Anna Netrebko News

The Cherry Orchard Festival (www.CherryOrchardFestival.org), promoting cultural diversity globally, is back for the fourth year with two unique programs, each showcasing the best of international artistry and talent.  TheTheater of Nations' Shukshin's Stories, based on the famous stories of Vasily Shukshin and directed byAlvis Hermanis (IL Trovatore featuring Placido Domingo and Anna Netrebko; Brodsky / Baryshnikov withMikhail Baryshnikov) will play 4 performances at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street): June 8th at 8pm, June 9th at 8pm, June 10th at 8pm and June 11th at 8pm. Tickets, priced at $55-$150 are available through the City Center website (www.NYCityCenter.org), in person at the City Center box office or by calling212-581-1212.

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) presents the U.S. Premiere of the solo theater work BRODSKY / BARYSHNIKOV, based on poems by the late Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky, and performed by actor and BAC artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov. The one-man show was created for Baryshnikov in collaboration with Alvis Hermanis, noted Latvian director of The New Riga Theatre.

Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore returns to the Met stage on March 10 starring Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak and Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo as the two young lovers, Adina and Nemorino. Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola makes his company debut leading performances of Bartlett Sher's 2012 staging. Alessandro Corbelli sings the role of Dulcamara, the loveable con man who sells the “magic elixir” of love, along with Adam Plachetka as the sergeant Belcore, who attempts to court Adina. Mario Chang and Pietro Spagnoli sing the last two performances on April 2 and 7 as Nemorino and Dulcamara respectively.

The Merola Opera Program and the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch present a free screening of Verdi's opera RIGOLETTO at the next Merola Goes to the Movies, on Sunday, March 20, 1:00 pm, in the Koret Auditorium of the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch (100 Larkin Street). Admission is free.

The 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals continues on Sunday, March 20 at the new Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater with baritone Efraín Solís and pianist Robert Mollicone.

Anna Netrebko came out on stage in a shimmering white and silver gown with matching headband, looking like an Art Deco goddess in a poster by Alfonso Mucha. It's a look that suited her--not only because the Russian soprano has Bellini's NORMA on her Met schedule in the not-too-distant future, but because she's about as close to a goddess as the Met can conjure up these days (with maybe one or two competitors). And the audience ate it up.

The International Opera Awards are pleased to announce the shortlist for this year's Awards. These were selected by the jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph.

The 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals continues on Sunday, March 6 at the new Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater with bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch and pianist John Churchwell.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2016-17 season, the 50th anniversary of its home at Lincoln Center, will feature 225 opera performances of 26 operas in a varied repertory that ranges from 18th century masterpieces to one of the most acclaimed operas in recent years. Repertoire for the company's 132nd season will include the Met premiere of Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's 2000 opera L'Amour de Loin, as well as new stagings of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, Rossini's Guillaume Tell, Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, Dvo?ak's Rusalka, and Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. A gala concert on May 7, 2017 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company's Lincoln Center location with performances by opera's leading stars honoring the Met's past and future. Ticket prices will not increase, remaining the same as in the current season, and audience development programs instituted by the company in recent years will continue.  

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) presents the U.S. Premiere of the solo theater work BRODSKY / BARYSHNIKOV, based on poems by the late Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky, and performed by actor and BAC artistic director Mikhail Baryshnikov. The one-man show was created for Baryshnikov in collaboration with Alvis Hermanis, noted Latvian director of The New Riga Theatre.

San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program present the 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals. This season, the recitals move to the state-of-the-art Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater in San Francisco Opera's new Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera, located on the fourth floor of the Veterans Building (401 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco). The February 28 series-opener—Ports of Call with New York Festival of Song Artistic Director Steven Blier and 2016 San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows Amina Edris, Edward Nelson and Brad Walker—marks the inaugural public performance in the Taube Atrium Theater, which boasts the innovative Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system. The 5:30 p.m. Sunday recital series continues on March 6 with bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch and pianist John Churchwell; March 20 with baritone Efraín Solís accompanied by pianist Robert Mollicone; and April 24 with baritone Kihun Yoon and pianist Mark Morash.

Baritone Paulo Szot is set to play Henry Higgins in MY FAIR LADY with Jorge Takla directing.  It will debut in Brazil where Szot became popular as an opera singer. 

The Merola Opera Program is pleased to recognize Merola 1988 alumna Patricia Racette with the Merola Distinguished Alumni Award in a ceremony tonight, January 7, 2016, in San Francisco.

No more carping about out-of-tune singing (for the rest of 2015). No more bemoaning opera directors who don't seem to like the art of opera (for the next five minutes). No more worrying whether traditional opera will go the way of all flesh (for the next few days, at least). It's time to give up on my Scrooge tendencies and be thankful for the gifts that opera gave me, in and around New York this past year, alphabetically speaking.

The Merola Opera Program is pleased to recognize Merola 1988 alumna Patricia Racette with the Merola Distinguished Alumni Award in a ceremony on Monday, January 7, 2016, in San Francisco.

The Merola Opera Program is pleased to recognize Merola 1988 alumna Patricia Racette with the Merola Distinguished Alumni Award in a ceremony on Monday, January 7, 2016, in San Francisco. The ceremony is an invitation-only event for members of Merola's Gold Circle and above. Those wishing to join Merola may find information at www.merola.org.

New York, NY (December 10, 2015) – OPERA NEWS Editor in Chief F. Paul Driscoll today announced the recipients of the 11th Annual OPERA NEWS Awards. This year's honorees — Joseph Calleja, El?na Garan?a, Waltraud Meier, Anna Netrebko, and José van Dam — will be feted at a black tie gala celebration on April 10th at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. 

The Dallas Opera is delighted to present an original, musically compelling and visually stunning world premiere: Mark Adamo's BECOMING SANTA CLAUS, opening tonight, December 4th at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. 

DALLAS, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is delighted to present an original, musically compelling and visually stunning world premiere: Mark Adamo's BECOMING SANTA CLAUS, opening tonight, December 4that 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  

DALLAS, TX, NOVEMBER 23, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is proud to announce that the gift of Christmas will come early this year for opera lovers in New York City!  The Texas opera company's world premiere production of Mark Adamo's Becoming Santa Claus will be simulcast—live—to 150 lucky music lovers in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, located at 61 West 62nd Street, NY, NY 10023.