Albina Shagimuratova News

Michael Fabiano will make his Met role debut as Edgardo in this evening's performance of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, replacing Joseph Calleja, who is ill.

The title role of Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR was so important to star sopranos during the last half of the 20th century, that it's hard to recall that in Caruso's day, the tenor was the main attraction. I thought of that during the current performance of the opera at the met, with Russian soprano Albina Shagimuratova as the eponymous heroine and Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja as her beloved Edgardo. Well...the tenor is back.

San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and Music Director Nicola Luisotti today announced the Company's 2015-16 season repertory and roster of international and critically acclaimed guest artists, conductors and creative teams scheduled to appear at the War Memorial Opera House.

Luca Salsi will sing Enrico in all performances of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at the Met this season, replacing Fabio Capitanucci, who has withdrawn for personal reasons. Salsi, who will be making his Met role debut as Lucia's villainous brother, will sing Enrico on March 16, 19, 24, 28 matinee, April 1, 4, 7, and 10.

The 66th annual Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, under the leadership of General Manager Bernard Foccroulle, will present four world premieres in 2014: new opera productions of Handel's Ariodante and Rossini's Il Turco in Italia, plus Katie Mitchell's staging of Bach cantatas, Trauernacht, and William Kentridge's multi-media version of Schubert's iconic song cycle, Winterreise. Also featured in the coming season is a new Festival production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, a concert version of Rameau's Les Boréades, and a selection of orchestral concerts, recitals, and chamber music performances. In addition, the 17th annual European Academy of Music will offer more than 60 events and 250 young artists. From July 2 to 24, 2014, all events unfold in eight extraordinary venues, many of them open air, in and around the picturesque city of Aix-en-Provence.

A darkly romantic tale of family honor, betrayal and madness, Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor returns to LA Opera for the first time in a decade, conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer in her LA Opera debut.

(Los Angeles) December 19, 2013 - General Director Placido Domingo announced updated details for LA Opera's first production of Lucia di Lammermoor since 2003. Conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Elkhana Pulitzer in her LA Opera debut, the new production stars Albina Shagimuratova in the title role as the dagger-wielding Scottish lass and Saimir Pirgu as her secret lover, Edgardo. Lucia di Lammermoor will open today, March 15, 2014, and run for a total of six performances through April 6 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

A darkly romantic tale of family honor, betrayal and madness, Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor returns to LA Opera for the first time in a decade, conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer in her LA Opera debut.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2014-15 season will feature 26 operas, three of them company premieres, in six new productions and 18 revivals showcasing the talents of the world's leading singers, conductors, and theater artists. The three operas that will have their first-ever Met performances, each staged by a director making his Met debut, are John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, conducted by David Robertson and directed by Tom Morris, opening October 20; Rossini's La Donna del Lago, conducted by Michele Mariotti and directed by Paul Curran, opening February 16, 2015; and Tchaikovsky's one-act opera Iolanta, conducted by Valery Gergiev and directed by Mariusz Treli?ski. Iolanta will be presented in a double bill with a new staging of Bartok's one-act Duke Bluebeard's Castle, also conducted by Gergiev and directed by Treli?ski.

The 66th annual Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, under the leadership of General Manager Bernard Foccroulle, will present four world premieres in 2014: new opera productions of Handel's Ariodante and Rossini's Il Turco in Italia, plus Katie Mitchell's staging of Bach cantatas, Trauernacht, and William Kentridge's multi-media version of Schubert's iconic song cycle, Winterreise. Also featured in the coming season is a new Festival production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, a concert version of Rameau's Les Boréades, and a selection of orchestral concerts, recitals, and chamber music performances. In addition, the 17th annual European Academy of Music will offer more than 60 events and 250 young artists. From July 2 to 24, 2014, all events unfold in eight extraordinary venues, many of them open air, in and around the picturesque city of Aix-en-Provence.

Before seeing the Met's new production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s DIE FLEDERMAUS, directed by Jeremy Sams, on Saturday night, I listened to the afternoon's live broadcast of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE. Both were written in German and performed in English to make them more palatable to their target audiences (Broadway musical lovers and young opera-goers-in-training, respectively). But, while the Mozart had its guts cut away, to shave the running time to 90 minutes without an intermission, the FLEDERMAUS went on--and on and on--for four hours. Both had the same result--and it was not good.

On February 22, our year-long Britten 100/LA celebration culminates with the opening of Billy Budd. This powerful tale of innocence and betrayal on the high seas based on Herman Melville's classic American novella features baritone Liam Bonner leading an all-male cast, including tenor Richard Croft as Captain Vere and bass Greer Grimsley making his LA Opera debut as Claggart, the master-at-arms maddened by Billy's goodness and beauty.

(Los Angeles) December 19, 2013 — General Director Plácido Domingo announced updated details for LA Opera's first production of Lucia di Lammermoor since 2003. Conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Elkhana Pulitzer in her LA Opera debut, the new production stars Albina Shagimuratova in the title role as the dagger-wielding Scottish lass and Saimir Pirgu as her secret lover, Edgardo. Lucia di Lammermoor will open on Saturday, March 15, 2014, and run for a total of six performances through April 6 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

English conductor Jane Glover will make her Met debut on December 16 leading the company's holiday presentation, an abridged, English-language production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, directed by Julie Taymor. The 100-minute version of Taymor's popular staging of the opera will star Alek Shrader as the brave prince Tamino; Heidi Stober as Pamina, the princess he must rescue; Eric Owens as the mysterious Sarastro; Shenyang as the Speaker; and Nathan Gunn as the hapless bird-catcher Papageno. Albina Shagimuratova and Kathryn Lewek will alternate in the role of Pamina's vindictive mother, the Queen of the Night. The Magic Flute launched the recent Met tradition of presenting a family-oriented production each holiday season, with sharply discounted tickets and two special weekday matinee performances. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the production!

Tonight, September 7, at 7:30 p.m., Lyric Opera of Chicago will present its annual gift to the city, a free outdoor concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The concert annually attracts capacity crowds of 11,000+.

Lyric's fabulous 2013-14 season is about to begin! To help audiences make the most of their opera experience, Lyric Opera of Chicago offers an array of lectures, tours, galas, and other special events during its 59th season, September through May. Please take note of these highlights for your season-preview coverage and calendar listings.