Ildar Abdrazakov News

The Metropolitan Opera's 2011-12 season will feature the world's leading singers, conductors, and stage directors in seven new productions, including a world premiere, a Met premiere, and the first complete performances of a new Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage.

The Opera Orchestra of New York opens its 2010-11 season on Monday, October 25 at 7:30 pm at Carnegie Hall with a double-bill of Massenet's La Navarraise starring tenor Roberto Alagna, mezzo-soprano Elena Garanea, and bass Ildar Abdrazakov and Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana starring Mr. Alagna, soprano Maria Guleghina, and mezzo-sopranos Krysty Swann and Mignon Dunn, conducted by Music Director Designate Alberto Veronesi. The concert features many important debuts including the company premiere of La Navarraise and Cavalleria rusticana; Music Director Designate Alberto Veronesi's Carnegie Hall and company debuts; the company debuts of soloists Robert Alagna, El?na Garan?a, Maria Guleghina, and Mignon Dunn, who returns to the stage for the first time since performing in Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera in 1994; and the young artist debut of mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann, a former member of the Opera Orchestra's Young Artist Program.

Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann ("The Tales of Hoffmann") returns to the Met stage in last season's acclaimed production directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, with Giuseppe Filianoti singing the title role for the first time at the Met. Ildar Abdrazakov, who sang the title role in last season's Met premiere of Verdi's Attila, makes his career role debut as the four villains.

The Opera Orchestra of New York opens its 2010-11 season on Monday, October 25 at 7:30 pm at Carnegie Hall with a double-bill of Massenet's La Navarraise starring tenor Roberto Alagna, mezzo-soprano Elena Garanea, and bass Ildar Abdrazakov and Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana starring Mr. Alagna, soprano Maria Guleghina, and mezzo-sopranos Krysty Swann and Mignon Dunn, conducted by Music Director Designate Alberto Veronesi. The concert features many important debuts including the company premiere of La Navarraise and Cavalleria rusticana; Music Director Designate Alberto Veronesi's Carnegie Hall and company debuts; the company debuts of soloists Robert Alagna, El?na Garan?a, Maria Guleghina, and Mignon Dunn, who returns to the stage for the first time since performing in Elektra at the Metropolitan Opera in 1994; and the young artist debut of mezzo-soprano Krysty Swann, a former member of the Opera Orchestra's Young Artist Program.

Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann ("The Tales of Hoffmann") returns to the Met stage in last season's acclaimed production directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, with Giuseppe Filianoti singing the title role for the first time at the Met. Ildar Abdrazakov, who sang the title role in last season's Met premiere of Verdi's Attila, makes his career role debut as the four villains.

Today, July 13, the cast of Giuseppe Verdi's opera ATTILA held a dress rehearsal at St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre. The opera will officially premiere tonight. The cast includes Ildar Abdrazakov, Maria Guleghina, Vladimir Vaneyev, and Yevgeny Akimov. BroadwayWorld brings coverage of the event below.

Alban Berg's modernist masterpiece Lulu returns to the Met, starring Marlis Petersen as the scandalous femme fatale and conducted by the Met's newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi.

Washington National Opera (WNO), under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro) in nine performances, April 24 to May 7 at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Alban Berg's modernist masterpiece Lulu returns to the Met, starring Marlis Petersen as the scandalous femme fatale and conducted by the Met's newly appointed Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi.

Verdi's La Traviata returns to the Met with Angela Gheorghiu reprising her acclaimed interpretation of Violetta, a role the New York Times called a 'supercharged star turn' when she performed it in 2006.

Washington National Opera (WNO), under the leadership of General Director Plácido Domingo, presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro) in nine performances, April 24 to May 7 at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

Rossini's rarely performed Armida has its Met premiere on April 12 with a gala performance of Mary Zimmerman's new production. Renowned soprano Renée Fleming stars as the mythological sorceress, Armida, one of the greatest virtuoso roles from the bel canto repertory. Fleming is joined by Lawrence Brownlee, who sings Armida's chief love interest, Rinaldo, and five more tenors in the roles of the crusader knights. José Manuel Zapata portrays Rinaldo's deadly rival Gernando.

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Rossini's rarely performed Armida has its Met premiere on April 12 with a gala performance of Mary Zimmerman's new production. Renowned soprano Renée Fleming stars as the mythological sorceress, Armida, one of the greatest virtuoso roles from the bel canto repertory. Fleming is joined by Lawrence Brownlee, who sings Armida's chief love interest, Rinaldo, and five more tenors in the roles of the crusader knights. José Manuel Zapata portrays Rinaldo's deadly rival Gernando.

James Levine has withdrawn from the four performances of Tosca and three performances of Lulu he was scheduled to conduct in April and May. He is to undergo corrective surgery for an ongoing lower back problem. Fabio Luisi will replace Levine for both Tosca (April 14, 17, 20, and 24 mat.) and Lulu (May 8, 12, 15 mat.).

Verdi's La Traviata returns to the Met with Angela Gheorghiu reprising her acclaimed interpretation of Violetta, a role the New York Times called a 'supercharged star turn' when she performed it in 2006.

The Metropolitan Opera announced today that it has been awarded a $1.1 million endowment grant from the Lauritz Melchior Heldentenor Foundation, which is dissolving and turning over its assets to the Met.

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet returns to the Met stage for its first performances since 1897, with the powerful pairing of Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Marlis Petersen as Ophélie. Keenlyside's acclaimed interpretation of Hamlet in Geneva, London and Barcelona finally arrives in the United States, with a performance in the Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser production that was hailed by the British press as 'magnificent . . . sheer vocal genius.' Petersen, who steps in for Natalie Dessay, brings her haunting portrayal of Ophélie to the Met; she earned praise for the role during a 2006 run of Hamlet in Düsseldorf. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence in his Met debut as Laërte, and James Morris in the role of Claudius. Jane Archibald, in her Met debut, sings the role of Ophélie on April 5 and 9. The creative team is rounded out by Christian Fenouillat with set designs, Agostino Cavalca with costume designs, and Christophe Forey with lighting designs, all in their Met debuts. Performances run through April 9, with the March 27 matinee shown worldwide as part of The Met: Live in HD

Russell Thomas will sing the role of Foresto in Verdi's Attila at tonight's performance, replacing Ramón Vargas, who is ill. Thomas, who was scheduled to sing Uldino this evening will be replaced in that role by Eduardo Valdes.