By David Salazar
Portland Opera has announced its 2022-23 season.
The season kicks off with Bizet’s “Carmen,” which will star Maya Lahyani, Matthew Pearce, Richard Ollarsaba, and Ariana Wehr. Michael Ellis Ingram conducts a production directed by Denyce Graves.
Performance Dates: Nov. 5 & 13, 2022
Kamala Sankaram’s “Thumbprint” will premiere with Maya Kherani, Indira Mahajan, Alok Kumar, Omar, Najmi, and Samina Aslam in the cast. The work will be conducted by Maria Badstue with Omer Ben Seadia directing.
The work is inspired by the story of Mukhtar Mai, a Pakistani human rights activist who was the victim of sanctioned gang rape. The work was commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects and the Here Center for the Prototype Festival.
Performance Dates: March 18 – 26, 2022
Karen Vuong, Limmie Puliam, Andrew Potter, Jill Grove, and Othalie Graham headline “Rusalka.” Elias Grandy conducts with Eric Simonson directing.
Performance Dates: April 22-30, 2022
The season comes to a close with “Absence: Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective and Turtle Island.” Damien Geter conducts Karen Slack and Will Liverman star.
Performance Dates: May 26, 2022
By Francisco Salazar
The George London Foundation for Singers concludes its 2021-22 season of events with a recital by tenor Aaron Blake.
The recital will see the tenor accompanied by pianist Ken Noda at the Morgan Library & Museum’s Gilder Lehrman Hall on April 24, 2022.
The program will include songs by Bellini and Donizetti, followed by selections by Tosti, Strauss, and Liszt, and then songs by Copland, Porter, and Gershwin. There is one opera aria on the program: “Tombe degli avi miei” from Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor.”
Over the past few years, Blake has performed at the New York City Opera, Komische Oper Berlin, Metropolitan Opera, Oper Frankfurt, Cincinnati Opera, and The Dallas Opera. His repertoire includes the music of Mozart, Puccini, Donizetti, Bernstein, and Gregory Spears, among many others.
By Francisco Salazar
The Teatro Regio di Parma has announced a cast change in its production of Verdi’s “La forza del destino,” which will inaugurate the XXII Festival Verdi.
The festival noted that Liudmyla Monastyrska will make her debut at the Teatro Regio di Parma e al Festival Verdi in the role of Leonora replacing previously announced Anna Pirozzi.
Pirozzi has been forced to cancel due to previous commitments that were rescheduled due to the pandemic and which will interfere with the rehearsal period.
In a statement, Pirozzi noted, “I am very sorry not to be part of this production and I am glad there will be a new occasion to work with Maestro Roberto Abbado and Maestro Yannis Kokkos. I will miss the Parma audience and I will be happy to sing in a special concert that will be announced.
Monastyrska is set to sing “Turandot” at the Metropolitan Opera and has performed at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro di San Carlo, Arena di Verona, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Staatsoper Berlin, among others.
The soprano joins a cast that includes Gregory Kunde (Don Alvaro), Amartuvshin Enkhbat (Don Carlo di Vargas), Marko Mimica (Padre guardiano), Roberto de Candia (Fra’ Melitone), and Annalisa Stroppa (Preziosilla). “La forza del destino” will be performed from Sept.22 through Oct. 16, 2022.
By Francisco Salazar
The Volksoper Wien has announced its 2022-23 season featuring seven new productions.
Premieres
The first production of the season will be the Viennese-Berlin operetta “Die Dubarry” with Annette Dasch and Harald Schmidt. The cast also includes Lucian Krasznec, Juliette Khalil, Wolfgang Gratschmaier, and Marco di Sapia.
Performance Dates: Sept. 3-Oct. 19, 2022
Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta” and “The Nutcracker” will star Cornelia Beskow, Stefan Cerny, Georgy Vasiliev, Daniel Schmutzhard and Andrei Bondarenko. Omer Meier Wellber, Karen Kagarlitsky, and Manuela Ranno.
Performance Dates: Oct. 9-Dec. 18, 2022
Kurt Weill’s “Dreigroschenoper” will star Sona MacDonald. Carlo Goldstein and Manuela Ranno conduct the new production by Maurice Lenhard.
Performance Date: Nov. 27, 2022-Jan. 23, 2023
Offenbach’s “Orpheus in der Unterwelt” will be directed by Spymonkey. Alexander Joel and Tobias Wogerer conduct the production which is set to star Timothy Fallon, Marco di Sapia, Daniel Kluge, and Hedwig Ritter.
Performance Dates: Jan. 21-March 26, 2023
“Die letzte Verschwörung,” an operetta premiere about conspiracy theories written by Moritz Eggert will be produced by Lotte de Beer. Steven Sloane conducts the production which will star Wallis Giunta, Timothy Fallon, Rebecca Nelsen, Orhan Yildiz, and Annelie Sophie Muller.
Performance Dates: March 25-April 11, 2023
Nicolai’s “Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor” will be directed in a humorous-feminist view by Nina Spijkers. Ben Glassberg conducts the production which stars Anett Fristch, Stephanie Maitland, Martin Winkler, Aaron Pendleton, Daniel Schmutzhard, Theresa Dax, JunHo You, and Alexander Fritze.
Performance Dates: May 13-June 28, 2023
Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” will be staged in new production by Turkish director Nurkan Erpulat. Angelo Michele Errico conducts the production with Daniel Kluge, Hedwig Ritter, Rebecca Nelsen, and Timothy Fallon.
Performance date: June 17-30, 2023
Revivals
The company will revive Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” with Alexander Joel, Alfred Eschwe, and Gerrit Priessnitz conduct. The operetta will star Ursula Pfitzner, Ulrike Steinsky, Anett Fritsch, Carsten Suss, Sebastian Reinthaller, Daniel Schmutzhard, Marco di Sapia, Daniel Ohenschlager, Alexander Fritze, Wallis Giunta, Katia Ledoux, Annelie Sophie Muller, David Kerber, Jason Kim, and Timothy Fallon.
Performance Dates: Sept. 6, 2022-June 13, 2023
Anett Fristch, Rebecca Nelsen, Alexandra Flood, Lauren Urquhart, Giorgio Berrugi, JunHo You, Andrei Bondarenko, and Alexandre Beuchat lead Puccini’s “La Bohème.” Omer Wellber Meier, Alexander Joel, and Carlo Goldstein conduct.
Performance Dates: Oct. 23, 2022-Jan. 5, 2023
Wallis Giunta and Annelie Sophie Muller lead Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” with Timothy Fallon, Misha Kiria, Modestas Sedlevicius, and Aaron Pendleton. Carlo Goldstein and Manuela Ranno conduct.
Performance Dates: Sept. 4-Oct. 24, 2022
Steven Sloane conducts “Fiddler on the Roof” with Dominque Horwitz, Regula Rosin, Anita Gotz, Lisa Haberman, Juliette Khalil, Martina Dorak, and Oliver Liebl.
Performance Dates: Feb. 23-March 31, 2023
Repertoire
Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” is set to star Alexandra Flood, Lauren Urquhart, Rebecca Nelsen, Stefan Cerny, Alexander Fritze, Nofar Yacobi, Alina Wunderlin, Gloria Rehm, Martin Mittzerrutzner, Jason Kim, JunHo You, and Karl Michael Ebner. Omer Wellber Meier, Karen Kagarlitsky, Tobias Wogerer, and Manuela Ranno conduct.
Performance Dates: Sept. 14, 2022-Jan. 27, 2023
Tobias Wogerer ad Alexander Joel conduct Lehar’s “The Merry Widow” with Rebecca Nelsen, Nadja Mchantaf, Daniel Schmutzhard, Alexandre Beuchat, David Sitka, Hedwig Ritter, Theresa Dax, and Sebastian Reintaller.
Performance Dates: Oct. 30, 2022-Jan. 22, 2023
Anita Gotz, Alexandra Flood, Wallis Giunta, Annelie Sophie Muller, Martin Winkler, Morten Frank Larsen, Ursula Pfitzner, Brigid Steinberger, Karl-Michael Ebner, and Ulrike Steinsky lead Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel.” Carlo Goldstein conducts.
Performance Dates: Dec. 10, 2022-Jan. 6, 2023
Orhan Yildiz, Andrei Bondarenko, Anett Fritsch, Lauren Urquhart, Theresa Dax, Evan Hughes, Wallis Giunta, and Sofia Vinnik star in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.” Julian Rachlin and Gerrit Priessnitz conduct.
Performance Dates: Jan, 29-April 9, 2023
Ursula Pfitzner, Kurt Schreibmayer, Jakob Semotan, Jason Kim, Carsten Suss, Hedwig Ritter, and Lauren Urquhart star in Kalman’s “Graffin Mariza.” Alfred Eschwe and Manuela Ranno conduct.
Performance Dates: Feb. 16-March 8, 2023
Verdi’s “La Traviata” will be headlined by Rebecca Nelsen, Hila Baggio, JunHo You, Jason Kim, Andrei Bondarenko, and Orhan Yildiz. Alexander Joel and Tobias Wogerer conduct.
Performance Dates: Feb. 26-March 17, 2023
Anett Fritsch, Ana Gotz, Markus Marquardt, and Alexandre Beuchat lead Bramhs’ “German Requiem” with Roger Diaz-Cajamarca and Ben Glassberg conducting.
Performance Dates: March 28-May 16, 2023
Joseph Wagner leads Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” with Stefan Cerny, Cornelia Beskow, and Jason Kim. Ben Glassberg conducts.
Performance Dates: April 16-May 24, 2023
By Nicolas Quiroga
Opera Maine is set to present Philip Glass’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” on June 29 and July 1, 2022.
The cast includes Marcel Sokalski as William, Joseph Tancredi as Roderick Usher, Gabrielle Clutter as Madeline Usher, Miguel Pedroza as Servant, and Joseph Sacchi as Physician. The opera will be conducted by Richard Gammon. The opera will be presented in English with full orchestration.
The design team will feature lighting designer SeifAllah Salotto- Cristobal.
The Glass opera, with a libretto by Arthur Yorinks based on Poe’s story, premiered in 1988.
“Poe’s famous horror story has fascinated poets, dramatists, and composers for over a century. Poe hints at much, but states hardly anything at all. Is the story real, or is it a hallucination? What is the relationship between the narrator (William), his friend Roderick Usher, and Roderick’s dying sister, Madeline. Has she been buried alive, or is it a demon from hell who takes such a spectacular revenge at the end? And is the vast house in which they live a living malignant entity? Incest, homosexuality, murder, and the supernatural hang in the air, but then again, such things may exist only in the imagination of the audience,” Glass famously said about his adaptation of the famed tale.
By Logan Martell
(Credit: Benjamin Ealovega)
The BBC Symphony Orchestra has announced that Sakari Oramo’s contract as Chief Conductor has been extended until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The decision comes following a nine-year relationship between Oramo and the orchestra, which has seen them explore new and underperformed works alongside core repertoire. Oramo has conducted 27 Proms thus far, including five of their Last Nights.
“Sakari joined the BBC SO as Chief Conductor for the 2013 Proms and the relationship has strengthened and deepened year-on-year becoming the great musical partnership it is today,” says Orchestra Director Paul Hughes. “Knowing that Sakari will continue in this role through until 2026, to see the orchestra into its new home in Stratford’s East Bank, is fantastic news for the orchestra, for the BBC and for our audiences around the world. I could not be happier.
The Orchestra and Oramo are set to open their tenth season together at the Barican, with the world premiere of French composer Sophie Lacaze’s “Sighs of the Stars” on October 5, 2022. Oramo will also lead the first Total Immersion concert of the season with the “Sibelius the Storyteller” program. Artists from BBC’s SO and the Guildhall School will perform and discuss the influences of the composer’s works.
ORPHÉE
Sunday, April 24, 2022
6:00 PM 7:30 PM
Google Calendar ICS
THE OPERA
Approximate run time of 1 hour and 30 minutes with no intermission
The Orpheus myth has been recounted time and again throughout modern history, and for good reason. Stories of love lost, regained, then lost again, are timeless for the ways in which they strike right at the core of our connections to one another, and the 1859 Berlioz adaptation of Gluck’s opera, in which the lead role was rewritten for a mezzo-soprano, is no exception. Come for the compellingly human love story between Orpheus and Eurydice, stay for the virtuosic performances of Classical music by our stellar cast, joined by the WCO Orchestra and Chorus.
By Nicolas Quiroga
Opera Memphis and the University of Memphis Scheidt School of Music have announced the four finalists of the first Nuevas Canciones Vocal Competition.
The jury has established that the four finalists are mezzo-soprano Brianna Reilly, lyric soprano Desiree Soto, baritone Sullivan Ojala Helmbolt, and baritone Carlos Romero.
The final round will take place on April 30, 2022 at the Clark Opera Memphis Center.
The competition was created to allow students an opportunity to explore Spanish repertoire. The winner will take a $1,000 prize in scholarships toward the University of Memphis. Applications required each student to submit one Spanish aria / art song / romanza as well as one aria or art song in another language.
By Chris Ruel
The Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, Lyric Opera Stage Artists, and Ukrainian musicians presented a benefit concert, “We Stand with Ukraine,” at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Chicago on Sept. 9, 2022.
The benefit raised over $48,000, according to the chief organizer of the event, Principal Bassoon Preman Tilson. Half the proceeds are earmarked to assist refugee children who have arrived in Chicago from the war-torn country. The Orchestra will wire the remainder to the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) to provide medical supplies for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art and the Kyiv Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted the concert.
ABC Chicago 7 reported that 31 children have arrived in Chicago, home to over 45,000 residents who claim Ukrainian ancestry. Those children are now enrolled in St. Nicholas Cathedral School, with Principal Anna Cirilli noting she expects more children to arrive in the coming weeks.
Attending the performance were Cardinal Blaise Cupich and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In the ABC 7 report, Cupich stated, “Here in Chicago, we have a significant Ukrainian community, and I think it’s important for all of us to take responsibility to defend democracy and freedom throughout the world.”
By David Salazar
The Gran Teatre del Liceu has made a change to its 2022-23 season.
The company has moved its “Winterreise” production, which was originally slated for a different season, to the second half of the upcoming season. The Schubert work will now be performed on March 23, 24, and 25, 2023. It will now be directed by Bárbara Lluch and will still star Benjamin Appl and pianist James Bailleau.
The production was originally set to be directed by Àlex Ollé and Valentina Carrasco.
The Gran Teatre del Liceu’s 2022-23 season will open this fall with a production of “Don Pasquale.” The company will also showcase such works as “La gata perduda,” “Il Trovatore,” “Il Trittico,” “Tosca,” “Macbeth,” “Alcina,” “The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas,” “Alexina B.,” “Manon,” “Parsifal,” and “L’Incoronazione di Poppea.”
