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.

The post London Symphony Orchestra 2024-25 Review: La Rondine appeared first on OperaWire.

Opera

Teresa Iervolino leads Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” with Matteo D’Apolito, Patrick Kabongo, William Hernandez, and Marco Filippo Romano. Ginaluca Capuano conducts.

Performance Dates: Sept. 20-27, 2024

Daniele Gatti conducts Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” with Carolina López Moreno, Piero Pretti, Vincenzo Costanzo, Marvic Monreal, and Nicola Alaimo headlining the cast. Lorenzo Mariani directs the new production.

Performance Dates: Oct. 24-Nov. 2, 2024

Stefania Grazioli directs a new production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” starring Carolina López Moreno and Julia Muzychenko. Giovanni Sala, Matheus Pompeu, Lodovico Filippo Ravizza, and Min Kim also star with Roberto Abbado conducting.

Performance Dates: Nov. 19-Dec. 1, 2024

The company will present “La Fiaba di Tristano” with Giuseppe La Malfa conducting and Manu Lalli directing.

Performance Dates: Nov. 26-30, 2024

Stravinsky’s “Mavra” and Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” will showcase Julia Muzychenko, Kseniia Nikolaieva, Aleksandra Meteleva, Iván Ayón Rivas, and Roberto De Candia. Francesco Lanzillotta conducts the production by Denis Krief.

Performance Dates: Dec. 15-22, 2024

Concert

The post Carolina López Moreno, Iván Ayón Rivas, Teresa Iervolino & Jessica Pratt Lead Maggio Musicale Fiorentino’s 2024 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

Opera

Wagner’s “Siegfried” will star Magnus Vigilius, Peter Hoare, Gábor Bretz, Scott Hendricks, Wilhelm Schwinghammer, Ingela Brimberg, Nora Gubisch, and Liv Redpath. Alain Altinoglu conducts Pierre Audi’s production.

Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 4, 2024

Kris Defoort’s “The Time of Our Singing ” will star Mark S. Doss, Claron Mcfadden, Simon Bailey, Levy Sekgapane, Peter Brthwaiter, Abigail Abraham, and Lilly Jørstad. Kwamé Ryan conducts Ted Huffman’s production.

Performance Dates: Oct. 24-Nov. 2, 2024

Mikael Karlsson’s “Fanny and Alexander” will star Doris Soffel, Sasha Cooke, Thomas Hampson, Peter Tantsits, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Loa Falkman, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Alexander Sprague, Justin Hopkins, Polly Leech, Gavan Ring, Margaux de Valensart, Marion Bauwens, and Bladinde Coulon. Ariane Matiakhm conducts the new production by Ivo Van Hove.

Performance Dates: Dec. 1-19, 2024

Scott Hendricks, Ingela Brimberg, Ain Anger, Anett Fritsch, Nora Gubisch, Bryan Register, and Andrew Foster-Williams star in Wagner’s “Gotterdammerung.” Alain Altinoglu conducts Pierre Audi’s production.

Performance Dates: Feb.4 -March 2, 2025

Monteverdi’s “I Grotteschi” will star Giulia Semenzato, Matthew Newlin, Raffaella Lupinacci, Stephanie D’Oustrac, Jeremy Ovenden, Mark Milhofer, Arianna Venditelli, Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, Jessica Niles, Federico Fiorio, Andrea Mastroni, and Xavier Sabata. Leonardo Garcia Alarcon conducts the production by Rafael R. Villalobos.

Performance Dates: April 11-May 3, 2025

Harold Noben’s “Bovary” will star Ana Naqe, Oleg Volkov, and Blandine Coulon. Debora Waldman conducts the production by Michael de Cock and Carme Portaceli.

Performance Dates: April 12-19, 2025

Eve-Maud Hubeaux and Stephanie d’Oustrac lead Bizet’s “Carmen” with Michael Fabiano, Attilio Glaser, Anne-Catherine Gillet, and Edwin Crossley-Mercer. Nathalie Stutzman.

Performance Dates: June 3-25, 2025

Concert 

Emmanuel Trenque conducts Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle with Flavia Stricker, Lilly Jørstad, Lorenzo Martelli, and Brent Michael Smith.

Performance Dates: Oct. 12, 2024

Lianna Haroutounian Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Enea Scala, and Michele Pertusi star in Verdi’s Requiem. Alain Altinoglu conducts.

Performance Dates: Nov. 10 & 13, 2024

Alain Altinoglu conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with soloists Michaela Kaune, Jacquelyn Wagner, Ilse Eerens, Nora Gubisch, Marvic Monreal, Nicky Spence, Werner Van Mechelen, and Gábor Bretz.

Performance Dates: March 8 & 9, 2025

Alain Altinoglu conducts Mahler’s Symphony No.3 with Nora Gubisch.

Performance Date: May 4, 2025

Alain Altinoglu conducts a Mozart Marathon with Lenneke Ruiten Ilse Eerenst, Anicio Zorzi Giustiani, and Andreas Wolf.

Performance Date: June 29, 2025

Recitals 

Liv Redpath and Samuel Hasselhorn perform in recital with Inge Spinette. The recital includes music by Hugo Wolf and Schumann.

Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2024

Franz-Josef Selig and Masabane Cecila Rangwanasha perform music by Hugo Wolf, Liszt, Wagner, and Strauss. Inge Spinette performs at the piano.

Performance Date: Oct. 3, 2024

Stéphane Degout and Alain Planès perform works by Schumann, Brahms, and Faure.

Performance Date: Dec. 18, 2024

Sarah Aristidou and Filip Rathe perform the music of Luciano Berio, Cathy Berberian, and Luc Brewaeys.

Performance Date: Jan. 26, 2025

Elsa Dreisig and Romain Louveau perform the music of Schumann.

Performance Date: Feb. 13, 2025

Silvia Tro Santafé and Julian Reynolds perform a varied music repertoire by Rossini, Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Rossini, Scarlatti, Gluck, Bellini, and Jake Heggie.

Performance Date: March 3, 2025

Karine Deshayes performs music by Mahler, Bloch, Dvorak, Bartok, Weill, Ravel, and Prokofiev.

Performance Date: April 23, 2025

Jeanine de Bique performs with the Concerto Koln in a program of music of Händel, Graun, Vinci, and Telemann.

Performance Date: May 3, 2025

Grant Gershon conducts the Los Angeles Master Chorale Schutz’s “Musikalische Exequien.”

Performance Date: June 15, 2025

The post Sasha Cooke, Ingela Brimberg, Mark S. Doss & Eve-Maud Hubeaux Lead La Monnaie de Munt’s 2024-25 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The Royal Opera House is set to present Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” in cinemas in a new production by Barrie Kosky.

The opera will be broadcast live from Covent Garden to approximately 800 cinemas in 18 countries on Sept. 20.

Antonio Pappano conducts an all-star cast that includes Christopher Maltman, Christopher Purves, Sean Panikkar, Marina Prudenskaya, Kiandra Howarth, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Kostas Smoriginas, Rodrick Dixon, Brenton Ryan, In Sung Sim, Soloman Howard, Katharina Konradi, Niamh O’Sullivan, and Marvic Monreal.

The broadcast will also offer a unique opportunity to experience the rich orchestral arrangements, large-scale sets, stunning costumes and astonishing performances on the big screen, all from the comfort of your local cinema. Encore screenings will run from Sept. 24, 2023.

The post Royal Opera House to Screen ‘Das Rheingold’ in Cinemas appeared first on OperaWire.

Iván Fischer conducts Michael Nagy in works by Jörg Widmann and Gustav Mahler.

Performance Date: August 26, 2023

Alexander Rudin, Alexander Melnikov, Nadezhda Pavlova, and Olga Pashchenko perform works by Sergei Rachmaninov.

Performance Date: August 27, 2023

Robin Ticciati conducts Wu Wei Sheng, Karen Cargill, and Allan Clayton in music by Unsuk Chin and Gustav Mahler.

Performance Date: August 30, 2023

John Eliot Gardiner conducts Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” with a cast that includes Alice Coote, Michael Spyres, Paula Murrihy, Lionel Lhote, Adèle Charvet, William Thomas, Ashley Riches, Beth Taylor, Laurence Kilsby, Rebecca Evans, and Alex Rosen.

Performance Date: Sept. 1, 2023

Sir George Benjamin conducts Anna Prohaska for works by Edgard Varèse, Saed Haddad, Maurice Ravel, Johann Sebastian Bach and Arnold Schoenberg.

Performance Date: Sept. 2, 2023

Sir George Benjamin and Anna Prohaska join forces for works by Unsuk Chin, Elizabeth Ogonek, Francesco Filidei, Sir George Benjamin, and Dieter Ammann

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conducts Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection” with Talisa Trevigne and Okka von der Damerau.

Performance Date: Sept. 12, 2023

Philippe Herreweghe conducts Dorothee Mields, Margot Oitzinger, Alex Potter, Guy Cutting, and Peter Kooij in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B minor, BWV 232.

Performance Date: Sept. 13, 2023

Kirill Petrenko and Christian Gerhaher join forces for works by Iannis Xenakis, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Márton Illés, and György Kurtág.

Performance Dates: Sept. 14-17, 2023

Justin Doyle conducts Johanna Wallroth, Anna Stéphany, Martin Mitterrutzner, and Carles Pachón perform works by Michael Haydn, and Joseph Haydn.

Performance Date: Sept. 17, 2023

The Scharoun Ensemble Berlin and Sarah Aristidou team up for Hans Werner Henze, David Philip Hefti, Brett Dean, and Franz Schubert.

Performance Date: Sept. 27, 2023

Antonín Dvořák’s “Stabat mater” will be conducted by Jakub Hrůša. Soloists include Corinne Winters, Marvic Monreal, David Butt Philip, and Matthew Rose.

Performance Date: Oct. 12-14, 2023

Jakub Józef Orliński and Il pomo dʼoro perform works by Claudio Monteverdi, Biagio Marini, Giulio Caccini, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Johann Caspar Kerll, Barbara Strozzi, Francesco Cavalli, Carlo Pallavicino, Giovanni Cesare Netti, Antonio Sartorio, Adam Jarzebski, and Sebastiano Moratelli.

Performance Date: Nov. 30, 2023

Robin Ticciati conducts works by Antonín Dvořák, Ondřej Adámek, and Gustav Mahler. Elsa Benoit is the soloist.

Performance Dates: Dec.7-9, 2023

Jonas Kaufmann rings in the New Year with Vida Miknevičiūtė and Georg Zeppenfeld for a concert of works by Richard Wagner. Kirill Petrenko conducts.

Performance Dates: Dec. 29-31, 2023

Kirill Petrenko conducts works by Arnold Schoenberg. Wolfgang Koch, Daniel Behle, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Johannes Martin Kränzle, Gyula Orendt, Nicola Beller Carbone, Liv Redpath, and Jasmin Delfs are the soloists.

Performance Dates: Jan. 25-27, 2024

Laurence Cummings conducts Mary Bevan in arias by Georg Friedrich Händel.

Performance Date: Feb. 24, 2024

Jörg Widmann conducts Sarah Aristidou and Annika Treutler in works by Jörg Widmann and Franz Schubert.

Performance Date: March 2, 2024

António Zambujo and Francisco Brito are joned by Bernardo Couto, João Moreira, and João Salcedo.

Performance Date: March 21, 2024

Kirill Petrenko conducts works by Richard Wagner.

Performance Date: March 25, 2024

Kirill Petrenko conducts Strauss’ “Elektra” with Nina Stemme, Elza van den Heever, Michaela Schuster, and Johan Reuter.

Performance Dates: March 23, 26 & 31 & April 4 & 7, 2024

Sabine Devieilhe and Mathieu Pardoy take on vocal and instrumental works by Alban Berg, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Hugo Wolf, and Richard Strauss.

Performance Date: April 17, 2024

Eun Sun Kim conducts Tamara Wilson in a program of music by Arnold Schoenberg and Sergei Rachmaninov.

Performance Dates: April 18-20, 2024

The Karajan-Akademie der Berliner Philharmoniker and will be conducted by Marc Minkowski. Alina Wunderlin, Miriam Albanoa and the Ladies of the RIAS-Kammerchor will perform works by Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Performance Date: April 23, 2024

The Ensemble Jupiter will perform alongside Thomas Dunford and Lea Desandre.

Performance Date: May 13, 2024

Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas perform in a recital of music by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov.

Performance Date: May 20, 2024

Alan Gilbert conducts the Vocal Heroeschildrens’ choir and MDR-Rundfunkchor in Honegger’s “Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher.”

Performance Date: June 6-8, 2024

The post Jonas Kaufmann, Nina Stemme, Alice Coote & Christian Gerhaher Lead Berlin Philharmonic’s 2023-24 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

New Productions 

The season opens with “Die Zauberflöte” as directed by Ted Huffman. Julia Jones and Simone Di Felice conduct casts starring Kudaibergen Abildin, Michael Porter, Hyoyoung Kim, Karolina Bengtsson, Danylo Matviienko, Domen Krizaj, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Kihwan Sim, Anna Nekhames, and Aleksandra Olczyk, among others.

Performance Dates:  Oct. 2 – April 22, 2023 

Johannes Erath will direct “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” with Sebastian Weigle conducting (Takeshi Moriuchi conducts one performances on Dec. 9, 2022). The cast includes Nicholas Brownlee, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Magdalena Hinterdobler, Claudia Mahnke, Michael Nagy, and AJ Glueckert,

Performance Dates:  Nov. 6 – Dec. 17, 2022 

Valentin Uryupin conducts Tchaikovsky’s “Die Zauberin” with Vasily Barkhatov directing. Asmik Grigorian, Iain MacNeil, Alexander Mikhailov, and Claudia Mahnke star.

Performance Dates:  Dec. 4 – Jan. 8, 2023

Brigitte Fassbaender directs Zuraj’s “Blühen.” Michael Wendeberg conducts a cast starring Bianca Andrew, Nika Goric, Michael Porter, Alfred Reiter, and Jarrett Porter.

Performance Dates:  Jan. 22 – Feb. 10, 2023

Ted Huffman directs Händel’s “Orlando” with a cast starring Zanda Svede, Kateryna Kasper, Christopher Lowery, Monika Buczkowska, and Bozidar Smiljanic. Simone Di Felice conducts.

Performance Dates:  Jan. 22 – Feb. 10, 2023

Jessica Pratt, Anna Nekhames, Theo Lebow, Kelsey Lauritano, Erik van Heynigen, Karolina Bengtsson, and Carlos Andrés Cardenas headline Mercadante’s “Francesca da Rimini.” Hans Walter Richter directs while Ramón Tebar conducts.

Performance Dates:  Feb. 26 – April 8, 2023

Susan Bullock, Aile Asszonyi, Jennifer Holloway, Peter Marsh, and Kihwan Sim star in “Elektra” as directed by Claus Guth. Sebastian Weigle conducts.

Performance Dates:  March 19 – May 5, 2023

Britten’s “The Prodigal Son / The Burning Fiery Furnace” will get a new production by Manuel Schmitt. Lukas Rommelspacher conducts a cast starring Michael McCown, Magnus Baldvinsson, Jarrett Porter, Brian Michael Moore, Barnaby Rea, Danylo Matviienko, and Pilgoo Kang.

Performance Dates:  April 2 – 19, 2023 

Kurt Weill’s “Der Zar Lässt Sich Fotografieren and Orff’s “Die Kluge” will get new productions by Keith Warner. Yi-Chen conducts two casts starring Demon Krizaj, Juanita Lascarro, Sebastian Geyer, Ambur Braid, Elizabeth Reiter, Mikolaj Trabka, Patrick Zilke, and AJ Glueckert, among others.

Performance Dates:  April 9 – May 13, 2023 

Paula Murrihy, Michael Porter, Elena Villalón, Anthony Robin Schneider, and Kelsey Lauritano star in Händel’s “Hercules.” Laurence Cummings conducts a new production by Barrie Kosky.

Performance Dates:  April 30 – May 26, 2023 

Stephan’s “Die Ersten Menschen” will get a new production by Tobias Kratzer with Sebastian Weigle directing. Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Ambur Braid, Iain MacNeil, and Ian Koziara star.

Performance Dates:  July 2 – 20, 2023 

Revival

Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” will star Bianca Andrew, Francisco Brito, Bianca Tognocchi, Judita Nagyová, and Pilgoo Kang, among others. Patrick Hahn conducts.

Performance Dates:  Sept. 17 – Oct. 9, 2022 

Ambur Braid, Alfred Kim, and Daniel Luis de Vicente star in “Tosca.” Carlo Montanaro conducts.

Performance Dates:  Sept. 18 – Nov. 4, 2022 

Maria Bengtsson, Domen Krizaj, Martin Mitterutzner, and Liviu Holender headline “Capriccio.” Sebastian Weigle conducts.

Performance Dates:  Oct. 8 – 29, 2022 

“Hänsel und Gretel” will star Bianca Andrew, Katharina Magiera, Monika Buczkowska, and Kateryna Kasper. Leo Hussain and Takeshi Moriuchi conducts.

Performance Dates:  Nov. 12 – Dec. 26, 2022 

Lawrence Zazzo, Yves Saelens, Elizabeth Reiter, Dmitry Egorov, Cecelia Hall, and Jarrett Porter star in “Tamerlano.” Karsten Januschke conducts.

Performance Dates:  Dec. 1 – 18, 2022 

Asmik Grigorian, Joshua Guerrero, and Domen Krizaj star in “Manon Lescaut.” Modestas Pitrenas conducts.

Performance Dates:  Dec. 10, 2022 – Jan. 21, 2023 

Gerard Schneider, Cecelia Hall, Sebastian Geyer, and Florina Ilie headline “Werther” with Elias Grandy conducting.

Performance Dates:  Jan. 1 – 26, 2023 

“Eugene Onegin” will star Domen Krizaj, Mikolaj Trabka, Elizabeth Reiter, Nombulelo Tende, Kudaibergen Abildin, AJ Glueckert, and Katharina Magiera. Karsten Januschke conducts.

Performance Dates:  Jan. 7 – Feb. 3, 2023 

“Der Ferne Klang” stars Jennifer Holloway, Ian Koziara, Anthony Robin Schneider, and MIkolaj Trabka. Lothar Koenigs conducts.

Performance Dates:  Feb. 5 – 24, 2023

“Don Giovanni” will star Kihwan Sim, Nicholas Brownlee, Mojca Bitenc, and Elissa Huber. James Hendry conducts.

Performance Dates:  May 12 – June 9, 2023

Alexandra Marcellier and Corinne Winters alternate in the title role of “Madama Butterfly.” Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts a cast also starring AJ Glueckert, Zanda Svede, and Bian Andrew, among others.

Performance Dates:  May 19 – July 19, 2023

Bianca Andrew, Lawrence Zazzo, Elena Villalón, Kateryna Kasper, and Katharina Magiera star in “Xerxes.” Roland Böer conducts.

Performance Dates:  May 27 – June 25, 2023

Janácek’s “Das Schlaue Füschslein” will star Elizabeth Reiter, Kelsey Lauritano, Nicholas Brownlee, Zanda Svede, and Michael McCown, among others. Jonathan Stockhammer conducts.

Performance Dates:  June 4 – 24, 2023 

Martin’s “Le Vin Herbé” will be conducted by Markus Poschner and stars Juanita Lascarro, Marvic Monreal, Gerard Schneider, and Angela Vallone.

Performance Dates:  July 7 – 16, 2023

There will also be a series of recitals by Asmik Grigorian, Maria Agresta, Marina Viotti, Benjamin Bernheim, Andreas Bauer Kanabas, Ilker Arcayürek, Jessica Pratt, and Katharina Konradi. The company will also showcase a series of programs for families and children throughout the year as well as numerous chamber music concerts.

The post Asmik Grigorian, Jessica Pratt, Corinne Winters, Bianca Andrew, Zanda Svede Headline Oper Frankfurt’s 2022-23 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The audio-visual production will feature Damrau alongside tenor José Cura conducting. Produced by PARMA Recordings at Valletta’s iconic Fort St. Elmo, the online production will also star Nicolas Testé and young Maltese artists Marvic Monreal and Charles Buttigieg.

The program will include selections from operas and musical theatre, with Italian, French, and Russian repertoire amongst others. Among the composers included in the program are Verdi, Offenbach, Bellini, Rossini, Bizet, Gerswhin, and Mascagni.

Audiences can watch the concert here at 9:15 Malta time.

Damrau next tours Europe with a Strauss program in Paris, Breman, Hamburg, Bucharest, and Luxembourg. She is set to return to the Wiener Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zurich, and Bayerische Staatsoper this season.

The post Diana Damrau & José Cura Headline Malta Philharmonic’s Grand Finale Concert appeared first on OperaWire.

Over the past years, he has started to move in the dramatic repertoire and is currently making his house debut at the Teatro Real de Madrid in the role of Cavaradossi this season.

Outside of singing, he has also been active in helping young voices with his two foundations, the Drak Calleja Trust and BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation.

OperaWire had a chance to speak to the tenor about his beginnings, taking on
“Tosca,” his philanthropy, and the future of opera.

Operawire: You started taking singing lessons at quite an early age. Why, despite not coming from an artistic background, did you become interested in singing?

Joseph Calleja: Well, I was born with a voice. At the age of three or four, I was singing everything I heard on TV commercials, choir, and sacred music. They couldn’t shut me up. And then at the age of 13, I saw the movie “The Great Caruso,” and I joined a choir instantly. I even sang in performances of “Rigoletto” when I was 14.

OW: Had your voice changed during this time to be able to sing with a tenor voice?

JC: I never really had a great change from a child’s voice to tenor. For me, the voice changed gradually. I don’t have a particular tenor voice when I speak. I sound almost like a baritone but I had the top register. Then, when I was 16, I met Paul Asciak, who would become my main teacher.  I then had my professional debut when I was 19 in “Macbeth.”

OW: That is a very early age to debut. Did you think you were ready? Were you scared?

JC: Here is the thing, everything I did was too early. I went into competitions and won many prizes and I had my contract with the record company DECCA when I was 23. But I was doing ok. I did “La Boheme” quite early in Canada in a theater that holds 4,000 seats, even bigger than the Met. But not a single role that I considered could bring vocal damage. I never had an operation on my vocal cords and I have had a 25-year career. Of course, I have had my ups and downs; great performances, just good and bad performances. And I guess if everyone could go back they would change something. But I wouldn’t change much. I can’t complain, I am living my dream. I still have challenges and roles I want to do. And I am in my prime now. So the trick is to keep on growing artistically in the roles that I am doing.

OW: What roles you would like to sing in the future?

JC: “Aida” for sure, Des Grieux in Massenet’s “Manon,” “Werther,” “Un Ballo in Maschera” and in three years time I have “Parsifal” at Bayreuth. That is a role which I am really looking at, as it could be very interesting to see an Italian style tenor’s voice singing Wagner. I am studying German every day to be able to be as good as possible in the language, and that’s my dream now. I want to continue growing and to continue singing as beautiful for as long as nature lets me.

OW:  Tell me about the “obsession” you had with Mario Lanza when you were young?

JC: I fell in love with his voice, like many others. Singers like Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras had been the introduction to opera for many people. Lanza didn’t sing much opera. He sang only once or twice. But in recordings, you can see that he had one of the most beautiful voices. He was the first crossover tenor as well. I think he was the first million-dollar contract if I am not mistaken. So, it’s quite extraordinary. And when Luciano came, he eclipsed everyone. Luciano is probably the greatest phenomenon when it comes to media. But in Lanza’s time, he was as big as Michael Jackson.

OW: You started your career singing high bel canto roles like “I Puritani” and “La Sonnambula.” How did you transition into Verismo?

JC: I never had a voice for “I Puritani.” I could do it when I was younger, but I never did it great. On the other hand, “La Sonnambula” and “Il Barbiere Di Siviglia” worked pretty well for me. But honestly, for those roles, you need voices like Juan Diego Flórez or Javier Camarena, who are very comfortable with the high D and C sharp. Even Luciano said he didn’t have the voice for those roles when he sang them. But those roles gave me a good basis to build and improved roles which would come later.

OW: Most singers say that singing Mozart is like medicine for their voices, Is Bel canto your vocal medicine?

JC: Oh yes, I completely agree and I would like to sing Don Ottavio and Idomeneo, but I just get no offers. They say that my voice is too big. But I think Mozart is medicine for the voice because you have to always be on. It’s a bit like Donizetti and early Verdi. The voice has to always be in the passagio. In Puccini, you can hide a bit. You can see who can and cannot sing in these roles. But they are not as exciting as Puccini. Puccini is like a movie and of course, you have the long lines. But it is really about the whole portrayal. When I sing Puccini, I try to focus on the role, even if I have to sacrifice the vocal line sometimes. You have moments in “e lucevan le stelle” or the duet with the soprano, with long lines and diminuendos. But as a whole, I try to explore the character more. I haven’t been singing Tosca for long and I want to improve my portrayal to convince the audience that I am not singing Cavaradossi but that I am Mario Cavaradossi.

OW: How would you classify your voice?

JC: I would say I am a full lyric. As you said from an early age, I had this baritone quality sound in the middle, but I always had to lighten the sound up, not to lose the top notes. I always had high notes, but there were different qualities in the color. And even today I have to be careful not to give too much to the middle to keep the higher register good. I still have to work on it.

OW: Mario Cavaradossi marks your Teatro Real debut. How has your experience been?

JC: I love Madrid. My ancestors on my father’s side are Spanish. Calleja is one of the oldest names in Malta and we think it came from Jews who escaped from Spain in 1482. I felt home. It’s a dream cast with Sondra Radvanovsky who gave a bis on opening night, Carlos Alvarez, and Nicola Luisotti. Teatro Real is no one of the best opera houses in the world, and the Spanish audience always knows what they like and what they want. So a good success here means something. And you know? I have so much admiration for Spain because they opened the opera houses in June 2020 and never closed. This is admirable, and I feel very humble singing here. As I told Joan Matabosch, the director of the opera house, this theater combines German excellence with Italian warmth and it is a very good place to be. And I love Jamón Iberico and the wine, specially the one from Ribera del Duero.

OW: Can you tell me about your two foundations, “Drake Calleja trust” and “BOV Joseph Calleja foundation”?

JC: It is very simple. In Malta, we raised more than one million euros for young artists and we have so many now. There is a great mezzo-soprano Marvic Monreal that I am sure you will discover soon and Charles Buttigieg, a 21 old baritone. Those are just two examples, but we have stage directors, ballet dancers, singers and we help so many instrumentalists; saxophonists, violinists, and pianists. We are really investing time in this generation. I don’t want one single talent in Malta to get lost because there was no one to push them or no funds for it. Not a single member of the board is getting paid and we throw charity parties to raise our own finances. That’s the foundation.

The “Drake Calleja trust” is thanks to James Drake who gives his own money out and is open to every kind of musician who is studying in the UK. It is really the pleasure of having the power to be able to change someone’s life. It is a gift for me. I don’t even need a thank you because I know that they are doing great thanks to my foundation.

OW: What do you hope for the opera world in the coming season?

JC: Thanks to people like you who write about us, people who buy tickets and come to the theater, people that buy recordings, opera has a future. I insist that people like you who write these articles and interviews have an educational effect and make more opera goers. This is important, and countries should invest more because opera is like a good wine. Wine gets better with time, and with opera, the more you know, the more you can enjoy it. And with wine it is the same; the more you know about grapes, the barrels, the methods of fabrication, the more you can enjoy it. If you know nothing every wine will taste the same. So, your educational action by getting interested in writing about opera, widens people’s knowledge, because without an audience there is no performance.

These people who used to get up early in the morning or go online as soon as bookings are open are the ones who make opera stay alive. So, unless you are sick, you should be nice to the audience, sign programs, take photos, because as I said without a public there is no opera. We must, of course, respect the music and the composer, but after all, we are there to entertain the audience. I get nervous before a performance, but not because I might fail a note or not sing well, but because I might not be able to perform as well as I can. I sometimes leave the theater angry and it stays for days, because I did not perform as well as I could. I am talking about perfection, and I worry about the audience. In a way, it’s like football. Let’s just say that a striker like Ronaldo loses a penalty. We are human after all, but we must give 100 percent to our audience

The post Q & A: Joseph Calleja on ‘Tosca,’ Mario Lanza & the Future of Opera appeared first on OperaWire.

For this article, we will only focus on the Austrian Festival’s operatic and vocal performances.

The festival will open with Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz” with starring Gerard Schneider, Mojca Bitenc, Nina Tarandek,  Domen Križaj, Reilly Nelson, Carlos Andrés Cárdenas, and Giovanni Battista Parodi. Francesco Lanzillotta conducts Ute M. Engelhardt’s production.

Performance Dates: Dec. 26, 2020-Jan. 4, 2021

The festival will also present a new production of Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”  with Simon Bailey, Simone Osborne, Donato di Stefano, Francisco Brito, and Liviu Holender.

Performance Dates: Dec. 25, 2020-Jan 5, 2021

In time for the New Year, the festival will host a silver concert with Anna Gabler, Gerard Schneider, Corinna Scheurle, and Liviu Holender.

Performance Date: Dec. 31, 2020

The festival will also present a New Year’s concert with Francesco Lanzillotta conducting Carlos Andrés Cárdenas, Marvic Monreal, and Mojca Bitenc.

Performance Date: Jan. 1, 2020

The post Gerard Schneider, Anna Gabler & Francisco Brito Highlight Tiroler Festspiele’s Winter Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The showcase will take place between August 26-29 at the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens in a co-presentation with Uffizi Gallerias and in association with the City of Florence, Italy.

The centerpiece of the festival will be a staged production of Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” with Svetlina Stoyanova as Angelina and Josh Lovell as Don Ramiro. Other cast members include Gurgen Baveyan, Daniel Miroslaw, Blaise Malaba, Marvic Monreal, and Giorgia Paci.

The production will be directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Sándor Károlyi.

Performance Dates: August 26, 29, 2020 

There will also be a concert featuring the overture from “Le Nozze di Figaro,” a Haydn cello concerto, and Beethoven’s seventh symphony conducted by Daniele Rustioni.

Performance Date: August 27, 2020 

Finally, the festival will feature “The Three Divas,” a concert starring soprano Anush Hovhannisyan alongside jazz vocalist Veronica Swift, pianist and singer Sam Jewison, and jazz singer Shenel Johns.

Performance Date: August 28, 2020 

The company also announced its Mascarade Opera Studio Artists for 2020. They include Alexandria Wregglesworth, Marianna Hovhannisyan, Gabielé Kupšytė, Lauren Young, Xenia Tziouvaras, Ángel Vargas, Thandolwenkosi Zwane, Paweł Trojak, Henry Websdale, and Kristina Yorgova.

The post Svetlina Stoyanova, Josh Lovell, Anush Hovhannisyan Headline Regeneration Festival appeared first on OperaWire.