Alan Held News

(WASHINGTON)—Washington National Opera (WNO), led by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello, today announced its 60th anniversary season, one that highlights classic, contemporary, and American works. The 2015-2016 season includes a new-to-Washington staging of Bizet's Carmen, the world premiere of a newly revised version of Appomattox by composer Philip Glass and librettist Christopher Hampton, a revival of WNO's charming holiday production of Hansel and Gretel, the company premiere of Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars in a gripping production from Cape Town Opera, and WNO's first complete staging of Wagner's extraordinary four-part Ring Cycle, with a world-class cast under the direction of Francesca Zambello and featuring the WNO Orchestra conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin. Highlights from the 2015-2016 season will be performed by the WNO Orchestra and special guests at a free preview concert on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at 6 p.m. as part of the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 2014-2015 season with a revival of Richard Wagner's mythical tale of love and redemption on the high seas—The Flying Dutchman, March 7-21 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. This production is the conclusion of WNO's recent look at Wagner's work in anticipation of the company's first complete presentation of the composer's epic four-part Ring cycle next season. Starring American bassbaritone Eric Owens in his staged role debut as The Dutchman, Wagner's powerful early opera is directed by Stephen Lawless and features the WNO Orchestra conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin and Eric Weimer. Condemned to wander the seas upon a ship of ghosts, The Dutchman can only venture ashore once every seven years to seek his salvation: a woman's unconditional love. When Senta, the beguiling daughter of the sea captain Daland, pledges to be faithful to him forever, it seems the ancient curse might finally be broken. But Erik, her jealous huntsman suitor, poses just one of many obstacles in a tale where greed, fidelity, and misfortune collide in full force. Director Stephen Lawless tells the Dutchman's story with theatrical flair, including a stunning ship of blood-red sails that places the opera's dramatic action in bold relief. The opera is famous for its tempestuous overture, Senta's passionate ballad, and its riveting final scene set atop a stormbattered bluff.

Toronto – The world premiere of a new Canadian work was one of the many operatic highlights revealed today at the public launch of the Canadian Opera Company's 2015/2016season at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The COC's 65th season is once again comprised entirely of company productions, four of which are new to Toronto audiences, and features the COC's first mainstage world premiere since 1999, COC premieres of opera rarities and the revival of classic masterpieces.

The San Antonio Symphony along with numerous festival partners is poised to begin its fifth annual city-wide winter composer festival, this year focusing on the late-Romantic German composer Richard Strauss. Opening in January, the Festival features a wealth of music by Strauss, including a collaboration with OPERA San Antonio for an undertaking of his epic opera Salome.

? The Yale School of Music continues its acclaimed Yale in New York series when singers of Yale Opera bring manuscripts to life in a concert on Sunday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Toronto – Today at the Canadian Opera Company's Annual General Meeting, the company reported on its artistic highlights, impressive endowment growth, growing attendance and subscription figures, and a general financial overview of the 2013/2014 season.

Today at the Canadian Opera Company's Annual General Meeting, the company reported on its artistic highlights, impressive endowment growth, growing attendance and subscription figures, and a general financial overview of the 2013/2014 season.

Richard Strauss' Salome ist ab 4. Oktober 2014 wieder an der Wiener Staatsoper zu erleben: Die amerikanische Sopranistin Lise Lindstrom kehrt in der Titelpartie zuru?ck in das Haus am Ring, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke debu?tiert als Herodes am Haus. Jane Henschel gibt ihr Staatsopern-Rollendebu?t als Herodias, Alan Held singt den Jochanaan und Carlos Osuna den Narraboth.

Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced complete casting for its first full presentation of Richard Wagner's four-part Ring cycle. Three cycles will be presented from April 30 to May 22, 2016 and will be directed by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin. Contribution packages with priority seating for The Ring are on sale now. For more information, go to WNO's Ring website.

Richard Strauss' Salome ist ab 4. Oktober 2014 wieder an der Wiener Staatsoper zu erleben: Die amerikanische Sopranistin Lise Lindstrom kehrt in der Titelpartie zuru?ck in das Haus am Ring, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke debu?tiert als Herodes am Haus. Jane Henschel gibt ihr Staatsopern-Rollendebu?t als Herodias, Alan Held singt den Jochanaan und Carlos Osuna den Narraboth.

Yale School of Music announces the 2014-15 season of YALE IN NEW YORK. The series returns to Carnegie Hall for its eighth year, while expanding to include a special season opener at Avery Fisher Hall that features John Adams conducting the Yale Philharmonia and Brentano Quartet in a performance of Adams' Beethoven-inspired Absolute Jest and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4.

The 35th Anniversary Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the 2013/2014 season were handed out in a star-studded ceremony in Toronto on the evening of Monday, June 23 at Harbourfront Centre's WestJet Stage, hosted by the hilarious Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, Second City alumni and founding members of the National Theatre of the World.

It was an incredible night for Toronto theatre when our community joined together to celebrate another year of performing arts in Toronto on June 23rd at the WestJet Stage at the Harbourfront Centre. For the 2013-2014 season, 143 producing companies (up 41 from last season's 102) registered eligible productions. A total of 48 Dora Awards, plus the Silver Ticket Award and the Audience Choice Award, were given out in a glittering ceremony hosted by Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, founding Co-Artistic Directors of the three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning The National Theatre of the World.

Music Director Franz Welser-Most continues his emphasis on operatic and choral repertoire with a compelling new production of Leos Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen, performed with The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall today, May 17-24. Presented with innovative and original animation, this world premiere production explores the depths of human experience in a charming tale of love, peril, freedom, and family. On the surface, the opera's story is about childish things, but underneath, human emotions boil over and burst apart between the 'animals of the forest' and their human interlocutors.

Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced principal casting and performance dates for its first complete presentation of Richard Wagner's four-part Ring cycle. Three full cycles will be presented from April 30 to May 22, 2016 and will be directed by Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin.

Music Director Franz Welser-Most continues his emphasis on operatic and choral repertoire with a compelling new production of Leos Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen, performed with The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall, May 17-24. Presented with innovative and original animation, this world premiere production explores the depths of human experience in a charming tale of love, peril, freedom, and family. On the surface, the opera's story is about childish things, but underneath, human emotions boil over and burst apart between the 'animals of the forest' and their human interlocutors. Click below to go behind the making of the production!

Music Director Franz Welser-Most continues his emphasis on operatic and choral repertoire with a compelling new production of Leos Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen, performed with The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall May 17-24. Presented with innovative and original animation, this world premiere production explores the depths of human experience in a charming tale of love, peril, freedom, and family. On the surface, the opera's story is about childish things, but underneath, human emotions boil over and burst apart between the 'animals of the forest' and their human interlocutors.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera Philadelphia will join together in a first-time co-production-a theatrically-inspired production of Richard Strauss's compelling and provocative masterpiece, Salome. Two sold-out performances are set to take place tonight, May 8, and Saturday, May 10, 2014, in the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, and will be led by Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin. Audiences will enjoy a groundbreaking blend of the distinctive sound of The Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the preeminent orchestras in the world, and Opera Philadelphia's dynamic theatrical presentation. These landmark performances are made possible in part by the generous support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, and the Presser Foundation.

Interim General Director Plato Karayanis and Artistic Director Tobias Picker announce OPERA San Antonio's inaugural season as the Resident Opera Company of the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. OPERA San Antonio will present three new productions for the 2014-15 season: Tobias Picker's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Richard Strauss's Salome and a double bill of Ermanno Wolf- Ferrari's Il segreto di Susanna and La voix humaine by Francis Poulenc.