Dimitri Pittas News

The Canadian Opera Company unveiled its 2013/2014 season today at a press conference at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The company's 64th season stars the world's best singers, conductors, directors and designers in a performance year with seven operas, including three COC premieres and three new COC productions. The COC presents Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème with a new production featuring some of Canada's brightest stars; COC Music Director Johannes Debus makes his Benjamin Britten debut when he conducts Peter Grimes with a production starring acclaimed Canadian tenor Ben Heppner in the iconic title role; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Così fan tutte with a new COC production by renowned film and theatre director Atom Egoyan with Debus conducting; Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera starring great Canadian diva Adrianne Pieczonka in a role debut; George Frideric Handel's Hercules with a COC premiere and new COC production by world-renowned director Peter Sellars with a star-studded cast; Gaetano Donizetti's Roberto Devereux with a COC premiere starring soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in a role debut; and Jules Massenet's Don Quichotte with a COC premiere featuring Debus in another conducting debut and the world's pre-eminent bass Ferruccio Furlanetto in the title role.

Houston Grand Opera is opening its 2012-2013 season with a lavish and fresh production of one of the world's favorite operas, LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini. The familiar opera tells the story of four bohemian artists that live in the same garret (apartment) in 1830s Paris. The poet, Rodolfo, falls for Mimi, a seamstress suffering from Tuberculosis. His friend Marcello, a painter, has recently broken up with Musetta, but is still fascinated by her. In a series of short glimpses into their lives, the audience sees Rodolfo and Mimi fall into a deep, passionate love that is eventually troubled and torn asunder by Rodolfo's jealousies and concerns about her health.

Houston Grand Opera, with Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech, announces its 2012-13 season, headlined by four new productions. The first of these is Puccini's La boheme, which launches the new season with a new staging by award-winning British director John Caird. To honor 2013's joint bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi, the coming season juxtaposes Tristan und Isolde - starring Ben Heppner and Nina Stemme in a new contemporary staging by Christof Loy - with a revival of Steven Lawless's unforgettable take on Il trovatore. British conductor Trevor Pinnock leads a strong international cast in Mozart's ensemble masterpiece Don Giovanni, while Francesca Zambello's new production of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat brings together stars of Broadway and the opera house in a celebration of America's own contribution to the art. For a more intimate experience, Daniela Barcellona and Lawrence Brownlee star in Rossini's dramma giocoso, The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Houston Grand Opera opens its 2012-13 season in grand style on October 19, with a brand-new production of Puccini's La boheme starring Dimitri Pittas and Katie van Kooten.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public today, Aug. 1, for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 58th season. The internationally renowned company will present grand opera with exceptional casts and productions in its beautiful home, the historic Civic Opera House. Lyric will offer 68 performances of 9 operas in the 25-week season, including 6 new-to-Chicago productions, Saturday, October 6, 2012, through Saturday, April 6, 2013.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public Wed., Aug. 1, for Lyric Opera of Chicago's 58th season. The internationally renowned company will present grand opera with exceptional casts and productions in its beautiful home, the historic Civic Opera House. Lyric will offer 68 performances of 9 operas in the 25-week season, including 6 new-to-Chicago productions, Saturday, October 6, 2012, through Saturday, April 6, 2013.

The Metropolitan Opera presents the return of its popular free outdoor series of summer events. For the fourth consecutive year, the Met will present operatic recitals in parks in all five boroughs, as well as a ten-day festival of encore screenings from the Met's popular HD transmissions in Lincoln Center Plaza.

The Metropolitan Opera announced the return of its popular free outdoor series of summer events. For the fourth consecutive year, the Met will present operatic recitals in parks in all five boroughs, as well as a ten-day festival of encore screenings from the Met's popular HD transmissions in Lincoln Center Plaza.

Thomas Hampson made his American role debut as Verdi's Macbeth in 2007, and now for the first time the baritone brings this signature role to the Metropolitan Opera, giving the first of six performances on March 15, when the company revives Adrian Noble's production.

Thomas Hampson will make his Met role debut as the power-hungry title character in a revival of Verdi's Macbeth opening March 15. Star soprano Nadja Michael makes her Met debut as the bloodthirsty Lady Macbeth. Adrian Noble returns to the Met to direct the first revival of his 2007 production, which will be conducted by Gianandrea Noseda for the first time at the Met. Dimitri Pittas reprises his acclaimed portrayal of Macduff, and Gunther Groissbock makes his Met role debut as the vengeful Banquo.

Composer Robert Paterson's song cycle, Stepping Into The Batter's Box, He Hears His Father's Voice will be performed by the American Modern Ensemble (the group founded by Paterson and his wife violinist Victoria Paterson), as part of their concert entitled Good Sports on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 7pm at Galapagos Art Space (16 Main Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn).

Thomas Hampson made his American role debut as Verdi's Macbeth in 2007, and now for the first time the baritone brings this signature role to the Metropolitan Opera, giving the first of six performances on March 15, when the company revives Adrian Noble's production.

Houston Grand Opera, with Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech, announces its 2012-13 season, headlined by four new productions. The first of these is Puccini's La boheme, which launches the new season with a new staging by award-winning British director John Caird. To honor 2013's joint bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi, the coming season juxtaposes Tristan und Isolde - starring Ben Heppner and Nina Stemme in a new contemporary staging by Christof Loy - with a revival of Steven Lawless's unforgettable take on Il trovatore. British conductor Trevor Pinnock leads a strong international cast in Mozart's ensemble masterpiece Don Giovanni, while Francesca Zambello's new production of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat brings together stars of Broadway and the opera house in a celebration of America's own contribution to the art. For a more intimate experience, Daniela Barcellona and Lawrence Brownlee star in Rossini's dramma giocoso, The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Composer Robert Paterson's song cycle, Stepping Into The Batter's Box, He Hears His Father's Voice will be performed by the American Modern Ensemble (the group founded by Paterson and his wife violinist Victoria Paterson), as part of their concert entitled Good Sports on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 7pm at Galapagos Art Space (16 Main Street, Dumbo, Brooklyn).

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, announced yesterday the repertoire, principal singers, conductors, directors, and designers for Lyric's 2012-13 season. This was Freud's first news conference since becoming Lyric's general director on Oct. 1, 2011. Joining Freud for yesterday's announcement was Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's music director, and Renee Fleming, Lyric's creative consultant (via Skype).

Puccini's La Bohème will return to the Met on November 18 under the baton of Louis Langrée, who will lead his first house performances of Puccini's extraordinarily popular romantic opera.

Puccini's La Bohème will return to the Met on November 18 under the baton of Louis Langrée, who will lead his first house performances of Puccini's extraordinarily popular romantic opera.