By Chris Ruel
Gold Sound Media has announced conductor Gary Thor Wedow will lead Juilliard Opera’s production of Händel’s seldom-performed “Atalanta.” In the pit will be Julliard415, the school’s period-music ensemble. Omer Ben Seadia stage directs.
“Atalanta,” a romantic comedy, is the latest Handel work the maestro will pace at Juilliard. Previous performances include presentations of “Teseo” and “Ariodante.”
“From the very beginning, Händel has been at the heart of my career. Though I studied as a pianist with virtuoso Jorge Bolet, my first professional job was as associate conductor with the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston, under Thomas Dunn,” Wedow said in a press statement.
“I’ve conducted many Baroque masterworks since then with both modern and period orchestras, but I always circle back to Handel. His operas and oratorios excite me for their perfect marriage of text to music, their sublime architecture, and the mind-blowing theatricality of the music.”
Wedow has served as a Juilliard Vocal Arts faculty member since 1994.
Performances of “Atalanta” will run from Nov. 9-13, 2022, at Juilliard’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater.
By Francisco Salazar
The London Mozart Players has announced Jonathan Bloxham as its Conductor in Residence and Artistic Advisor.
Bloxham will be working closely with the artistic team to develop the vision for the years ahead, as well as conducting key LMP concerts including those at Fairfield Halls, where our orchestra is Resident.
In a statement, the conductor said, “It’s an honor to be joining LMP’s musical family at this exciting time in their long and distinguished history. We’ve already had many exhilarating moments on stage and I’m really looking forward to working more closely with all the orchestra to build vivid and diverse programs together.”
LMP’s Chief Executive, Flynn Le Brocq added, “It’s wonderful that we’re able to formalize our close relationship with Jonathan, especially during the 2023/24 year when Croydon is London’s Borough of Culture. This is a very exciting time for the orchestra and I am confident that Jonathan’s expertise and vision will help us to unlock our full artistic potential.”
Bloxham has conducted with the London Mozart Players, London Philharmonic, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Residentie Orkest, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony, Munich Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta, and Basque National orchestras. He has also conducted the Glyndebourne Festival, Luzern Symphony, and Luzern Festival.
Bloxham will appear with the orchestra in February 2023 for Building Blochs and Birkenstocks at Fairfield Halls.
By David Salazar
The Philharmonie de Paris has announced a cast change for its performance of the “Last Four Songs” by Richard Strauss scheduled for Dec. 10, 2022.
Jacquelyn Wagner will replace Ana Maria Labin as the soloists for the performance. Wolfgang Doerner conducts. The performance will also feature Strauss’ “A Hero’s Life” and “Malven.”
Wagner has performed with such companies as the Brucknerfest Linz, the Opéra National de Paris, the Opéra Comique de Paris, the Volksoper Wien, Staatsoper Hamburg, Landestheater Innsbruck, Osterfestspiele Salzburg, and Zürich Opera.
During the 2022-23 season, the soprano is set to appear at the Teatro Regio di Torino, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Theater an der Wien, the Tonhalle Zürich, and the Opernhaus Zürich, among others.
Next up for Labin are productions of “Le Nozze di Figaro” and “Così fan tutte” at the Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna.
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News
By David Salazar
The Pasadena Chorale has announced its 2022-23 season.
“We have been working hard on putting together a full season of programming for the Chorale’s 22/23 Season,” said Jeffrey Bernstein, the Chorale’s Founding Artistic and Executive Director, in an official press statement. “This season we’re continuing our post-COVID revival with four concerts to move audiences with the beauty of unified choral singing. We’ll be performing in great acoustic spaces, singing gems of the repertoire by Josquin, Vaughan Williams and Brahms, and exploring new music by diverse and young composers.”
The season kicks off with “Fall Follies,” a cabaret-style performance at the Tea Rose Garden. This gala fundraiser is a major benefit for the organization and this edition is the first since 2019.
Performance Date: Oct. 20, 2022
“The Light of Hope” will feature a folk oratorio for the winter solstice by Shawn Kirchner that includes new and traditional carols.
Performance Date: Dec. 6, 2022
The season continues with Josquin Desprez’s “Pange Lingua Mass,” which dates back to 1515. This is another benefit gala.
Performance Date: March 4 & 5, 2023
“Brahms and Beyond” follows. The showcase presents choral music composed and inspired by the famed German romantic.
Performance Date: May 6, 2023
The season draws to a close with “Listening to the Future,” which includes new music composed by Pasadena area high school students.
Performance Date: June 17, 2023
By David Salazar
(Credit: By Pasquale Salerno)
Moore Opera Center in Houston, Texas will showcase Philip Glass’ “La Belle et la Bête” starting on Oct. 20, 2022.
This represents the Texas premiere of the full-orchestra version of the work, which gives Jean Cocteau’s iconic film an operatic interpretation. In the opera, Glass replaces the original dialogue with his own music with the singers matching their vocal lines to the actors’ dialogue. The film plays during the performance
Michael Riesman, who conducted the 1994 premiere of the work is back to conduct this production. Meanwhile, conductor Andrew Sterman, who did the premiere recording of the work, will do a week-long masterclass for Moore students.
“It’s wonderful to be bringing “La Belle et la Bête” back to Houston, where it has not been seen for over 25 years,” said Riesman in an official press statement. “This is a unique, magical opera, with lyrical and dramatic music.”
The opera will run for four performances through Oct. 23, 2022.
By Francisco Salazar
Arizona Opera is set to open its 2022-23 season with a production of “The Falling and The Rising.”
The opera, which is set to be presented in Phoenix (Oct. 14-16) and Tucson (Oct. 22-23), tells the story of service and sacrifice, which traces the inner journey of a soldier who enters a coma after she suffers a roadside attack. As the soldier moves through her unconscious dreamscape, the audience will serve as both companions and witnesses, sharing powerful encounters with fellow service members along the way.
The opera is shedding light on the inspirational power of untold soldiers’ stories and aims to knit the civilian and veteran/military populations together through this story of family, service, sacrifice, and hope.
The opera will be staged by director Dennis Whitehead Darling and conducted by Michael Sakir. Tess Altiveros and Army Staff Sgt. Ben Hilget star in the work.
By Francisco Salazar
Britten’s “Peter Grimes” is set to return to the Metropolitan Opera for the time since 2008.
The opera, which is set to be performed between Next. 16 and Nov. 12 for eight performances, will star tenor Allan Clayton, who made his acclaimed Met debut in the title role of Brett Dean’s “Hamlet” last season. Critics raved with OperaWire stating “Alan Clayton is a revelation in his Met debut.”
Clayton has performed the role of “Peter Grimes” at the Royal Opera House which OperaWire praised, stating that he “shined” and that “vocally he is peerless.”
Nicholas Carter will conduct the production, which will also star soprano Nicole Car, and bass-baritone Adam Plachetka. Soprano Laura Wilde sings Ellen Orford on Nov. 2.
“Peter Grimes” will be broadcast on Oct. 26 and Nov. 9 on Metropolitan Opera Radio on SiriusXM Channel 355. A performance from fall 2022 will also be broadcast over the Toll Brothers–Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network on May 27, 2023.
By Francisco Salazar
(Credit: Linden Shots)
Promethean Artists has announced that Irish soprano Sarah Brady has joined its roster for General Management.
Callan Coughlan will represent the singer who is a graduate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music and joined the prestigious young artist program OperAvenir at Theater Basel in 2017.
Brady became a member of the ensemble at Theater Basel during the 2019-20 season and was nominated as Upcoming Artist of the Year by Opernwelt.
On a statement Brady said, “The journey of an artist is a wild and unpredictable one. Having people by your side who support and believe in you is a must, which is why being a part of Promethean Artists feels so right to me, with Callan as my general manager. Callan and I have known each other since our studies, so that necessary foundation and trust is already there.”
She added, “His experience in this field over the past years and his drive and passion for his artists ensure me that this is going to be a very fruitful and exciting relationship.”
Coughlan said, “Having known Sarah since our university days, I always knew she was destined for great things. I’ve closely watched her career develop over the years, and to now have the opportunity to work as her manager at Promethean Artists is a real privilege.”
This season Brady is set to perform in Hannover and she will make her debut at the Nederlandse Reisopera. She is also set to perform at the Irish National Opera.
By Francisco Salazar
The Cavarzere Opera Festival – Tullio Serafin has announced its second edition.
The festival, which is set to take place between Oct. 16 and 30, is organized by “Concetto Armonico. ”Additionally it is supported by Comune di Cavarzere, Ministero della Cultura, and Regione del Veneto.
The festival opens with “Scambiamoci di vista, da Plauto a Mozart passando per Shakespeare.” The evening will showcase the talents of Matteo Mencarelli, Michele Gianquinto, and Ketevan Sikharulidze.
Performance Date: Oct. 16, 2022
The second evening will be dedicated to Astor Piazzolla. The concert will consist of “The Four Seasons,” and Tango Arias.
Performance Date: Oct. 23, 2022
The October program will conclude with Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Yulia Pogrebnyak (Donna Anna), Massimo Frigato (Don Ottavio), Marily Santoro (Donna Elvira), Marco Saccardin (Leporello), Gianluca Andreacchi (Massetto) and Sabrina Sanza (Zerlina) star.
Performance Date: Oct. 30, 2022
The program officially concludes with Concerto di Natale a Rottanova.
Performance Date: Dec. 10, 2022
By Francisco Salazar
Opera Prelude is set to gather together dozens of internationally renowned opera professionals on World Opera Day.
The conference on Oct. 25 will be for OperaWorks, an exciting conference and professional development day designed to help talented young performers starting out in their careers.
There will be a series of morning sessions for singers, run by experts from every area of the opera sector. These sessions will cover a wide range of topics – from finance, audition success, and building a career in the digital age to mental well-being and the importance of creating safe spaces in opera – all designed to offer vital tips and expert insights to early-career artists or those still studying
In the afternoon there will be a panel of influential figures from the opera and music world coming together for a free, three-hour conference, “21st Century Singer: Forging a Career in Opera,” hosted by Henry Southern, Senior Programming Manager at the Royal Albert Hall.
Panelists include National Opera Studio’s Emily Gottlieb, Northern Ireland Opera’s Cameron Menzies, Askonas Holt director Sue Spence and globally acclaimed singers Elizabeth Llewellyn and Andrew Staples, among many others.
Finally, the day will end with a showcase of some of the UK’s new opera talent, the Opera Prelude Young Artists, onstage at the Chelsea Theatre.
