, and Igor Golovatenko lead the cast that includes Anna Pirozzi, Maria José Siri, Anna Netrebko, and Olga Maslova as Abigaille, Francesco Meli and Galeano Salas as Ismaele. The cast is rounded out by Roberto Tagliavini, Alexander Vinogradov, Christian Van Horn, Simon Lim, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Francesca Di Sauro, and Aigul Akhmetshina. Pinchas Steinberg conducts. 

Performance Dates: June 13-Sept. 6, 2025

Verdi’s “Aida” will be revived in Stefano Poda’s production. Daniel Oren and Francesco Ommassini conduct with Maria José Siri, Olga Maslova, Aleksandra Kurzak, Anna Netrebko, and Marina Rebeka in the title role. Clémentine Margaine, Agnieszka Rehlis, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Luciano Ganci, Gregory Kunde, Brian Jagde, Roberto Alagna, Yusif Eyvazov, Simon Lim, Ramaz Chikviladze, Giorgi Manoshvili, Alexander Vinogradov, Simon Lim, Christian Van Horn, Abramo Rosalen, Igor Golovatenko, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Ludovic Tézier, and Youngjun Park round out the cast.

Performance Dates: June 20-Sept. 4, 2025

Verdi’s “La Traviata” will be performed in Hugo De Ana’s production. Speranza Scappucci and Francesco Ommassini conduct a cast that includes Angel Blue, Rosa Feola, Nadine Sierra, Galeano Salas, Enea Scala, Dmitry Korchak, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Luca Salsi, and Ludovic Tézier.

Performance Dates: June 27-August 2, 2025

Bizet’s “Carmen” will be performed in a production by Franco Zeffirelli. Aigul Akhmetshina, Alisa Kolosova, and Anita Rachvelishvili take on the title role with Aleksandra Kurzak, Mariangela Sicilia, Daniela Schillaci, Roberto Alagna, Francesco Meli, Yusif Eyvazov, Piotr Beczała, Freddie De Tommaso, Paolo Lardizzone, Erwin Schrott, Luca Micheletti, and Giorgi Manoshvili. Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts.

Performance Dates: July 4-Sept. 3, 2025

“Roberto Bolle and Friends” will be presented in coproduction with ARTEDANZAsrl.

Performance Dates: July 22 & 23, 2025

Verdi’s “Rigoletto” returns to the stage with Pene Pati, Galeano Salas, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Luca Salsi, Youngjun Park, Nadine Sierra, Rosa Feola, Erin Morley, and Gianluca Buratto.

Performance Dates: August 8-Sept. 5, 2025

Jonas Kaufmann leads the Opera Gala.

Performance Date: August 3, 2025

Orff’s “Carmina Burana” returns to the festival with Erin Morley and Raffaele Pe. Andrea Battistoni conducts. 

Performance Date: August 15, 2025

The post Anna Netrebko, Aigul Akhmetshina, Angel Blue, Jonas Kaufmann, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Piotr Beczała, Luca Salsi, & Aleksandra Kurzak Lead Arena di Verona’s 2025 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The artists include Anthony Roth Costanzo, Anthony Léon, Nadine Sierra, and Elena Villalón. They join a lineup that includes Jamie Barton, J’Nai Bridges, Stephen Costello, Michael Fabiano, Ryan Speedo Green, Quinn Kelsey, and Rachel Willis-Sørensen.

The soloists will be accompanied by Bryan Wagorn and Howard Watkins.

The event will have a duration of 90 minutes with no intermission.

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation’s 2024 Gala is a fundraiser that supports the foundation’s award and grant programs. The 2024 Richard Tucker winner is Clay Hilley while Anthony Léon, Luke Sutliff, and Elena Villalón were selected as recipients of the 2024 Richard Tucker Career Grant.

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The film chronicles Bocelli’s three-day July concert event in Italy honoring his 30th anniversary in music. The film takes you to the Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico as Andrea Bocelli returns to his hometown to mark his 30th anniversary with a three-day concert event attended by more than 30,000 guests from around the world.

The concerts honor Bocelli’s illustrious career and showcase Bocelli’s beloved and genre-spanning repertoire, alongside captivating duets with Ed Sheeran, Shania Twain, Jon Batiste, Brian May, Sofia Vergara, David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Matteo Bocelli, Sofia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Eros Ramazzotti, and more, as well as special appearances by Kim & Khloe Kardashian. The film also includes performances by Placido Domingo, Josep Carreras, Nadine Sierra, Franco Vassallo, Aida Garifullina, and Mariam Batstelli

Directed by Grammy-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Sam Wrench, the film is a celebration of an international icon and revered classical voice.

The film will be released in US theaters on Friday, Nov. 8 and Fathom will release the film in Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand starting on Nov. 8. Additional global release dates begin on Nov. 16 (UK, Ireland, Germany, and Poland) and Nov. 17 (France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland).

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The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024–25 Live in HD season will continue with composer Jeanine Tesori and librettist George Brant’s “Grounded.”

The HD presentation will be held on Oct. 19, 2024, and will star Canadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Jess, tenor Ben Bliss as Eric, soprano Ellie Dehn as Also Jess, baritone Kyle Miller as the Sensor, and bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as the Commander.

The Met’s Music Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct the opera in Michael Mayer’s high-tech staging.

Gary Halvorson will direct the Live in HD presentation for cinemas, and soprano Nadine Sierra will host the transmission, sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes content and interviews during the intermission.

Of the opera, OperaWire said, “Emily D’Angelo Does Her Utmost to Salvage a Frustrating Experience” and “That mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo is a major opera star and deserved a lot more in her first leading role at the Met Opera. From the opening “Blue” all the way to the final “BOOM” she commanded the stage, delivering an all-timer at the Met.”

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Here is a rundown of the vocal performances on offer.

Soprano Núria Rial will take on songs by Mompou in a performance that also includes works by Gershwin and Ravel. Ludovic Morlot conducts the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra.

Performance Date: Oct. 14, 2024

The Liceu will present “Lady Macbeth of Mstensk” in a production by Alex Ollé, conducted by Josep Pons. The cast stars Alexei Botnarciuc, Daniel Kirch, and Ángeles Blancas.

Performance Date: Oct. 15, 2024

Sondra Radvanovksy and Piotr Beczała headline a Puccini concert. Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts.

Performance Date: Oct. 27, 2024

Sarah Connolly performs with Anima Aeterna Brugge at the Palau de la Música. The program includes Mahler songs and a symphony by Bruckner. Pablo Heras-Casado conducts.

Performance Date: Oct. 29, 2024

Sonya Yoncheva stars in “Madama Butterfly” in a production by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier. Paolo Bortolameolli conducts a cast starring Annalisa Stroppa, and Matthew Polenzani.

Performance Date: Dec. 21, 2024

Lise Davidsen headlines an all-Wagner concert at the Liceu.

Performance Date: July 2, 2025

Juan Diego Flórez and Nadine Sierra star in “West Side Story.” Gustavo Dudamel conducts.

Performance Date: July 29, 2025

The post Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez, Sondra Radvanovsky, Piotr Beczała Headline Barcelona Obertura’s 2024-25 Season appeared first on OperaWire.