Mark Delavan News

Music Director David Hayes has announced the New York Choral Society's (NYCS) 56th concert season. For the holiday season the New York Choral Society will present Christmas Around New York on December 10 at 6:30 pm at Saint Peter's Church, Lexington Avenue at 54th St. and on Sunday, December 14, at 3:00 pm at Snug Harbor Cultural Center. The program, performed with brass and organ includes an arrangement of O Come, O Come Emmanuel and a Magnificat by Pachelbel along with more contemporary works by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon and the popular Christmas Cantata by Daniel Pinkham.

Stephen Costello looks forward to a number of important firsts in 2014-15. Besides creating the role of Michele in San Francisco Opera's world premiere production of Two Women, the Tucker Award-winning tenor returns to the Metropolitan Opera for a pair of house role debuts, reprising his star turn as Alfredo -- also seen this season at the Vienna State Opera -- in La traviata, and singing Camille in Susan Stroman's new staging of The Merry Widow. He makes his professional role debut as Ferrando in Così fan tutte at Houston Grand Opera, and house debuts at both Austin Lyric Opera, in the title role of a new Roméo et Juliette, and London's Wigmore Hall, where he launches the season with a solo recital in the prestigious Rosenblatt Series. Costello also joins his wife, soprano Ailyn Pérez, for romantic duets from their recent hit album, Love Duets, with the BBC Symphony at London's Barbican Hall, and on a U.S. duo recital tour to the opera houses of Washington, Dallas, San Diego, and Philadelphia.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its 2014-15 season: the New York City Premiere of Eric Idle and John DuPrez's Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) at Carnegie Hall, followed by George F. Handel's Susanna at Town Hall, and the US Premiere of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel's The Road of Promise at Carnegie Hall.

Individual tickets and subscriptions are now on sale for the 36th season of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the third season of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. The seven-concert series includes timeless masterpieces and extraordinary soloists led by Maestro Benjamin Zander.

Lyric Opera of Chicago kicks off its 60th-anniversary celebration with the 14th annual Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Saturday, September 6, at 7:30 pm. The free outdoor performance attracts capacity crowds of 11,000+.

Spotlighting some of the greatest music ever written for this classically American register, Baritones UnBound: Celebrating the UnCommon Voice of the Common Man opens tonight, June 7 and runs through Sunday, June 29 at Asolo Rep. Baritones UnBound was originally produced in Boston, MA by ArtsEmerson: The World On Stage [Rob Orchard, Founder and Executive Director; David Dower, Director of Artistic Programs] in association with Holy Moses, Inc.

Spotlighting some of the greatest music ever written for this classically American register, Baritones UnBound: Celebrating the UnCommon Voice of the Common Man opens Saturday, June 7 and runs through Sunday, June 29 at Asolo Rep, with one preview on Friday, June 6. Baritones UnBound was originally produced in Boston, MA by ArtsEmerson: The World On Stage [Rob Orchard, Founder and Executive Director; David Dower, Director of Artistic Programs] in association with Holy Moses, Inc.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its 2014-15 season: the New York City Premiere of Eric Idle and John DuPrez's Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) at Carnegie Hall, followed by George F. Handel's Susanna at Town Hall, and the US Premiere of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel's The Road of Promise at Carnegie Hall.

Twenty-three singers, five apprentice coaches and one apprentice stage director, representing ten countries, will participate in the 57th season of the Merola Opera Program from June 2 to August 17. More than 900 artists vied for the 29 coveted spots in the 2014 summer program. Offered free of charge for all participants, the prestigious Merola Opera program is unique in the industry in many ways. Merola is the only young artist program to provide financial support to developing artists for five years following participation. In the past year alone, more than $150,000 was distributed to more than 100 artists supporting varied needs from coaching to language classes to audition travel. In addition, only Merola graduates are considered for participation in the San Francisco Opera's Adler Fellowship program. Selected through an extensive world-wide audition and application process, nearly one third of this season's artists come from countries outside the United States, including: Canada, China, Taiwan, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Iran, Poland and Israel. This year, the program will have three returning Merola artists, Casey Candebat (Merola 2012), Sahar Nouri and Rhys Lloyd Talbot (both Merola 2013).

Led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, Pacific Symphony's vocal initiative, “Symphonic Voices,” continues with Giuseppe Verdi's thrilling but tragic tale about a dying courtesan willing to give up everything for love in “La Traviata.” Featuring the composer's exquisite music, presented in a uniquely staged production over three nights, the orchestra is joined by a cast of world-class opera stars; including soprano Elizabeth Caballero as Violetta Valéry and tenor Rolando Sanz as Alfredo Germont. Plus, the Pacific Chorale and members of the California State University Fullerton (CSUF) University Singers help fill the concert hall with exhilarating voices as Verdi's dramatic tale unfolds. While the selection of “La Traviata” as this year's opera is a tip of the hat to Verdi's bicentennial celebration, it is also a work that St.Clair is intimately familiar with—having conducted it while general music director of the Komische Oper Berlin.

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced its 2014-2015 season today, which is set to include eight operas, a world premiere new opera, a one night only piano concert with internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang, and special family performances. Lyric's 2014-15 subscription season will offer 68 performances of eight different operas Saturday, September 27, 2014 through Sunday, March 15 , 2015. Lyric will also present 17 performances of a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel in April 2015, continuing the company's American Musical Theater Initiative.

Led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, Pacific Symphony's vocal initiative, “Symphonic Voices,” continues with Giuseppe Verdi's thrilling but tragic tale about a dying courtesan willing to give up everything for love in “La Traviata.” Featuring the composer's exquisite music, presented in a uniquely staged production over three nights, the orchestra is joined by a cast of world-class opera stars; including soprano Elizabeth Caballero as Violetta Valéry and tenor Rolando Sanz as Alfredo Germont. Plus, the Pacific Chorale and members of the California State University Fullerton (CSUF) University Singers help fill the concert hall with exhilarating voices as Verdi's dramatic tale unfolds. While the selection of “La Traviata” as this year's opera is a tip of the hat to Verdi's bicentennial celebration, it is also a work that St.Clair is intimately familiar with—having conducted it while general music director of the Komische Oper Berlin.

Seventy years ago, on February 21st, 1944, New York City Opera showcased Giacomo Puccini's Tosca at the historic City Center. The beloved company went on to launch the careers of many of the opera world's most accomplished singers, including Beverly Sills, Placido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Maralin Niska, Shirley Verrett, Tatiana Troyanos, Jerry Hadley, Catherine Malfitano and Samuel Ramey, to name just a few. New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia called it the "People's Opera" in recognition of the company's mission to make opera accessible to a wide audience at a reasonable cost.

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2013-2014 season with a new production honoring the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi, one of opera's most legendary composers: The Force of Destiny, tonight, October 12-26 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Verdi's epic romantic and political drama, which hasn't been seen in Washington in nearly 25 years, will be presented in a daring and visually striking new production directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Conductor Xian Zhang, in her WNO debut, leads the WNO Orchestra in interpreting some of Verdi's most beautiful melodies.

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2013-2014 season with a new production honoring the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi, one of opera's most legendary composers: The Force of Destiny, October 12-26 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Verdi's epic romantic and political drama, which hasn't been seen in Washington in nearly 25 years, will be presented in a daring and visually striking new production directed by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Conductor Xian Zhang, in her WNO debut, leads the WNO Orchestra in interpreting some of Verdi's most beautiful melodies.

The Atlanta Opera opens its 2013-2014 season with a production of Giacomo Puccini's dramatic tour de force, Tosca. Tosca will be presented on October 5, 8, 11 and 13 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and will be directed by new General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun, who joined the Opera on June 1. Single tickets, ranging from $26-$133 plus convenience and venue fees, can be purchased online at atlantaopera.org, or by calling404-881-8885.

The Atlanta Opera opens its 2013-2014 season with a production of Giacomo Puccini's dramatic tour de force, Tosca. Tosca will be presented on October 5, 8, 11 and 13 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and will be directed by new General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun, who joined the Opera on June 1. Single tickets, ranging from $26-$133 plus convenience and venue fees, go on sale today, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m., and can be purchased online at atlantaopera.org, or by calling 404-881-8885.

Riccardo Zandonai's masterpiece Francesca da Rimini, staged by the Met for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, airs on Great Performances at the Met Sunday, August 18 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). (In New York, THIRTEEN will air the opera at 12:30 p.m.) Check out the photos below!

The Atlanta Opera opens its 2013-2014 season with a production of Giacomo Puccini's dramatic tour de force, Tosca. Tosca will be presented on October 5, 8, 11 and 13 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, and will be directed by new General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun, who joined the Opera on June 1. Single tickets, ranging from $26-$133 plus convenience and venue fees, go on sale Sept. 5 at 10 a.m., and can be purchased online at atlantaopera.org, or by calling 404-881-8885. Season tickets are still available as well, offering patrons the best seats at the best prices.

To mark the bicentennial of Wagner's birth, Fabio Luisi launches three complete cycles of Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Metropolitan Opera with an account of Das Rheingold on Saturday, April 6. It was with his leadership of the two last operas of Wagner's epic saga that Luisi, the Met's Principal Conductor, took home his first Grammy Award last month, when Deutsche Grammophon's DVD release of the full cycle, recorded live at the house, was named Best Opera Recording of 2012. Running through May 11, the upcoming performances - as on the award-winning recording - will feature Deborah Voigt's star turn as Brunnhilde in Robert Lepage's visionary, cutting-edge production.