Gwyn Hughes News

Ana María Martínez will sing her first Met performances of Cio-Cio-San in Puccini's Madama Butterfly on February 19 and 22, replacing Hei-Kyung Hong, who is ill. Hong is scheduled to sing the performances on February 25, March 2 and 5, as previously announced.

Carlo Rizzi is ready to enter an exciting period of work in the New Year. The conductor's 2015/16 season continues in January with a return to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for Matthew Ozawa's new production of Verdi's Nabucco. He heads to Milan the following month to begin rehearsals for Teatro alla Scala's eagerly awaited staging of Umberto Giordano's La cena delle beffe, an opera not seen at La Scala for eight decades. Rizzi's rich schedule also includes the world premiere of Iain Bell's In Parenthesis and the double-bill of Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, staged to celebrate the 70th birthday of Welsh National Opera (WNO).

Roberto De Biasio and Gwyn Hughes Jones will sing Pinkerton in the initial performances of Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the Met this spring, replacing Massimo Giordano, who has withdrawn due to illness. De Biasio will sing Pinkerton on February 19, 22, and 27, and Hughes Jones will sing the role on March 2 and 5.

THE FORCE OF DESTIN, ENO's first new staging in over 20 years is directed by Calixto Bieito, who sets the production in the 1930s, during the Spanish Civil War. Check out photos from the show below!

Three sopranos will sing their first Met performances of the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the Met this season.

Three sopranos will sing their first Met performances of the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the Met this season.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2013-14 season will feature many of the world's greatest singers, conductors, and theater artists in 26 operas, including six new productions, of a varied repertory that ranges from the Baroque era to the 21st century. Met Music Director James Levine will return to the Met podium for the first time in two years, conducting three operas with which he has long been associated: a new production of Verdi's final masterpiece Falstaff, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and Berg's Wozzeck. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will be conducting two operas in the 2013-14 season, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2013-14 season will feature many of the world's greatest singers, conductors, and theater artists in 26 operas, including six new productions, of a varied repertory that ranges from the Baroque era to the 21st century. Met Music Director James Levine will return to the Met podium for the first time in two years, conducting three operas with which he has long been associated: a new production of Verdi's final masterpiece Falstaff, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and Berg's Wozzeck. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will be conducting two operas in the 2013-14 season, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2013-14 season will feature many of the world's greatest singers, conductors, and theater artists in 26 operas, including six new productions, of a varied repertory that ranges from the Baroque era to the 21st century. Met Music Director James Levine will return to the Met podium for the first time in two years, conducting three operas with which he has long been associated: a new production of Verdi's final masterpiece Falstaff, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and Berg's Wozzeck. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will be conducting two operas in the 2013-14 season, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Mzia Nioradze will sing Azucena in Verdi's Il Trovatore this evening, October 8, replacing Dolora Zajick, who is ill.

Guanqun Yu will make her Met debut as Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore on September 29 matinee, replacing Carmen Giannattasio who is ill. Yu was already scheduled to sing Leonora on October 17, 20, and 25; Giannattasio is still scheduled to sing the role on October 4, 8, and 12.

The following casting changes and additions have been made to the Met's 2012-13 season.

ENO's 2009/10 Season includes new productions of Turandot and Tosca highlighting a commitment by the Company to refreshing core Puccini repertory, which has recently included Madam Butterfly and La Cohème. Olivier Award-winning theatre director Rupert Goold makes his ENO and London opera directing debut with Turandot.

Anthony Minghella's production of Madam Butterfly is sold out, but will return to the English National Opera in spring of 2006

Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Anthony Minghella will stage a new version of the classic Puccini opera Madam Butterfly at the English National Opera; it will run from November 5th to December 13th