James Conlon News

The Verdi Chorus celebrates its 35th anniversary with its Spring 2018 concert The Force of Destiny for two performances only at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica on April 28 and 29 led by Founding Artistic Director Anne Marie Ketchum. As the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus, their program will feature selections from three Verdi operas - La forza del destino, Nabucco, including the famed chorus "Va, pensiero," the opening party scene of La traviata, and conclude with beloved melodies from Strauss' Die Fledermaus.

Plácido Domingo, LA Opera's Eli and Edythe Broad General Director, has announced final details about the company's spring presentation of Christoph Willibald Gluck's landmark masterpiece, Orpheus and Eurydice, which will be conducted by James Conlon, the company's Richard Seaver Music Director. The new production, created by LA Opera in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Hamburg Staatsoper, is directed, choreographed and designed by John Neumeier and will feature the entire company of the Joffrey Ballet, one of the world's great dance companies.

The winners of the 47th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition's final round this evening, which took place before an enthusiastic audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.

The Colburn Orchestra makes its triumphant return to the Broad Stage on Thursday, March 1, for a program of classical greats: Rossini, Nielsen and Beethoven. Founded in 2003, the Colburn Orchestra is the flagship ensemble of the Colburn Conservatory of Music.

Juilliard today announced conductor David Robertson as director of conducting studies, distinguished visiting faculty at Juilliard. As part of his new role, Mr. Robertson will be the principal teacher for all conducting degree students at the school. He will work with three or four students per academic year and will personally audition prospective students.

The New York Philharmonic will return to Bravo! Vail in Colorado for the Orchestra's 16th annual summer residency there, performing six orchestral concerts July 20-27, 2018.

LA Opera will present its premiere of Candide, Leonard Bernstein's 1956 musical comedy classic. Music Director James Conlon will conduct a cast led by Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer and Tony winner Christine Ebersole, both making their company debuts. Performances take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012).

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced today the winners of the 30th annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers that took place at Stude Concert Hall at Rice University. For the second time, the Concert of Arias was streamed live on Facebook, as well as on YouTube for the first time. The livestream was hosted by award-winning soprano and HGO Studio alumna Tamara Wilson. The winners were announced during the second portion of the program.

LA Opera will present its premiere of Candide, Leonard Bernstein's 1956 musical comedy classic. Music Director James Conlon will conduct a cast led by Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer and Tony winner Christine Ebersole, both making their company debuts. Performances take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012).

Due to ticket demand, LA Opera has scheduled an additional matinee performance of Candide, Leonard Bernstein's 1956 Broadway classic. The added performance will take place on Saturday, February 17, at 2pm.

On January 27, 2018, Los Angeles Opera presented the Bernstein work at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with a cast that included Emmy-winning television star Kelsey Grammer. He is best remembered for his two-decade-long portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the situation comedies Cheers, Wings, and Frasier. As Voltaire and Pangloss, Grammer had a huge speaking role that he acquitted with a commanding personality and considerable wit. Surprisingly, he sang quite well, too.

From the moment the amazing James Conlon-conducted orchestra began their crisp, lively 'Overture' to 'Quartet Finale,' the close of Act One; this remarkable production of CANDIDE entranced the Dorothy Chandler audience. Then after a short intermission, these talented performers and musicians had the audience right back in the palms of their skilled hands, beyond the tears-inducing finale 'Make Our Garden Grow,' to the extended and most deserved standing ovation for the cast, orchestra, and creatives.

The next three months hold debut performances for Keitaro Harada with four symphonies. February 1 and 2, Harada will step in for Berkeley Symphony's Music Director Joanna Carneiro as she awaits the birth of her fourth child. The program includes Faur 's Cantique de Jean Racine, Gordon Getty's Joan and the Bells and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. He, then, heads to Memphis Symphony to conduct E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Live in Concert followed by a quick trip to Japan for a return to Suntory Hall to conduct The Music of John Williams: Star Wars and Beyond with Tokyo Philharmonic. March holds his debuts with Fort Worth Symphony leading Disney's Fantasia: Live in Concert as well as with Louisville Orchestra leading Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. He returns to Fort Worth in May for Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert.

Eli and Edythe Broad General Director Pl cido Domingo has announced the repertory and artist roster for the company's 2018/19 season, planned by Mr. Domingo in collaboration with Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon and Sebastian Paul and Marybelle Musco President and CEO Christopher Koelsch. The season will include six mainstage productions presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with additional performances presented elsewhere through the company's Off Grand initiative.

General Director Pl cido Domingo has announced final details about LA Opera's company premiere of Candide, Leonard Bernstein's 1956 musical comedy classic. Music Director James Conlon will conduct a cast led by Emmy winner Kelsey Grammer and Tony winner Christine Ebersole, both making their company debuts. Performances take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012).

Lyric Unlimited, a division of Lyric Opera of Chicago, is excited to present Cycles of My Being, a song cycle exploring the realities of life as a black man in America. Composed by Tyshawn Sorey with lyrics by Terrance Hayes, the Chicago-premiere event will star celebrated tenor Lawrence Brownlee in a solo recital with pianist Myra Huang on Thursday, February 22 at 7pm at the DuSable Museum of African American History.Cycles of My Being is a co-commission with Opera Philadelphia, and Carnegie Hall.

Jeffrey Kahane will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17, from the piano; conduct Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, with cellist Alisa Weilerstein as soloist; and conduct Haydn's Symphony No. 98, from the fortepiano, Today, January 4, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 5 at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, January 6 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Jeffrey Kahane will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17, from the piano; conduct Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, with cellist Alisa Weilerstein as soloist; and conduct Haydn's Symphony No. 98, from the fortepiano, Thursday, January 4, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 5 at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, January 6 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m.

The Oratorio Society of New York has the distinction of having performed Handel's Messiah every Christmas season since 1874, and at Carnegie Hall every year the hall has been open since 1891 qualifying the OSNY's annual rendition of the holiday classic as a New York tradition of the highest order.

On November 3, Japanese conductor Keitaro Harada makes his European opera debut with Sophia Opera in Bulgaria. He takes the podium to lead Bizet's Carmen in a production that will also tour Japan in 2018.