Danielle De Niese News

Today Festival Director Fergus Linehan unveiled the 2016 Edinburgh International Festival programme. This year's International Festival runs from Friday 5 to Monday 29 August, welcoming 2,442 artists from 36 nations to perform in Scotland's capital city. 

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.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is excited to announce that Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York has selected the world-premiere production of Bel Canto – The Opera to be part of the prestigiousGreat Performances series on PBS. The WNET team will be in Chicago to film performances tonight, January 5, and January 8. Bel Canto will air nationally during the 2016/17 television season. 

Ann Patchett's best-selling novel Bel Canto took the literary world by storm. Now, in a new work curated by Lyric's creative consultant, Renée Fleming, this riveting story inspired by a real-life event becomes a powerful opera. Check out a sneak peek below!

Lyric Opera of Chicago is excited to announce that Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York has selected the world-premiere production of Bel Canto – The Opera to be part of the prestigiousGreat Performances series on PBS. The WNET team will be in Chicago to film performances January 5 and 8. Bel Canto will air nationally during the 2016/17 television season. 

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Details on the arrivals of 'Hamilton' and 'If/Then,' and Bill Pullinsi's and Michael Flatley's retirements mark the end of two eraa. 'Far From Heaven' and 'Heathers' will premiere locally, and 'Bel Canto' bows at the Lyric Opera. 'Daddy Long Legs' streams, 'Option Up!' debuts new works, and voting for the BroadwayWorld Chicago Awards heats up!

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the eagerly awaited world premiere of Bel Canto. This is Lyric's seventh full-length operatic world premiere.  Check out a first look below!

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the eagerly awaited world premiere of BEL CANTO tonight, December 7. This is Lyric's seventh full-length operatic world premiere. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

CHICAGO – Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the eagerly awaited world premiere of Bel Canto, which opens on Monday, December 7 for seven performances. This is Lyric's seventh full-length operatic world premiere. Composer Jimmy López (music) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz(libretto) are the creators of Bel Canto. Lyric's music director Sir Andrew Daviswill conduct the new opera, which was curated by Lyric's creative consultant Renée Fleming. Bel Canto is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Ann Patchett. The production will be directed by Kevin Newbury.

Single tickets go on sale July 8 at 10:00am for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 61st season.

The Metropolitan Opera's annual Summer HD Festival, which presents free outdoor screenings of operas on Lincoln Center Plaza each summer, will return with 10 screenings of performances featuring the company's leading artists in a varied selection of operas by Bartók, Bizet, Gounod, Mozart, Offenbach, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, and Verdi, running on consecutive nights from August 29 through September 7.

There's always something going on in the city that never sleeps, but this summer the classical music offerings are plentiful and wonderful!

Lyric Opera of Chicago will begin a new chapter in its history with its 61st season - the first to be fully planned by general director Anthony Freud and music director Sir Andrew Davis. Lyric's two artistic leaders announced the repertoire and casting for the 2015-16 season today.

Andriana Chuchman will sing the role of Valencienne in this season's April and May performances of Lehár's The Merry Widow, replacing Danielle de Niese, who has withdrawn due to pregnancy.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Richard Eyre's acclaimed new production of Mozart's comic masterpiece Le Nozze di Figaro returns to the Met stage tonight, December 4.

Richard Eyre's acclaimed new production of Mozart's comic masterpiece Le Nozze di Figaro returns to the Met stage December 4.

When I got back from Tanzania I was presenting in the Proms on television for the BBC. It was so surreal to try to piece all of that together.

'I am honored to use my voice to help raise awareness and support for the world's most vulnerable … their determination to build a better future.'