James Conlon News

LA Opera General Director Plácido Domingo announced updated details for the west coast premiere of John Corigliano's magnificently haunting 1991 opera,The Ghosts of Versailles, which receives its long awaited west coast debut on February 7 as the initial production of LA Opera'sFigaro Trilogy. Featuring a libretto by noted playwright William C. Hoffman, the opera is presented in a new production directed by Darko Tresnjak, a 2014 Tony Award winner, and it will be conducted by LA Opera Music Director James Conlon.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presents Michelle DeYoung this weekend, November 21-22, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Led by guest conductor Asher Fisch, the performances feature Schumann's Symphony No. 2, Berg's Seven Early Songs, and Strauss's Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung. Both concerts include Meet the Music, a free, interactive pre-concert discussion held one hour prior to concert start time in Uihlein Hall today and in Anello Atrium on Saturday. Today's performance offers a post-concert Meet the Artist Luncheon in the Bradley Pavilion.

Compared to Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek as Katerina Ismailova in LADY MACBETH OF MTSENSK at the Met, Barbara Stanwyck and Lana Turner were couple of pikers in their film noir triumphs, “Double Indemnity” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.” Westbroek kills her father-in-law with rat poison, strangles her husband with her lover's belt and, as the piece de resistence, drowns her lover's new girlfriend, while going under herself. And she has to do it all while effortlessly singing Shostakovich's demanding score. What a dame!

The Dallas Opera, in the latest installment of The Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Art Song Recital Series, will present the phenomenal American tenor,Matthew Polenzani, in an exclusive, one-time-only recital on the afternoon of Sunday, January 11, 2015 at Southern Methodist University's popular Caruth Auditorium (an intimate 490-seat venue located in the Owen Arts Center, 6101 Bishop, Dallas, TX 75205). The two o'clock recital will also feature the exciting and accomplished playing of Mr. Polenzani's frequent recording partner, pianistJulius Drake.

Plácido Domingo, General Director of LA Opera, has announced updated details about the company's upcoming Figaro Unbound celebration, which explores the lasting legacy of French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais and the influential protagonist of three of his stage comedies: Figaro, the wily barber from Seville. LA Opera's programming of three operas based on the Figaro plays—The Barber of Sevilleby Rossini, The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart and the west coast premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corigliano, all conducted by LA Opera Music Director James Conlon—is the inspiration for Figaro Unbound, a three-month citywide celebration of the revolutionary spirit.

New York Philharmonic Associate Conductor Case Scaglione will conduct the Orchestra in Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; Glazunov's Violin Concerto, with Joshua Bell as soloist; and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5, tonight, November 12, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 14 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m.

One of the most riveting operatic artists of our time, soprano Sondra Radvanovsky will return to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for her first recital appearance with LA Opera, at 7:30pm tonight, November 8, 2014.

MILWAUKEE, WIS. 10/30/2014 – The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presents Michelle DeYoungon November 21-22, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Led by guest conductor Asher Fisch, the performances feature Schumann's Symphony No. 2, Berg's Seven Early Songs, and Strauss's Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration) with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung. Both concerts include Meet the Music, a free, interactive pre-concert discussion held one hour prior to concert start time in Uihlein Hall on Friday and in Anello Atrium on Saturday. Friday's performance offers a post-concert Meet the Artist Luncheon in the Bradley Pavilion.

Longy School of Music of Bard College today announced the formation of a unique training orchestra that provides a Master of Music degree, newly approved by the State of New York and is designed to prepare them for the mounting challenges facing today's orchestra players. The training orchestra, recruited from the finest postgraduate musicians, will offer advanced orchestral and leadership training and grant a Master of Music degree in Curatorial, Critical and Performance Studies. All applicants accepted into the three-year degree program will receive a fellowship, which includes the full expense of tuition as well as an annual stipend. Applications are now being accepted. The orchestra will begin performing during the 2015-16 academic year.

Beginning November 10, the Met will present a rare revival of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Shostakovich's controversial 1934 opera about an adulteress whose forbidden romance leads to murder and devastation. This season's performances will be conducted by James Conlon, who also led the work's Met premiere in 1994; it has only been revived once by the company, in 2000. Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek will sing her first Met performances of the central role, Katerina Ismailova, which she has sung to acclaim at numerous leading opera houses around the world. American tenor Brandon Jovanovich sings the role of Sergei, Katerina's lover. The revival of Graham Vick's 1994 production will also star Raymond Very as Zinovy Ismailov, Katerina's ineffectual husband, and Anatoli Kotscherga as her brutal father-in-law, Boris. Dutch tenor Frank van Aken will sing Sergei in the November 21 performance.

Segerstrom Center's Chamber Music Series continues on Saturday, January 31, 2015 with the acclaimed Szymanowski Quartet. For its third appearance, the Warsaw-based ensemble will perform traditional, popular and rare works by Polish composers Marcin Leopolita, Wac?aw of Szamotu?y, Krzysztof Penderecki and Graz?yna Bacewicz. Pianist Joseph Kalichstein makes his Center debut performing Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 and Dvor?a?k's Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 8. There will be a free Preview Talk by musicologist and author Herbert Glass at 7:15 p.m. in Samueli Theater.

Segerstrom Center's Chamber Music Series continues on Saturday, January 31, 2015 with the acclaimed Szymanowski Quartet. For its third appearance, the Warsaw-based ensemble will perform traditional, popular and rare works by Polish composers Marcin Leopolita, Wac?aw of Szamotu?y, Krzysztof Penderecki and Graz?yna Bacewicz. Pianist Joseph Kalichstein makes his Center debut performing Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 and Dvor?a?k's Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 8. There will be a free Preview Talk by musicologist and author Herbert Glass at 7:15 p.m. in Samueli Theater.

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra's 70th Anniversary season continues at 8:00 p.m. tonight, October 18 at The Vets, 1 Avenue of the Arts in Providence.

Conductor James Conlon leads a rare revival of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Metropolitan Opera in six performances beginning Monday, November 10, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. The cast for Graham Vick's production includes soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek in the title role as Katerina Ismailova, tenor Brandon Jovanovich as Sergei, tenor Raymond Very as Zinovy Ismailov, and baritone Anatoli Kotscherga as Boris Ismailov. Tenor Frank van Aken sings the role of Sergei in the November 21 performance.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra presents Brahms's Requiem this weekend, October 10-12, 2014 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Led by conductor Robert Spano and featuring soprano Jessica Rivera, baritone Nmon Ford, and the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, the concerts include Brahms's German Requiem and Jennifer Higdon's 'river sings a song to trees' from City Scape.

Texas Performing Arts welcomes back the ensemble that has virtually redefined the sound of the classic wind quintet, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet. For this performance, Van Cliburn Gold Medal-winning pianist Jon Nakamatsu joins the quintet. The concert is set for tonight, October 9, 2014 at 7:00 pm at Bates Recital Hall (2350 Robert Dedman Dr.).

The five-time Grammy Award winning San Francisco Girls Chorus will open its first season of concerts curated under the artistic directorship of Lisa Bielawawith guest pianist Jon Nakamatsu in a program of Romantic Lieder arranged for treble voices and other works this weekend, October 4 and 5 in San Francisco and Berkeley.

New York Philharmonic Associate Conductor Case Scaglione will conduct the Orchestra in Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; Glazunov's Violin Concerto, with Joshua Bell as soloist; and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5, Wednesday, November 12, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 14 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra's 70th Anniversary season continues at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday October 18 at The Vets, 1 Avenue of the Arts in Providence. The Philharmonic welcomes guest conductor DANIEL HEGE to the podium for a program including Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and Beethoven's Second Piano Concerto, featuring pianist JON NAKAMATSU. Resident Conductor FRANCISCO NOYA presents an informal talk about the program in the auditorium before the concert from 7:00?7:25 p.m. Tickets (starting at $15) are available attickets.riphil.org, and the RIPO box office at 401.248.7000. The Amica Rush Hour Concert takes place Friday October 17 at 6:30.

Prior to the sold-out closing weekend of the international touring production of National Artists Felipe De Leon and Guillermo Tolentino's magnum opus 'Noli Me Tangere: The Opera,' which played the Newport Performing Arts Theatre at Resorts World Manila, BroadwayWorld.com was able to sit down with the production's longtime stars Antoni Mendezona (Maria Clara, Sisa) and Sal Malaki (Juan Crisostomo Ibarra), who have been part of the production since its New York premiere in the fall of 2013.