Dimitri Pittas News

Mireille Asselin will sing the role of Adele in this evening's season premiere performance of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s Die Fledermaus, replacing Lucy Crowe, who is ill.

After a 44-year career at the Met, during which he has led performances of more than 85 operas, James Levine expands his company repertory with his first-ever Met performances of the sparkling Johann Strauss operetta Die Fledermaus.

The Live in HD season continues on Saturday, October 17 with Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher's acclaimed new production of Verdi's late masterpiece based on Shakespeare's tragic drama of jealousy and deceit, Otello. Dynamic conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads Aleksandrs Antonenko in his first Met performances of the tormented Moor of Venice, with Sonya Yoncheva in her role debut as his innocent wife, Desdemona. The staging, also featuring Željko Lu?i? as Otello's sinister rival, Iago; Dimitri Pittas as Cassio; and Günther Groissböck as Lodovico, also marks the Met debut of set designer Es Devlin, whose previous designs include the 2014 revival of Machinal on Broadway and numerous opera productions for Covent Garden, La Scala, and other leading companies.

Canadian soprano Erin Wall, who in August was featured in the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance of Mahler's “Symphony of a Thousand” led by Andris Nelsons, and American baritone Steven LaBrie, a 2013 George London Encouragement Award winner who has sung Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin with Jessica Lang Dance at BAM and Jacob's Pillow, are the two artists who will open the 2015-16 season of the George London Foundation for Singers. 

The Metropolitan Opera will open its 131st season on Monday, September 21 with a new production of Verdi's Otello. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts his first Met opening night, a staging by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher of the late Verdi masterpiece based on Shakespeare's tragic drama of jealousy and deceit. Aleksandrs Antonenko, who has starred as the doomed Otello around the world to acclaim, makes his Met role debut opposite rising Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva in her first-ever performances of Otello's innocent wife Desdemona. Željko Lu?i? adds a new role to his company repertory as the evil Iago, as do Dimitri Pittas as Iago's pawn Cassio and Günther Groissböck as the Venetian ambassador Lodovico. Sher's staging will feature scenic design by acclaimed designer Es Devlin in her Met debut; costume design by six-time Tony Award winner Catherine Zuber; lighting design by two-time Tony winner Donald Holder; and video design by Luke Halls in his Met debut.

?The 2015-16 season marks two milestones for the George London Foundation for Singers, which has been honoring, supporting, and presenting the finest young opera singers in the U.S. and Canada since 1971:  the 45th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition, which gives George London Awards to young singers each year; and the 20th year of its acclaimed recital series, which presents pairs of singers, both established stars and recent George London Award winners, at The Morgan Library & Museum.

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

This moving drama follows a strong-willed widow and her teenage daughter in World War II as they flee from Rome to provincial Ciociaria in a vain attempt to find safety. Starring as Cesira is Italian soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci, who has garnered outstanding reviews throughout Europe and for her rare North American performances. Of a recent recital at Lincoln Center, The New York Times wrote, “The extraordinary Italian soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci has concentrated her career in Europe. Each appearance she makes in America. . . is coveted by opera fans familiar with her intelligent and charismatic artistry.” Antonacci has previously appeared with San Francisco Opera in the title role of Ermione (1992) and as Adalgisa in Norma (1998).  Completing the cast are soprano Sarah Shafer, who created the role of Mary in the Company's 2013 world premiere of The Secret Garden, as Cesira's daughter Rosetta; tenor Dimitri Pittas as Michele, a young intellectual who becomes close to both mother and daughter, making his Company debut in the role; and baritone Mark Delavan as the devious Giovanni.

Superstar bass-baritone and native Philadelphian Eric Owens comes home to make his much-anticipated role debut as King Philip II in a new production of Don Carlo, Verdi's grand opera of passion and political intrigue. Five performances will be staged at the Academy of Music, April 24-May 3. Tickets are available via Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or operaphila.org.

Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announce the Orchestra's celebratory Centennial 2015-2016 season, its ninth season under the direction of Maestra Alsop. Through appearances by the world's most renowned artists, premieres of several new works, Baltimore homecomings from local artists or artists who got their start on the BSO stage, exciting signature projects and strengthening of longstanding community partnerships, the BSO marks this important milestone in grand fashion.

Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announce the Orchestra's celebratory Centennial 2015-2016 season, its ninth season under the direction of Maestra Alsop. Through appearances by the world's most renowned artists, premieres of several new works, Baltimore homecomings from local artists or artists who got their start on the BSO stage, exciting signature projects and strengthening of longstanding community partnerships, the BSO marks this important milestone in grand fashion.

Superstar bass-baritone and native Philadelphian Eric Owens comes home to make his much-anticipated role debut as King Philip II in a new production of Don Carlo, Verdi's grand opera of passion and political intrigue. Five performances will be staged at the Academy of Music, April 24-May 3. Tickets are available via Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or operaphila.org.

Opera Philadelphia opens its 40th Anniversary Season in grand fashion this September, with a New Production of The Barber of Seville. Rossini's comic masterpiece will be presented in five performances at the Academy of Music, today, Sept. 26 through Oct. 5, with a FREE HD broadcast on a giant screen at Independence National Historical Park on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Opera Philadelphia opens its 40th Anniversary Season in grand fashion this September, with a New Production of The Barber of Seville. Rossini's comic masterpiece will be presented in five performances at the Academy of Music, Sept. 26 through Oct. 5, with a FREE HD broadcast on a giant screen at Independence National Historical Park on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Tickets go on sale today, August 13, for Opera Philadelphia's 40th Anniversary Season, featuring a stellar cast of international opera stars in five new productions at the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday, August 13, for Opera Philadelphia's 40th Anniversary Season, featuring a stellar cast of international opera stars in five new productions at the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater. Single tickets will be available at operaphila.org or 215-893-1018.

The 2014 Mostly Mozart Festival, Lincoln Center's acclaimed annual summer celebration of classical music, concludes with eight events in the final week spanning the musical timeline from Baroque to contemporary. Performances on August 19 and 20 kick off the concluding week with renowned violinist Joshua Bell, violist Lawrence Power (Mostly Mozart debut), and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola at Avery Fisher Hall. David Zinman conducts the program, which also includes Boyce's Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven's iconic Symphony No. 3, 'Eroica.' Both performances offer pre-concert recitals by pianist Igor Kamenz.

Maestra Marin Alsop will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and John Adams' On the Transmigration of Souls tonight, June 5 at 8 p.m., Friday, June 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 8 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and on Saturday, June 7 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore.

Maestra Marin Alsop will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and John Adams' On the Transmigration of Souls on Thursday, June 5 at 8 p.m., Friday, June 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 8 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and on Saturday, June 7 at 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore.