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Opéra National de Paris Announces 150th Palais Garnier Anniversary Events

David Salazar — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:00:48 +0000

The Opéra de Paris will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier with a series of special events.

First up is an anniversary gala set for Jan. 24, 2025 featuring Thomas Dunford, Juan Diego Flórez, Lisette Oropesa, Lea Desandre, and Ludovic Tézier. The event will be showcased on France 5 with a documentary “Une journée extraordinaire: 24 heures à l’Opéra Garnier” spotlighting the event.

Then on May 11, 2025, there will be a concert featuring the Rolex Ambassadors, including Bryn Terfel, Sonya Yoncheva, Juan Diego Flórez, Sonya Yoncheva, and Rolando Villazón, among others. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

There will also be an exposition detailing the history of the opera house from Oct. 14, 2025 through Feb. 15, 2026. Historic costumes and wardrobe will also get the spotlight in an exhibition that will run through January 2026.

Audiences will get to experience “Le Palais Garnier, objet de tous les fantasmes” featuring historians, architects, politicians, journalists, musicians, and artists to debate about the legend of the opera house and its history. The event takes place from Nov. 22-23, 2025.

Finally, the company will present PROJECT 12, a residency featuring one artist per month, showcasing one unique work of art.

The post Opéra National de Paris Announces 150th Palais Garnier Anniversary Events appeared first on OperaWire.

Best of 2024: OperaWire’s Team on the Best Performances of the Year

OperaWire — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 05:00:14 +0000

There’s been a lot of opera in 2024. And quite frankly, there’s been a lot of good opera.

So as has become our tradition, here is a look at some of OperaWire’s editorial team’s picks for their personal favorite performances of 2024.

Matt Costello: Act three of “Götterdämmerung” – Tanglewood

It’s always a tricky thing to think about one’s “Performance of the Year.” Especially challenging when there were a great number of remarkable performances – for which, at this end of year – I am certainly thankful.

But for this exercise, I used some helpful criteria. First, was it extraordinary? Obvious one that. Then: were all the elements of the performance at the same or similar wonderful level? And finally, is there something perhaps surprising about it….even unexpected? And with that, it was easy to make a choice. This year, during their always fantastic summer season, Tanglewood and the Boston Symphony Orchestra programmed Act three of Wagner’s tetralogy finale, “Götterdämmerung.”

Extraordinary? Well, the BSO, under Andris Nelsons, always hits that mark. And the performers, remarkable as well, led by Christine Goerke’s Brünnhilde and Michael Weinius’s Siegfried. But the entire ensemble was simply wonderful.

And the surprise? That in a summer concert series, people picnicking on the lawn, candles and bubbly often spotted, such a weighty piece was scheduled, and then pulled off. And with such intense drama…despite no sets and mostly minus props, and yet riveting. Totally compelling – and I say this having been to the mecca of Wagner performances, Bayreuth.

Bernardo Gaitan: “Il cappello di paglia di Firenze” – Teatro alla Scala

This is undoubtedly one of the best shows of 2024, showcasing a fresh revitalization of a little-known gem from the operatic repertoire. This hilarious contemporary farce by Nino Rota—a prolific yet often unperformed composer in the operatic realm—shone brightly in an impeccable production that perfectly captured the work’s light and sophisticated essence.

The true triumph lay in the extraordinary cast of young singers from the Accademia della Scala, who dazzled not only with their vocal prowess but also with their acting skills. They managed to master the complex art of comic timing, offering performances full of charisma and precision that fully convinced despite not having any famous names on the marquee, but only promising students.

Moreover, Teatro alla Scala brilliantly merged the nostalgic charm of this piece with a modern and dynamic staging, resulting in a vibrant and unforgettable experience. This production not only celebrated Rota’s operatic brilliance but also left audiences with an enduring smile.

Mike Hardy: “Andrea Chénier” – Royal Ballet & Opera

2024 was a wonderfully opera-enriched year for me, making it very difficult to pick a single outstanding moment. The amazing Aigul Akhmetshina performed two brilliant stagings of “Carmen,” at the ROH and at Glyndebourne and the incredible Aida Garifulina performed a breathtaking Violetta in the ROH’s “La Traviata.”

Alas, pride of place must fall to the ROH’s production of “Andrea Chenier.” It saw superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann return to something like his former best after a series of illnesses, not least one which clearly rendered him struggling just two weeks prior to this performance when he took part in the concert celebrating 22 years of Sir Antonio Pappano at the ROH. But this night surely must belong to the wonderful Sondra Radvanovsky who sang the most heart-rending Act three aria, “La mamma morta,” where her character, Maddalena, recounts the death of her mother. Her genuinely tear-inducing rendition was made all the more poignant by virtue of Radvanovsky still mourning the loss of her own Mother in 2022. After the performance, she told me that the last time she had sung it, her mother had been in the audience, and that getting through the aria was a huge, personal struggle.

Alan Neilson: “Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno” – Göttingen International Händel Festival

By chance, all the best performances I attended during 2024 occurred over a couple of months during the summer. All were festival productions. It was a production of Händel’s oratorio “Il Trionfo del Tempo e Disinganno,” however, that stood out. The work, although being defined as an oratorio, has received many fully staged performances over the years, albeit with mixed results; the main problem is that its lack of physical action often leads to uninteresting, static productions. Göttingen’s Händel Festival opted for a concert performance, yet the innovative approach of director Ilka Seifert and Folkert Uhde’s staging managed to create a dramatically strong reading through the use of live intimate video projections that captured the emotional depths of the characters. There were no costumes or scenery, but it did not matter; the large screen behind the orchestra focused the audience’s attention on the emotions etched on the singers’ faces in a way that was far more convincing than one finds in a normal staged performance.

The four soloists, sopranos Anna Dennis and Emöke Baráth, countertenor Xavier Sabata and tenor Emanuel Tomljenovic, produced superb readings that captured the stunning beauty of Händel’s music while revealing the essence and emotional dimensions of their characters. The Festspielorchester Göttingen, under the masterful direction of George Petrou, produced a sensitive and exquisitely fashioned performance that brought out the work’s elegant beauty along with its full emotional charge. All the elements came together perfectly to create a truly memorable performance.

Jennifer Pyron: “El Niño” – The Metropolitan Opera

Metropolitan Opera debuted John Adams’s “El Niño,” with libretto based on original sources by Peter Sellars and John Adams, to a sold out house of past, present, and future opera goers on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024. “El Niño” is unlike anything John Adams has done before and the historical timing of this debut is uncanny. This was his fourth work to be performed at Met Opera, including “Doctor Atomic” (2008), “Nixon in China” (2011), and “The Death of Klinghoffer” (2014).

History was made on this night because the majority of the cast made their own debuts, including director Lileana Blain-Cruz, conductor Marin Alsop, soprano Julia Bullock, baritone Davóne Tines, countertenors Key’mon W. Murrah and Siman Chung, set designer Adam Rigg, lighting designer Yi Zhao, projection designer Hannah Wasileski, puppet designer James Ortiz and choreographer Marjani Forté-Saunders.

Director Lileana Blain-Cruz’s dedication to building her own creative team took this production to the new heights that Met Opera dreams about, making this the best performance of 2024. Met Opera will debut John Adams’s newest opera in 2024-25, “Antony and Cleopatra” (2022), which also stars Julia Bullock in the titular role of Cleopatra.

David Salazar: “Ainadamar” – Metropolitan Opera

Some quick shoutouts to Lisette Oropesa in “La Sonnambula” in Rome and Benjamin Bernheim in “Roméo et Juliette” at the Met Opera – two of the most vocally exquisite performances I heard all year. After watching a rather shockingly messy opening performance of “La Gioconda” at Napoli, I was not looking forward to round two. But the team came together and delivered a true knockout, a testament to the beauty of live theater and the second chances it provides. Then there’s the cast of “Die Frau ohne Schatten” at the Met, a true miracle of modern opera. Finally, Teatro Grattacielo’s production of “Beyond the Horizon” was emblematic of how new opera can truly flourish an independent scale.

But as far as THE performance of the year… I saw three of them. And they were all “Ainadamar.” Every single one of these three shows was truly mesmerizing and special. All of them different experiences. All of them revelatory. If you wanted to show people what opera could be and is, this is the perfect piece with which to do it. Because it’s more than opera. It’s a work that pushes the boundaries of what the artform can do. An opera that is truly inclusive not only in its content but in its form – it is opera, theater, flamenco, experimental art, poetry, all wrapped into one. Given the times we live in, we need the Met to champion more works like this.

Francisco Salazar: “La Forza Del Destino” / “Die Frau Ohne Schatten” – Teatro alla Scala / Metropolitan Opera

Picking a best performance is always hard, especially when there are so many memorable performances in a year. How could I forget Lisette Oropesa’s show-stopping “Sonnambula” in Rome and Asmik Grigorian’s heartbreaking “Madama Butterfly” in her Met debut? And what about the amazing production of “La Gioconda” at the Teatro San Carlo directed by Romain Gilbert, who brought opera back to its glory days? And then there was Ailyn Perez and Lucas Meachem giving it their all at the Houston Grand Opera in “Il Trovatore.” And of course, there was Freddie De Tomasso’s Met debut as Cavaradossi. But the best of the year was by far “La Forza del Destino” at the Teatro alla Scala and “Die Frau Ohne Schatten” at the Metropolitan Opera, reminding us that there is still a golden age of singers and opera.

At La Scala, Riccardo Chailly led a skillful and heartfelt performance demonstrating the many colors of Verdi’s music while Leo Muscato gave us a production of Verdi’s work that connected many periods and showed how war is essentially similar no matter the time. Anna Netrebko demonstrated a sincere musicality that was enhanced by her expressiveness, especially in her arias “Son Guinta” and “Pace Pace Mio Dio,” while Ludovic Tezier gave us a Don Carlo that was both virtuosic in its technique but also musically incisive. Brian Jagde demonstrated some gorgeous high notes and true chemistry with his colleagues, while Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Alexander Vinogradv, and Marco Filippo Romano were exceptional in their supporting roles

At the Met, Lise Lindstrom, Elza Van den Heever, and Nina Stemme were just spectacular as the trio of divas. Nothing could prepare you for the power of these voices and the naturalism they have for this repertoire. By contrast, Micahel Volle gave a subtle and moving performance as Barak, while Russell Thomas showed that he is a tenor to look out for in this repertoire. Ryan Speedo Green was fantastic in his role and Yannick Nezet-Seguin proved to be a worthy conductor of Strauss’ music. Finally, the production by Herbert Wernicke continues to be the masterpiece of the Met and the only production this season that really deserved an HD and sadly is still not recorded for the history books.

Rudolph Tang: “The Savage Land” – China Conservatory of Music

Rudolph submitted a video in which he explains why he loves “The Savage Land.”

John Vandevert: “Khovanshchina” – Berwaldhallen

My favorite performance of 2024 would have to be Berwaldhallen’s “Khovanshchina.” With a highly adept taste for sophistication, each and every one of the soloists performed with exceptional degrees of nuance and tact. However, the star of the night was undoubtedly Nadezhda Karyazina, a brilliant actress and singer who did not express empty gestures for the sake of drama, vocal or otherwise. A stupendous performance and one that was as marvelous as it was inspiring, it was my favorite of the year.

Mauricio Villa: “Adriana Lecouvreur” – Teatro Real

I had the unique opportunity of not only attending what I consider the best performance of the year, but one of those performances which will never be forgotten. What’s the reason of this magical theatrical achievement? The combination of two astounding artists who stole the show completely and electrified the audience.

I have said many times that due to her impressive characterizations and vocal portrayal I could never be sure if Jaho is an excellent opera singer with extraordinary acting skills or an impressive dramatic actress with a depurated vocal technique and a unique personal timbre. Elīna Garanča is just beautiful – her voice, her looks, her phrasing – making her one of the best mezzo sopranos of this generation. Her stage presence is hypnotic.

And despite all the difficult singing numbers the highlight of the performance was in Act three, when the countess (Garanča) is mocking and teasing Adriana (Jaho) with signs of indifference and hate, while Adriana stands up to this attack. There was ballet happening at the back of the stage, which was crowded with the choir and soloist, but the two female artists attracted all the attention. Furthermore, they were not singing, which is even more incredible considering they were performing an opera. It was just pure acting. The strong connection and the deep realistic interpretation is something rarely achieved and very difficult to see. The confrontation of these two theatrical monsters during the whole opera was magical, hypnotic, and moving.

Christina Waters – “Partenope” – San Francisco Opera

San Francisco Opera’s production of George Frideric Handel’s “Partenope” showcased the electrifying coloratura of French soprano Julie Fuchs. In a season of operatic hits, e.g. SFOpera’s “Carmen,” as well as misses, e.g. the Stefan Herheim “Der Ring des Nibelungen” in Berlin, the Partenope production was almost flawless. In elegant 1920s costuming, in visually playful performative hijinks, and in diamond-edged vocals giving fresh energy to this comedic caper by Handel. The updated Baroque creation, featuring a trio of lovers vying in stealthy fashion for the hand of the Queen of Naples, provided virtuosic trills, runs, leaps, and embellishments with apparent and impossible ease.

At the center of the manic stage action was Fuchs, elegant and sexy in the Armani-inspired suits and satins with which she wiped the floor with her many suitors. Fuchs was joined by a brilliant ensemble, notable Alek Shrader as a Man Ray-style photographer, and superb countertenor Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli, who made his company debut a romantic package of physical drama and liquid velvet timbre. A resounding success in this, and any season.

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CD Review: EuroArts’s ‘I Puritani’

Operawire Staff — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:00:59 +0000

With Bellini’s “I Puritani” one steps into the heartland of Italian bel canto: The ensembles are mesmerizingly beautiful, the vocal lines infinitely refined, and the orchestration – with its mood painting role – proves a proto-dramatic foundation to the unfolding of the Romantic intrigue, prone to inspiring the operatic vocabulary of subsequent generations, and of Verdi in particular.

Needless to say, Bellini’s famously endless melody was embraced by conductors of every stripe. Bonynge may have laid claim to the repertory most lastingly; but its latest take, under bel canto specialist Riccardo Frizza, should not be dismissed lightly. Releasing on EuroArts, it proposes a novel, highly dramatized vision of the Bellinian swan song – supported, to its merit, by an astoundingly capable cast of predominantly American soloists.

Flowing Narrative

Frizza is on the fast side of recorded “Puritans.” It noticeably shows in the crispness of “A te, o cara’s” five minutes and 35 seconds; whereas most competitors clock in at well above six minutes, setting the tone for the aria’s dreaminess from the very first bars. Frizza may be accused of foregoing precious moments of music-turned-poetry. Yet within his overall conception of maintaining a maximum of inter-scenic continuity the toned down levels of leitmotivic sweetness seem rather justifiable.

The opera’s drama is also emphasized by the timbral homogeneity of, especially, Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee. There is a peerless steeliness to Oropesa’s very corporeal portrayal of Elvira. Her coloraturas in “son vergin vezzosa” are spectacularly executed, though the overall feel of her interpretation appears to foreshadow the vocal aesthetics of Gilda and Violetta more than to hark back to the hardcore lyricism of Riccardo Muti’s Montserrat Caballé (in 1979; for EMI). Her top notes are rock solid, and dazzlingly incisive, allowing the soprano’s silvery timbre to penetrate even the deepest layers of human psychology. Elvira’s mad scene, for instance, strikes a perpetually sizzling balance between emotional frailty and dramatic introspection; each of her flourishes carries some nuance of expressivity.

A High Calibre Cast

In Lawrence Brownlee she finds a congenial partner, with a similarly metallic ring, and a propensity to stress the heroic impetuousness of the Royalist cavalier, Arturo Talbo. After all, his actions are the driving force behind the unfolding narration. Brownlee’s tone soars imperiously, and his “credeasi, misera” dauntingly boasts an air of nonchalance about the tessitura, and specifically about the aria’s notorious High F. Also, his voice effortlessly melds with the remaining singers among whom Anthony Clark Evans stands out for his glorious phrasing, and imposing gravity. His Riccardo aligns with the Golden Age tradition of Cappuccilli and Matteo Manuguerra. He spans indomitably sustained arks, though the flourishes arguably lack the contour of his great predecessors.

In the ever so popular “Suoni la tromba” Evans triumphantly finishes on the optional High G. His hefty sound is complemented by the velvety depths of the Italian bass Riccardo Zanellato, a most sympathetic incarnation of the benevolent Sir Giorgio Valton. His quasi-paternal instinct effectively transpires in the touching lines of “Cinta di fiori,” highlighted by Zanellato’s ability to vary dynamics and even descend into an unmediated parlato of sorts.

Naturally, the opera’s success rests on the choir’s capacity to be an integral part of the action. The MDR-Rundfunkchor, far from being static, becomes a dramatic persona of its own: Led by Frizza’s uncompromising thrust forward, it picks up every shade of expression, from grieving to the celebratory, and even the militant. Combined with its other assets, it makes Riccardo Frizza’s “Puritani” an excitingly competitive addition to a tearfully neglected segment of discographic history. It is doubtlessly one of the best operatic releases in all of 2024.

The post CD Review: EuroArts’s ‘I Puritani’ appeared first on OperaWire.

Lisette Oropesa, Asmik Grigorian, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Cecilia Bartoli & Sabine Devieilhe Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2025 Season

Francisco Salazar — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 17:13:06 +0000

The Salzburg Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances.

Opera

Bas Wiegers conducts Michael Jarrell’s “Kassandra” with actress Dagmar Manzel and the Ensemble Modern.

Performance Date: July 23, 2025

Salvatore Sciarrino’s “Macbeth” will be conducted by Vimbayi Kaziboni. Cody Quattlebaum, Alice Rossi, Leonardo Cortellazzi, Iris van Wijnen, and Davide Giangregorio.

Performance Date: July 25, 2025

Christophe Dumaux stars in Handel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto” with Olga Kulchynska, Lucile Richardot, Frederico Fioro, Yuriy Mynenko, Andrey Zhilikhovsky, and Jake Ingbar. Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the production by Dmitri Tcherniakov.

Performance Dates: July 26-August 17, 2025

Peter Sellars will direct Mahler/Schoenberg’s “One Morning Turns into an Eternity.” Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts a cast that includes Ausrine Stundyte and Wiebke Lehmkuhl. The evening consists of “Erwartung” and “Der Abschied.”

Performance Dates: July 27-August 18, 2025

Cecilia Bartoli, Varduhi Abrahamyan, Lea Desandre, Philippe Jaroussky, and Angela Winkler star in “Hotel Metamorphosis,” a pasticcio with music by Antonio Vivald in two acts. Gianluca Capuano conducts the production by Barrie Kosky.

Performance Dates: July 31-August 15, 2025

Pene Pati leads in Mozart’s “Mitridate” with Sara Blanch, Elsa Dreisig, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, and Julie Roset. Adam Fischer conducts Birgit Kajtna-Wönig’s semi-staging.

Performance Date: August 4, 2025

Kate Lindsey and Lisette Oropesa star in Donizetti’s “Maria Stuarda” with Bekhzod Davronov, Aleksei Kulagin, and Thomas Lehman. Antonello Manacorda conducts the production by Ulrich Rasche.

Performance Dates: August 1-30, 2025

Peter Eötvös’s “Three Sisters” will feature the talents of Dennis Orellana, Cameron Shahbazi, Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Kangmin Justin Kim, Mikołaj Trąbka, Ivan Ludlow, Jacques Imbrailo, Andrey Valentiy, Jörg Schneider, Jens Larsen, Anthony Robin Schneider, and Kristofer Lundin. Maxime Pascal and Alphonse Cemin conducts the production by Evgeny Titov.

Performance Date: August 8-24, 2025

Vladislav Sulimsky and Asmik Grigorian star in Verdi’s “Macbeth“ with Tareq Nazmi, Charles Castronovo, and Joshua Guerrero. Philippe Jordan conducts the revival of Krzysztof Warlikowski’s production.

Performance Date: August 9-29, 2025

Mozart’s “Zaide oder Der Weg des Lichts” will be conducted by Raphaël Pichon and will star Sabine Devieilhe, Lea Desandre, Julian Prégardien, Daniel Behle, and Johannes Martin Kränzle.

Performance Dates: August 17-22, 2025

Piotr Beczala stars in Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier” with Luca Salsi and Elena Stikhina.

Performance Date: August 25, 2025

Jean-Philippe Rameau’s “Castor et Pollux” will star Jeanine De Bique, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Reinoud van Mechelen, Marc Mauillon, Claire Antoine, Natalia Smirnova, and Laurence Kilsby.

Performance Dates: August 27-29, 2025

Lied

Christian Gerhaher and Gerold Huber perform works by Schumann.

Performance Date: July 28, 2025

Diana Damrau, Jonas Kaufmann, and Helmut Deutsch join forces for music by Strauss and Mahler.

Performance Date: July 30, 2025

Sabine Devieilhe and Mathieu Pordoy perform Une Soirée française of works by Gabriel Fauré, Louis Beydts, Francis Poulenc, Maurice Ravel, Albert Roussel, Maurice Delage, and Claude Debussy.

Performance Date: August 3, 2025

Florian Boesch and Musicbanda Franui perform Franz Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin.”

Performance Date: August 12, 2025

Andrè Schuen and Daniel Heide lead a recital of works by Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, and Alexander von Zemlinsky.

Performance Date: August 16, 2025

Asmik Grigorian and Hyung-ki Joo lead a program entitled “A Diva is Born” with music by Georges Bizet, Giacomo Puccini, Olivier Messiaen, John Lennon/Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Sting.

Performance Date: August 24, 2025

Concerts

Hans Werner Henze’s “Das Floß der Medusa” will be performed by Kathrin Zukowski, Georg Nigl, and Jakob Diehl. Ingo Metzmacher conducts.

Performance Date: July 18, 2025

Helena Sorokina, Marco Sala, Krassimir Sterev, Friederike Kühl, Hugo Paulsson, Jan Petryka, Manuel Alcaraz Clemente, and Alexander Bauer lead a program of music by Beat Furrer, Orlando di Lasso, and Arvo Pärt.

Performance Date: July 19, 2025

The Vox Luminis and Lionel Meunier perform Giacomo Carissimi and Marc-Antoine Charpentier.

Performance Date: July 20, 2025

The Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips headline a program of works by Carlo Gesualdo and Marko Nikodijevic.

Performance Date: July 20, 2025

Friederike Kühl, Johanna Vargas, Johanna Zimmer, Iva Kovač, Marco Sala, Markus Wallner, David Pirrò, Cantando Admont, and Cordula Bürgi perform Luigi Nono’s “Io, frammento dal Prometeo.”

Performance Date: July 21, 2025

Raphael Höhn, Lionel Meunier, Carine Tinney, Stefanie True, Jan Kullmann, William Shelton, Florian Sievers, Vojtěch Semerád, and Sebastian Myrus lead Bach’s “St John Passion.” The Vox Luminis and Freiburger Barockorchester are conducted by Lionel Meunier.

Performance Dates: July 22-23, 2025

Christoph Waltz, Allan Clayton, Marina Viotti, Michael Volle, and Albert Dohmen star in Stravinsky’s “Oedipus Rex.” Lorenzo Viotti conducts.

Performance Dates: July 27 & 28, 2025

Georg Nigl, August Diehl, and Alexander Gergelyfi take on Mozart’s “Nachtmusik.”

Performance Dates: August 1-7, 2025

Georg Nigl, August Diehl, and Alexander Gergelyfi perform a “A Schubertiade.”

Performance Dates: August 2-8, 2025

Georg Nigl, August Diehl Recitation, and Alexander Gergelyfi perform “A Shakespeare Evening.”

Performance Dates: August 3-9, 2025

Gianluca Capuano conducts Mozart’s Missa in C minor K. 427 with soloists Mélissa Petit, Patricia Nolz, Anthony León, and José Coca Loza.

Performance Dates: August 6 & 7, 2025

Bogdan Volkov and Manuel Winckhler perform Mozart alongside the Salzburg Bach Choir and Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and conductor Roberto González-Monjas.

Performance Dates: August 9 & 10, 2025

Georg Nigl and Alexander Gergelyfi perform Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin.”

Performance Dates: August 14 & 15, 2025

Ying Fang, Wiebke Lehmkuhl, Pavol Breslik, and William Thomas lead a program of music by Schubert and Bruckner. The Vienna Philharmonic will be conducted by Riccardo Muti.

Performance Dates: August 15-17, 2025

Regula Mühlemann and Alexander Melnikov perform Mahler and Shostakovich with Utopia and Teodor Currentzis.

Performance Date: August 18, 2025

Sarah Aristidou leads a program of works by Ravel, Boulez, and Varèse with the Klangforum Wien Orchestra and conductor Sylvain Cambreling.

Performance Date: August 23, 2025

Elza van den Heever, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, and John Relyea perform Act one of Wagner’s “Die Walküre.” Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Vienna Philarmonic.

Performance Dates: August 23 & 24, 2025

Masterclass

Julian Prégardien leads a masterclass with participants of the Young Singers Project.

Performance Date: August 3, 2025

Stéphanie d’Oustrac leads a masterclass with participants of the Young Singers Project.

Performance Date: August 15, 2025

The post Lisette Oropesa, Asmik Grigorian, Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Cecilia Bartoli & Sabine Devieilhe Lead Salzburg Festival’s 2025 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

Lisette Oropesa to Dedicate Bilbao Recital to Valencia Victims

Francisco Salazar — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:59:58 +0000

Lisette Oropesa is set to present a concert on Nov. 6 at the ABAO Bilbao Opera.

The Soprano will perform at the Sociedad Filarmónica de Bilbao, in a recital alongside pianist Alessandro Praticò, who will debut at the ABAO Bilbao Opera.

The soprano will perform music by Ravel, Delibes, Massenet, Bizet, Meyerbeer, Donizetti, Mercandante, and Verdi.

In a statement on social media, the soprano noted that it will be a benefit concert dedicated to the victims in Valencia and noted that she is supporting “Cáritas con la emergencia en Valencia.”

This season Oropesa makes her role debut as “Maria Stuarda” at the Teatro Real de Madrid and sings her first staged “I Puritani” at the Paris Opera.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lisette Oropesa (@lisetteoropesa)

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Palau de la Musica de Valencia Cancels Concerts While Opera Stars Send Messages Amidst Tragedy in Valencia

Francisco Salazar — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 20:12:25 +0000

Following the tragedy in Valencia, Spain caused by severe flooding that killed at least 95 people, the Palau de la Musica de Valencia has canceled concerts from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, 2024.

The performances in question include the Oct. 31 showcase that featured Rubén Gimeno conducting the Orquesta de València and the Nov. 3 concert that was part of the XII Edición del Rafelfestival. The concert hall expects to reopen on Nov. 5 for the Luxembourg Philharmonic performance conducted by Gustavo Gimeno.

Due to the severe flooding, roads transformed into rivers with little warning as flash floods tore through the eastern region of Valencia, with muddy rapids flinging parked cars in what many are calling the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in a century.

Opera singers Piotr Beczala and Sondra Radvanovsky have sent out messages of hope and comfort. Radvanovsky said, “Sending love and hope to yhe people of Valencia during this horrible time,” while Beczala said, “I am currently on a concert tour through your beautiful country, and I am deeply saddened by the catastrophic floods that have affected so many of you. It is an unimaginable tragedy. Recently, a similar disaster struck my fellow countrymen in Poland, so I understand the pain and challenges that come with such a catastrophe. My heart is with you in these difficult times. I wish you strength and resilience in the days ahead. With all my heart.”

Sopranos Saioa Hernández and Ainhoa Arteta also posted about the tragedy and urged people to shelter dogs from a shelter in Valencia.

The Teatro Real had a moment of silence for the victims of the tragedy.

Lisette Oropesa also too to social media and said, “The people of this region are in my heart and prayers. This tragedy was unexpected and very sad. For all that can help, let’s support the people of this beautiful place. We move forward with strength and kindness. My concert in Bilbao on November 6 will be a charity function dedicated to the victims of the Dana. If you want to help, go to the site in the comments.”

Sonya Yoncheva added, “I’m in absolute shock to see these images! I was in Spain a few days ago enjoying the sun and joy of this wonderful country and I can’t believe all that is happening! I’m with you guys in my thoughts! Take care of yourselves! Sonya.”

The post Palau de la Musica de Valencia Cancels Concerts While Opera Stars Send Messages Amidst Tragedy in Valencia appeared first on OperaWire.

Lisette Oropesa, Nahuel di Pierro, Saimir Pirgu & Marina Viotti Lead New CD/DVD Releases

Francisco Salazar — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 16:25:30 +0000

Welcome back for this week’s look at the latest CD and DVD releases in the opera world.

It’s a star-studded lineup of releases with Zarzuela, bel canto, modern works, and experimental albums by leading opera singers.

Mis Amores son las Flores

Lisette Oropesa releases her latest album dedicated to Zarzuela.

In a statement, the soprano said, “I’m so happy to share my beautiful album ‘Mis amores son las Flores’ with you all, a collection of Spanish and Cuban zarzuela arias!”

This album features music by Ernesto Lecuona, Barbieri, Amadeo Vives & Gerónimo Giménez, Penella, Luna, Sorozábal, Chapí, Torroba, and Roig.

Wolfgang Rihm: Jakob Lenz

Oehms Classics releases Rihm’s 1979 opera with a cast that includes Joachim Goltz, Patrick Zielke, Raphael Wittmer, Josefin Feiler, Rebecca Blanz, Marie-Belle Sandis, Maria Polanska, Serhii Moskalchuk, and Marcel Brunner. This recording is of the opening night performance at the Nationaltheater Mannheim in December 2021, conducted by Franck Ollu.

La Sorcière

Guillaume Tourniaire returns to resurrect a new score, “La Sorcière” by Camille Erlanger. Written at Paris’s Opéra-Comique in 1912 on a libretto by André Sardou based on the eponymous play by Victorien Sardou, “La Sorcière” mixes the lyricism of the French post-Romantics with impressionistic transparencies and the aesthetic influences of naturalism.

Paisiello: La finta amante

Naxos releases Paisiello’s work with Elena Tsvetkova, Daniele De Prosperi, and Antoine Bernheim. The Estrin Orchestra is conducted by Stefano Parisse.

Donizetti: Chiara e Serafina

Naxos released the rarely performed Donizetti Opera from the Festival in November 2023. The recording stars Greta Doveri, Fan Zhou, and Pietro Spagnoli. The Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala and Orchestra Gli Originali is conducted by Sesto Quatrini.

A T L A S

Charlotte Jacobs releases her debut album “a t l a s” via New Amsterdam Records. “a t l a s” plays out like a half-remembered Greek epic of avant-pop proportions, piecing together earthy woodwinds, old-school synths, and shifting rhythmic patterns that enhance her myth-inspired spoken word and bilingual vocals, delivered in Dutch and English.

Saimir

Albanian-born tenor Saimir Pirgu releases his second album on the Opus Arte label. On his new album “Saimir,” he presents a collection of arias inspired by his mentor and friend Luciano Pavarotti. This selection is also a reflection of Pirgu’s past, present, and future career and represents a cross-section of the romantic opera repertoire of 19th and early 20th-century Europe. The album includes music by Puccini and Berlioz as well as Wagner and Tchaikovsky. The recordings were made in the auditorium of the Palau de Les Arts in València with the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana conducted by Antonino Fogliani.

Horizon

Croatian conductor Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković and two all-female choirs under her lead “HORIZON,” a haunting performance of the eponymous work by contemporary composer Dalibor Bukvić.

Meciendo

Multi-GRAMMY® award winning ensemble The Crossing, led by Donald Nally delivers a program of contemporary choral compositions with MECIENDO from Navona Records. Available in stereo and Dolby Atmos immersive audio formats, MECIENDO blends the intimate and the profound in an awe-inducing performance.

Evening Songs

Bass-baritone Adam Plachetka celebrates the Year of Czech Music with an anthology of Czech evening songs by Antonín Dvořák, Bedrich Smetana, Zdeněk Fibich and Josef Suk. Plachetka performs them together with pianist David Švec.

PENTATONE releases the album.

In Darkness Through the Light

Mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti’s “In Darkness Through the Light,” features “MELANKHÔLIA,” a project created by Viotti, lutenist Vincent Flückiger, and multi-instrumentalist, and engineer and producer Fred Chappuis that rearranges the melancholic songs of John Dowland with the well-known pop songs in the same spirit.

Duets – 30th Anniversary

Marking his 30th anniversary, beloved tenor Andrea Bocelli celebrates his iconic career with “Duets – 30th Anniversary.” This features the biggest tracks from Bocelli’s duets including Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Jennifer Lopez, and Giorgia, alongside brand-new superstar collaborations with Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Gwen Stefani, Marc Anthony, KAROL G, Matteo Bocelli & Hanz Zimmer.

Donizetti: Il diluvio universal

Dynamic releases the critical edition of the Naples version of Donzietti’s opera by Edoardo Cavalli. Recorded at the Donizetti Opera Festival 2023 at the Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo, the work stars Nahuel Di Pierro, Giuliana Gianfaldoni, and Enea Scala. The Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala and Orchestra Donizetti Opera is conducted by Riccardo Frizza.

The post Lisette Oropesa, Nahuel di Pierro, Saimir Pirgu & Marina Viotti Lead New CD/DVD Releases appeared first on OperaWire.

Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Sonya Yoncheva, Rolando Villazón, Jonathan Tetelman & Aigul Akhmetshina Lead Festspielhaus Baden-Baden’s 2025 Season

Francisco Salazar — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:45:12 +0000

The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances.

Camilla Nylund, Andreas Schager, and Pietari Inkinen perform an evening of Wagner, Strauss, Kálmán, Lehar,

Performance Dates: Jan. 12, 2025

Zum Rahmenprogramm des Festivals

Gianandrea Noseda, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, and Philharmonia Zürich lead an all-Strauss program.

Performance Dates: Feb. 22, 2025

Andris Nelsons conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with Christiane Karg and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. The program also includes music by Dvorak.

Performance Dates: March 7, 2025

Yi-Chen Lin conducts a Bel Canto concert featuring music by Bellini, Rossini, and Donizetti. Regula Mühlemann is the soloist alongside Kammerorchester Basel.

Performance Dates: March 13, 2025

Easter Festival Baden-Baden

Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will showcase the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Kirill Petrenko. Davide Livermore conducts a cast that includes Eleonora Burrato, Jonathan Tetelman, Teresa Iervolino, and Tassis Christoyannis.

Performance Dates: April 12-20, 2025

Kirill Petrenko will conduct Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor and will star Katharina Konradi, Beth Taylor, Sebastian Kohlhepp, and Tareq Nazmi.

Performance Dates: April 18-21, 2025

Antonello Manacorda conducts Weber’s “Der Freischütz” with Charles Castronovo, Golda Schultz, Kyle Ketelsen, Nicola Hillebrand, Dimitry Ivashenko, and Johanna Wokalek.

Performance Date: May 3, 2025

Diana Damrau joins Ernst Theis and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin for an opera gala.

Performance Date: May 5, 2025

Semyon Bychkov conducts the Tchechische Philharmonie Prag in Smetana’s “Die Moldau.”

Performance Date: May 16, 2025

Rolando Villazón and Sarah Tysman lead a recital of Lieder and music by Bellini, Verdi, and Puccini.

Performance Date: May 23, 2025

Pfingstfestpiele

Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth perform music by Pierre Boulez and Debussy with soprano Sarah Aristidou.

Performance Date: June 8, 2025

The SWR Symphonieorchester, François-Xavier Roth, and SWR Vokalensemble lead a program of music by Pierre Boulez and Bruckner.

Performance Date: June 9, 2025

Diana Damrau, Jonas Kaufmann, and Helmut Deutsch perform music by Strauss and Mahler.

Performance Date: June 20, 2025

Elena Stikhina and Vittorio Grigolo lead an opera gala with Jordi Bernàcer and the Philharmonie Baden-Baden.

Performance Date: June 22, 2025

Sommerfestpiele

The Munich Harmonists perform in concert.

Performance Date: June 27, 2025

Lisette Oropesa and Yannick Nézet-Séguin join the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal in a program of music by Gounod, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Bernstein.

Performance Date: June 29, 2025

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Mozart’s Requiem with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and RIAS Kammerchor und Solisten.

Performance Date: July 4, 2025

Yannick Nézet-Séguin joins the RIAS Kammerchor und Solisten and Chamber Orchestra of Europe for Mozart’s Mass in C.

Performance Date: July 6, 2025

Sonya Yoncheva leads Bellini’s “Norma” with Karine Deshayes, Ștefan Pop, and Alexander Vinogradov. Domingo Hindoyan conducts the Gstaad Festival Orchestra and Chor der Bühne Bern.

Performance Date: August 24, 2025

Tanzfestival

Cecilia Bartoli and Lang Lang team up for Lieder.

Performance Date: Oct. 31, 2025

Thomas Hampson and Wolfram Rieger perform Schubert’s Winterreise.

Performance Date: Nov. 1, 2025

Festival Le Grand Gare

Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” will star Cecilia Molinari, Levy Sekgapane, Edward Nelson, Misha Kiria, and Alexandros Stavrakakis. Thomas Hengelbrock conducts the Balthasar-Neumann-Chor and Balthasar-Neumann-Orchester. Vincent Huguet directs.

Performance Dates: Nov. 14 & 16, 2025

Lionel Sow conducts the Balthasar-Neumann-Chor and Balthasar-Neumann-Orchester in a performance of music by Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Bach.

Performance Date: Nov. 22, 2025

Mari Eriksmoen and Anna Lucia Richter perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Paavo Järvi conducting the Zürcher Singakademie and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.

Performance Date: Nov. 29, 2025

Daniil Trifonov and Matthias Goerne join forces for Schubert’s Schwangengesang.

Performance Date: Nov. 30, 2025

Winterfestpiele

Iván Fischer conducts the Budapest Festival Orchestra in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Éva Duda directs a cast that includes André Schuen, Jessica Pratt, Miah Persson, Luca Pisaroni, Bernard Richter, Giulia Semenzato, Daniel Noyola, and Krisztián Cser.

Performance Dates: Dec. 19 & 21, 2025

Iván Fischer conducts a Bach program with soloists Julia Lezhneva, Olivia Vermeulen, Julian Prégardien, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann. Collegium Vocale Gent joins them.

Performance Date: Dec. 20, 2025

Timur Zangiev and the Philharmonie Baden-Baden will lead the silver concert. Soloists will include Aigul Akhmetshina and Piotr Beczała performing arias and duets.

Performance Date: Dec. 31, 2025

The post Jonas Kaufmann, Diana Damrau, Sonya Yoncheva, Rolando Villazón, Jonathan Tetelman & Aigul Akhmetshina Lead Festspielhaus Baden-Baden’s 2025 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

Palau de Les Arts 2024-25 Review: Manon

Mauricio Villa — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 01:26:45 +0000

(Photo: Arts Fotografía)

Palau de Les Arts opened the season with Massenet’s “Manon,” in a production from the Paris Opera, and two international stars in the main roles: Lisette Oropesa and Charles Castronovo.

Vincent Huguet directed the Paris Opera production. He set the action in Paris around 1920, in the Charleston era, and introduced the revolutionary artist Josephine Baker (who debuted in Paris in 1925) into the narrative. Baker leads Manon throughout the story as a sex symbol, bringing her into the luxury, dancing, and casino scene. It is Baker whose Manon leaves her with, abandoning her modest life with Des Grieux at the end of the second act.

Huguet even introduces a musical number with a song by Baker before Act two, and shows how Baker teaches Manon to dance, which would be a metaphor for the feminism and the revolution that the artist left in Paris. It is very difficult to add music from another period into an opera production with good results, but Huguet’s inventiveness does not distract from the original plot. His original concept adds realism to the action and makes the characters more human and believable. He directs with a naturalistic and realistic acting approach, and every single artist on the scene is clearly defined.

He treats the chorus as if they were individual characters rather than a uniform group of people and their appearances are full of actions. Every single line of the principal singers is directed, giving sense to everything, running away from opera clichés, and giving acting tools to the performers. He used dancers (even the soloist and chorus dance) and presented the ballet in Act three, which is usually cut. Jean-François Kessler created a brilliant modern choreography that suited Massenet’s music and the libretto perfectly. The big realistic sets, designed by Aurélie Maestre, are imprinted with art déco style matching the 1920 period.

Two Passionate Lovers

Lisette Oropesa portrayed the title role. She possesses a round velvety timbre whose middle range has expanded and gained in depth and projection. Her entrance aria,”Je suis encore tout étourdie” showed her strong round sound and her fine bel canto technique. This was best displayed with her voice’s soaring pianissimo rising to a high B flat and in the cadenza which demands a fast scale up to a high E (Oropesa opted for the leggera variations that Massenet wrote in the score, as this cadenza is optional).

Then in her first act duet, she was ardent, moving, and dramatic delivering strong ringing B flats, and in her second act aria, “Allons! Il le faut…adieu notre petite table” she was moving. The first scene of the third act, the Le Cours la Reine scene, was the moment where the soprano showed all her virtuosic technique by immaculately singing all the staccato notes and displayed incredible ascensions to B naturals and two strong and secure D naturals. She was warmly rewarded by the audience as she received the strongest applause of the night after this aria.

But she still had more high notes to deliver in the night as was displayed in her ringing high Cs and Ds in the Casino scene. She was ardent in her duet with tenor Charles Castronovo in the Saint Sulpice scene and sang a very emotional and moving final scene as she was dying. Her characterization was more sensual and stronger than the usual naïve poor girl that it is usually presented, making her inclination towards luxury more believable.

Tenor Charles Castronovo sang the role of the lover Des Grieux. He has a lyrical voice with a dark timbre and modest projection. His French phrasing and legato were impeccable and his high notes were effortless and secure. He took some time to warm up and that was most noticeable in the first act as his voice got lost during the duet with Oropesa’s, especially when they sang high notes together. But something changed throughout the night as Castronovo gained vocal weight and projection. He sang the “dream aria” “En fermant les yeus” with a soaring mezza voce, sounding sweet and delicate, delivering a pianissimo high A natural in “Il y faut encore.”

But the highlight of his performance was his third act aria, ”Ah! Fuyez douce image,” where he made clever use of the dynamics and contrasted the pianissimo sweet moments with strong high B flats. He was ardent and explosive at the end of his subsequent duet with Manon, strong and determined during the casino scene, and shared the soprano’s pathos and sadness during the moving final duet which closes the opera.

Arts Fotografía

More Cast Highlights

The rest of the characters, although very important for the plot, only sing in ensemble or a few spare lines, making the soprano and the tenor the true protagonist of the opera. Nevertheless, the cast was superb, with the cynical and vocally strong Carles Pachon as Lescaut, a youthful Le Comte des Grieux by bass James Creswell ( This role is usually played as an old man, but Huguet takes advantage of the tenor’s youth to make the role believable) and a rich timbered Jorge Rodríguez-Norton as Guillot de Morfontaine. The splendid Poussette, Javotte, and Rosette were portrayed by Antonella Zanetti, Laura Fleur, and Ester Ferraro (all members of the young artist program of the theatre).

Musical director James Gaffigan was in charge of the Orquesta de la Comunitat Valenciana. If I had to remark upon his direction of Massenet’s opera in just a few words, it would be about his enthusiastic and vigorous approach. From the opening short prelude with the explosive outburst from the orchestra to the lively and brilliant “Cours la Reine” in Act three. Gaffigan made the orchestra sound enthusiastic and cheerful, particularly with his fast but precise tempi. He followed the phrasing of the singers and contrasted it with sweet lyricism, particularly in Manon’s second act, Des Grieux’s “Ah fuyez” and mostly in the final duet, which was moving and intense. The orchestra and chorus sounded strong and brilliant.

Overall, this was a clever and beautiful production staged by Huguet, with a lively and enthusiastic musical approach by James Gaffigan, and outstanding interpretations by Oropesa and Castronovo.

The post Palau de Les Arts 2024-25 Review: Manon appeared first on OperaWire.

Bayerische Staatsoper Announces Cast Change for ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’

Francisco Salazar — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:02:31 +0000

The Bayerische Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its upcoming production of “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

The company said that Ivan Gyngazov and Jonathan Tetelman will sing the role of Turiddu replacing the originally announced Vittorio Grigolo.

Gyngazov will sing the role on May 22, 25, 29, June 01, 04, 08, and 12, 2025 while Tetelman will sing the role on July 09 and 12, 2025.

Tetalman will sing alongside Ekaterina Semenchuk and Rihab Chaieb while Gyngazov will perform alongside Yulia Matochkina’s Santuzza and Elmina Hasan‘s Lola.

Daniele Rustioni conducts the May and June performances while Andrea Battistoni conducts the July performances. Francesco Micheli directs the new production which also includes “Pagliacci.” Jonas Kaufmann, Ailyn Perez, Riccardo Massi, and Wolfgang Koch lead the performances of Leoncavallo’s opera.

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