Richard Wagner News

The San Diego Opera's last concert this season was billed as 'One Amazing Night.' The program was originally scheduled to feature soprano Lise Lindstrom and tenor Rene Barbera, but Barbera was released from his commitment when he was offered a Teatro alla Scala debut as Ernesto in a new production of Don Pasquale. He's sung multiple time in San Diego, and will likely return, but the company understood a La Scala debut means too much to an opera singer's career to stand in his way. Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley, who had previously performed with Lindstrom in the San Diego production of Salome, was an effective stand-in. Earlier this season Grimsley played the pirate king here in Pirates of Penzance with surprising comic flair, though best known for dark and heroic roles.

Complementing the highly-anticipated performances of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen on the stage of the War Memorial Opera House (June 12-July 1), San Francisco Opera presents its ongoing Ring Festival of ancillary events and activities. Designed to deepen public engagement and provide informative, fun ways to explore Wagner's profound masterwork, the Ring Festival offers a diverse schedule of lectures, exhibitions, film screenings, musical programs and opportunities to hear from artists, production team members and Wagner experts.

Morris Choral Society to feature distinguished soloist's Baritone Jonathan Scott, Mezzo Soprano Maya Hoover and organist Michael Shane Wittenburg in Gabriel Faure's Requiem in d minor May 12th.

Beginning Tuesday, May 1 at 10 a.m., tickets to individual performances within Richard Wagner's four-opera cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), will be available for purchase. Previously offered only as complete cycle packages, tickets for Das Rheingold, Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung will go on sale for the first time.

Maria Shclover and Irina Shabshis, Cherry Orchard Festival's co-founders and producers, today announced Russia's State Theatre of Nations will return to New York with Anton Chekhov's Ivanov, his timeless dramatic play about an antihero, a melancholic upper-class man struggling to regain his former glory, June 14 -17 2018, at New York City Center (131 W. 55th Street), as part of the VI Cherry Orchard Festival of the Arts.

Theater Erfurt's General Director, Guy Montavon was responsible for nearly turning THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, (Der fliegende Hollander) Richard Wagner's technicolor, romantic dream of an opera into a black, white and grey nightmare. The story of the Dutchman, Wagner's tragic 'pale Sailor' cursed by Satan to wander the seas eternally on a ghostly ship, who is finally rescued by the chaste love of a sea captain's daughter, (Senta), was nearly capsized by Montavon's very questionable directorial concept and exacerbated by absurd choices in the makeup-, lighting- and costume designs.

Maria Shclover and Irina Shabshis, Cherry Orchard Festival's co-founders and producers, today announced Russia's State Theatre of Nations will return to New York with Anton Chekhov's Ivanov, his timeless dramatic play about an antihero, a melancholic upper-class man struggling to regain his former glory, June 14 -17 2018, at New York City Center (131 W. 55th Street), as part of the VI Cherry Orchard Festival of the Arts.

With brilliant flashes of imagination and innovation, Arizona Opera's production of DAS RHEINGOLD, under the visionary direction of Brian Staufenbiel, is an entirely engaging and enthralling theatrical experience. David Murakami's digital wizardry is amazing. The cast is tremendous. Final chance to see the production: at Tucson Music Hall, April 14th and 15th.

Long Beach Opera (LBO) presents the West Coast Premiere of The Love Potion (Le Vin Herbe), with music by Frank Martin. LBO Artistic & General Director Andreas Mitisek directs and Benjamin Makino conducts. The libretto is by Joseph Bedier; the English language translation is by Hugh McDonald.

Sarasota Opera is pleased to announce the line-up for the 2018 season of 'HD at the Opera House' and "Classic Movies at the Opera House".  This weekly series of filmed performances has allowed Sarasota Opera to expand its programming from the fall and winter season to year-around. The 2018 "HD at the Opera House" series will open on Sunday, May 20th and run through September 30th and will include presentations of Ballet and Theater from some of the world's most famous venues and companies including the Royal Opera House; Teatro alla Scala in Milan; Royal Shakespeare Company; Vienna State Opera; and the Royal Ballet. Each presentation will begin at 1:30pm.

The centennial of renowned American composer Leonard Bernstein is celebrated throughout the National Philharmonic's 2018-2019 concert series at The Music Center at Strathmore. Performing compositions that influenced Bernstein, as well as some of his very own famous works, the National Philharmonic will be the only symphony orchestra dedicating most of its 2018-2019 season to the works surrounding the legendary composer. 

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Society Limited today announces that Michael MacLeod, since April 2011, will retire at the end of March 2019 after eight years in the position.

Unknown painter Nora Baker in 2016 visits the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where things quickly get weird. From New York she travels to an artist's studio in southern France in 1900. Nora desperately wants to get back to 2016 but Paul Cezanne, another obscure artist with his own problems, is not being helpful. Also ensnared in Nora's crisis are an art historian from Utah and Cezanne's gardener.

In his first theatrical release in years, Corey Feldman joins forces with fellow horror icons Malcolm McDowell (Halloween) and Rutger Hauer (The Hitcher) in Corbin Nash, where Feldman plays cross dressing vampire villain Queeny. Directed by Ben Jagger, the film stars his brother Dean Jagger (Game of Thrones, Warrior) as the title character, Fernanda Romero (The Eye), newcomer Richard Wagner and Academy Award nominee Bruce Davison round out the cast.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's "Composers Workshop - Beyond the Ring" Public Working Session and Showcase was held on 13 March 2018 at the Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong. In our commitment to nurturing composing talents in Hong Kong, the HK Phil has organised a series of workshops and a public showcase for six young local composers - Chan Chi-long, Kwok Man-ho, Meilina Tsui Mei-ling, Wong Ching-yin, So Ho-chi, and Wong Chun-wai. Their new works were premiered by the HK Phil under the baton of conductor Sebastian Per?owski, with the honoured attendance of officiating guest Mrs. Angelina Cheung, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs.

The New York Choral Society (NYCHORAL) will hold its annual Spring Gala at New York's Metropolitan Club (1 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022) on Thursday evening, April 5, 2018, starting at 6:00 pm. The organization will honor renowned opera singer and recitalist Stephanie Blythe with the NYCHORAL Music Excellence Award for her contributions to the musical profession, as well as Sylvia R. Hoisington who is celebrating her 50th season with the chorus. Produced in partnership with the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, the evening's showcase performance will feature soprano Amanda Majeski and tenor Ben Bliss, both of whom will be participating in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte from March 15 to April 9, 2018. Members of the NYCHORAL Chamber Ensemble will also perform. The evening will feature a silent auction of unique items and experiences. The program is as follows:

The New York Choral Society (NYCHORAL) will hold its annual Spring Gala at New York's Metropolitan Club (1 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022) on Thursday evening, April 5, 2018, starting at 6:00 pm.

On 13 & 14 April in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), conductor Zhang Guoyong and violinist Baiba Skride will perform a programme of music composed at critical times in the lives of two Russian composers.

The Opéra de Montréal has an exciting 39th season planned for the 2018-2019 production year. The Place des Arts lineup includes classics like Rigoletto, Das Rheingold, Carmen and the anticipated Canadian premiere of the jazz-opera Champion. In addition to these four operas, a chamber opera called Twenty-Seven will be presented at the Centaur Theatre and a concert with soprano Joyce El-Khoury and Pianist Laurent Philippe will be held at the Festival du Monde Arabe.

Now in his fourth season as Music Director, Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in three concerts in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage over three consecutive evenings in April. The concerts kick off with a celebration of the Leonard Bernstein centenary on Wednesday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m. with Bernstein's Symphony No. 2, "The Age of Anxiety," featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, the BSO's 2017-2018 Artist-in-Residence. The work is paired with Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4 in C Minor.