Cecelia Hall News

At a time when things seem challenging for opera, the Santa Fe Opera holds strong. Santa Fe is among the oldest opera festivals in America and is the largest and most important. It has made its reputation as a distinctive company with a flair for the unusual. This summer they presented operas such as “Dr. Sun Yat-Sen” by Huang Ruo, and Beethoven's “Fidelio.”

Reviving important but neglected operas is one of the ways the Bard SummerScape festival in New York's Annandale-on-Hudson has established itself, and this year's immersion in 'Schubert and His World' - culminating in the 25th-anniversary season of the Bard Music Festival - is no exception. To enrich its exploration of the roots of Austro-German Romanticism, Bard presents Euryanthe (1823) by Schubert's contemporary Carl Maria von Weber, marking the opera's first American revival in 100 years. Headlined by Ellie Dehn, Bard's original staging is by Kevin Newbury, creator of SummerScape's production of Richard Strauss's Die Liebe der Danae. Euryanthe's five performances (July 25, 27 & 30; August 1 & 3) feature the festival's resident American Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of music director Leon Botstein, who also leads semi-staged performances of Schubert's own seldom-heard opera Fierrabras starring Joseph Kaiser, best known for his leading role in Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of The Magic Flute, on August 17, and of a double-bill of rarities - Schubert's one-act Singspiel Die Verschworenen and Franz von Suppe's operetta Franz Schubert - on August 10.

Summer is just around the corner, and we are looking ahead in anticipation to the start of Carnegie Hall's 2014-2015 season! Listed below are classical music highlights at Carnegie Hall, including details on UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa, a three-week festival from October 10 to November 5, featuring an exciting array of events to be presented at Carnegie Hall and partner venues throughout New York City, inviting audiences to explore the incredibly dynamic and diverse culture of South Africa.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Don Giovanni returns to Philadelphia in five performances at the Academy of Music, today, April 25-May 4, 2014, weaving the tale of the legendary rake Don Juan in Mozart's alternately playful and dramatic musical masterpiece. With an ingenious staging of masquerades, trapdoors and mirrored panels, the production shines a spotlight on opera's most infamous scoundrel in a timeless classic of comedy and tragedy set to music of limitless genius. Mozart's anti-hero has a personality so engaging that audiences will wonder why they are rooting for him as he charms and abandons women at will, until his darkest side emerges.

Reviving important but neglected operas is one of the ways the Bard SummerScape festival in New York's Annandale-on-Hudson has established itself, and this year's immersion in "Schubert and His World" - culminating in the 25th-anniversary season of the Bard Music Festival - is no exception. To enrich its exploration of the roots of Austro-German Romanticism, Bard presents Euryanthe (1823) by Schubert's contemporary Carl Maria von Weber, marking the opera's first American revival in 100 years. Headlined by Ellie Dehn, Bard's original staging is by Kevin Newbury, creator of SummerScape's production of Richard Strauss's Die Liebe der Danae. Euryanthe's five performances (July 25, 27 & 30; August 1 & 3) feature the festival's resident American Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of music director Leon Botstein, who also leads semi-staged performances of Schubert's own seldom-heard opera Fierrabras starring Joseph Kaiser, best known for his leading role in Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of The Magic Flute, on August 17, and of a double-bill of rarities - Schubert's one-act Singspiel Die Verschworenen and Franz von Suppe's operetta Franz Schubert - on August 10.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Don Giovanni returns to Philadelphia in five performances at the Academy of Music, April 25-May 4, 2014, weaving the tale of the legendary rake Don Juan in Mozart's alternately playful and dramatic musical masterpiece. With an ingenious staging of masquerades, trapdoors and mirrored panels, the production shines a spotlight on opera's most infamous scoundrel in a timeless classic of comedy and tragedy set to music of limitless genius. Mozart's anti-hero has a personality so engaging that audiences will wonder why they are rooting for him as he charms and abandons women at will, until his darkest side emerges.

To marry or murder in order to reclaim the throne and family honor? That is the incendiary question propelling Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito at Lyric Opera of Chicago. This tale of politics, power, and high passion opens tonight, March 5 with seven performances through Sunday, March 23. Sir Andrew Davis conducts the new-to-Chicago production by famed director Sir David McVicar starring the internationally acclaimed Matthew Polenzani, Joyce DiDonato, and Amanda Majeski.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis in a new-to-Chicago production by famed director Sir David McVicar. It opens on Wednesday, March 5 with seven performances through Sunday, March 23. Performance dates are tonight, March 5 and March 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20, all at 7:30 pm, with a matinee at 2 pm on Sunday, March 23.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis in a new-to-Chicago production by famed director Sir David McVicar. It opens on Wednesday, March 5 with seven performances through Sunday, March 23. Performance dates are March 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20, all at 7:30 pm, with a matinee at 2 pm on Sunday, March 23.

The Canadian Opera Company unveiled a season dominated by the most important, respected and talked-about artists working on the operatic world stage today at a public launch of its 2014/2015 season at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Carnegie Hall has announced its January 2014 calendar updates. Details below!

Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute presents The Song Continues, an annual series led by renowned mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, designed to explore the song repertoire through workshops and concerts with the goal of encouraging, supporting, and preserving the art of the vocal recital. This year also marks Ms. Horne's 80th birthday and in celebration, The Song Continues series concludes with a recital honoring Ms. Horne and featuring an all-star line-up of special guest artists on Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Zankel Hall. The evening's concert, hosted by Samuel Ramey and Frederica von Stade, will feature appearances by vocalist Barbara Cook; soprano Renee Fleming; mezzo-sopranos Jamie Barton and Isabel Leonard; countertenor David Daniels; tenor Piotr Becza?a; and many more. See below for complete program information.

Carnegie Hall has announced its January 2014 calendar updates. Details below!

Coming to Raleigh's Fletcher Opera Theater tonight, October 3 and October 5 and 6 is a fully staged operatic production of Mozart's Così fan tutte (or 'The School for Lovers') presented by the North Carolina Opera (Sung in Italian with English supertitles).

Carnegie Hall has announced its January 2014 calendar. Details below!

Coming to Raleigh's Fletcher Opera Theater on October 3, 5 and 6 is a fully staged operatic production of Mozart's Così fan tutte (or “The School for Lovers”) presented by the North Carolina Opera (Sung in Italian with English supertitles).

Single tickets go on sale to the general public today, Aug. 1, for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 59th season.