George Petean News

Opera Australia's interpretation of Giuseppe Verdi's tale of love, jealousy, politics and altered identities, SIMON BOCCONEGRA returns to the Sydney Opera House.

Tradition, a desire to embrace the new and the ever increasing international profile are the predominant features of the 2016 edition of the Festival Verdi in Parma and Busseto. This year's festival, returning for the month of October (www.festivalverdi.it), will be dedicated to the German poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller, who has always been a source of inspiration and subject matter for Italian composers throughout time, including above all Giuseppe Verdi.

Tradition, a desire to embrace the new and the ever increasing international profile are the predominant features of the 2016 edition of the Festival Verdi in Parma and Busseto. This year's festival, returning for the month of October (www.festivalverdi.it), will be dedicated to the German poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller, who has always been a source of inspiration and subject matter for Italian composers throughout time, including above all Giuseppe Verdi.

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.  

With all the attention being paid to the French Revolution these days, thanks to the film of "Les Miserables," it probably seemed like a good idea for Opera Orchestra of New York to mount ANDREA CHENIER, Giordano's opera about a poet during the downfall of the monarchy in 18th century France. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the focus to turn from the opera to the performance of the tenor of the day, Roberto Alagna.

Umberto Giordano conducted the Opera Orchestra of New York performing 'Andrea Chenier' on Italian, an opera in four acts, at Avery Fisher Hall on January 6, 2013.

The Opera Orchestra of New York presents an opera-in-concert performance of Umberto Giordano's verismo opera, Andrea Chénier conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall today, January 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm. Tenor Roberto Alagna sings the title role of Andrea Chénier, one of opera's most dramatic lyric-tenor roles, for the first time, with soprano Kristin Lewis as Maddalena di Coigny, baritone George Petean as Carlo Gérard, with a special appearance by mezzo soprano Rosalind Elias as Madelon.

The Opera Orchestra of New York presents an opera-in-concert performance of Umberto Giordano's verismo opera, Andrea Chénier conducted by Music Director Alberto Veronesi at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 4:00 pm. Tenor Roberto Alagna sings the title role of Andrea Chénier, one of opera's most dramatic lyric-tenor roles, for the first time, with soprano Kristin Lewis as Maddalena di Coigny, baritone George Petean as Carlo Gérard, with a special appearance by mezzo soprano Rosalind Elias as Madelon.

Three of the opera world's leading stars-Jonas Kaufmann, Marina Poplavskaya, and René Pape-will take the principal roles in a new production of Gounod's Faust, directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff in his Met debut.

Marina Poplavskaya will make her Met role debut as Marguerite in the initial run of performances of the Met's new production of Gounod's Faust this fall.

Three of the opera world's leading stars-Jonas Kaufmann, Marina Poplavskaya, and René Pape-will take the principal roles in a new production of Gounod's Faust, directed by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff in his Met debut.

Marina Poplavskaya will make her Met role debut as Marguerite in the initial run of performances of the Met's new production of Gounod's Faust this fall.

Angela Gheorghiu will sing the role of Mimì in La Bohème on Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m., replacing Anna Netrebko who is ill.

Opera star Angela Gheorghiu will take over the role of Mimi in the Puccini Opera LA BOHEME at the Metropolitan Opera beginning on March 20th. Gheorguhiu will replace the current star, Anna Netrebko, in the role.

Angela Gheorghiu will sing the role of Mimì in La Bohème on Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m., replacing Anna Netrebko who is ill.

Puccini's love story La Bohème returns to the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday, February 20, with Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and Polish tenor Piotr Becza?a as Puccini's star-crossed lovers, Mimì and Rodolfo.

The Metropolitan Opera has reason to celebrate; $2.5 million worth of tickets were sold on Sunday, the first day of sales, through its box office, telephone call center and Web site, up from $2 million on the first day of sales last year, according to the Associated press.

Eight new productions, four of which are company premieres, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2009-10 season. General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director James Levine jointly announced plans that include: the Met premieres of Rossini's Armida, Verdi's Attila, Jan?ček's From the House of the Dead, and Shostakovich's The Nose; new productions of Bizet's Carmen, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Thomas's Hamlet, and Puccini's Tosca; and 18 revivals from the company's repertory. The season is the first to be entirely planned under Gelb's leadership, in collaboration with Levine (the past three seasons were planned before Gelb became General Manager in 2006-07 but included some productions, repertoire, and casting changes made by Gelb).