John MacFarlane News

The Met had a wonderfully conducted performance of Wagner's DER FLIENGENDE HOLLANDER with a marvelous singer in the title role. Unfortunately, that was in 2017, when the Met's Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin was on the podium and Michael Volle was the forceful Hollander. This time around, when Francois Girard's new Expressionist production had its premiere the other night, with Valery Gergiev at the helm and Evgeny Nikitin as the Dutchman, things did not go so smoothly.

The Metropolitan Opera presents a new production of Wagner's early masterpiece Der Fliegende Holländer on March 2, 2020, with performances continuing through March 27. Valery Gergiev conducts the new staging from director François Girard, whose interpretation is centered on the young woman Senta's obsession with a portrait of the Dutchman.

The Metropolitan Opera will present a new production of Wagner's early masterpiece Der Fliegende Holländer on March 2, 2020, with performances continuing through March 27. Valery Gergiev conducts the new staging from director François Girard, whose interpretation is centered on the young woman Senta's obsession with a portrait of the Dutchman.

Welcome to the Met, AGRIPPINA: It's about time. Handel and his librettist, Vincent Grimani, knew that certain stories are timeless--like corruption in government--and this one has plenty of twists and turns...and even some belly laughs. It was the perfect piece for an ingenious director, Sir David McVicar, and a spectacular singing actress, mezzo Joyce DiDonato, aided and abetted by conductor Harry Bicket and the Met's perfectly Baroque pit band. The result was an unusual combination for early music: great music and great fun. I suppose that's why it became such a big hit for Handel.

Less than one month into his new job as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta announces plans for world premieres, classic revivals and brand-new partnerships in his first year as Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Opportunity, talent and inspiration are the key ingredients that underpin his vision and ambition for the company.

Opera star, Sir Bryn Terfel has stepped out of the upcoming Metropolitan Opera production of Wagner's The Flying Dutchman.

The impetuous, unstable Gherman is a man obsessed a?" with gambling, with Lisa (who's engaged to someone else), and with the secret of winning at cards, which is closely held by Lisa's grandmother, an elderly countess. His all-consuming passion eclipses his sense of reason and reality at a terrible price.

The Canadian Opera Company's RUSALKA utilizes Lyric Opera's 2014 production under the direction of Sir David McVicar, making his COC debut. This retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Mermaid' draws on a more sinister angle of the folk tale than what most people might know, utilizing composer Antonín Dvořák's multi-faceted score to convey emotion and fantasy at the leadership of conductor Johannes Debus.

A classic mermaid myth dives to new depths when soprano Sondra Radvanovsky takes on the title role in a spellbinding new production of Dvořák's Rusalka at the Canadian Opera Company. Water nymph Rusalka lives an idyllic, immortal life until a charming, earth-bound prince changes everything. Desperate to join him on land, she enlists the dark magic of a witch, sacrificing her shimmering voice for a chance at love. But Rusalka soon discovers this prince has a fickle heart a?" and there's only one terrible solution to reversing her fate. Rusalka runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 12, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 2019.

Liam Scarlett's new production of Swan Lake for The Royal Ballet opened in May 2018, to great critical and audience acclaim. The production also received an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Dance, recognising John Macfarlane's exceptional set and costume designs. Ahead of the first revival of this production in March 2020, Oberon Books and The Royal Ballet present an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at Swan Lake, featuring an array of photographs taken by acclaimed performing arts photographer Bill Cooper. Charting the creative process from design and studio rehearsal through to stage performance, the book beautifully captures all the spectacle and excitement of the production, as well as the backstage craftsmanship and creative vision breathing new life into this most iconic of classical ballets.

San Francisco Opera presents Antonin Dvo?ak's Rusalka at the War Memorial Opera House, June 16-28, in David McVicar's "thoughtfully conceived and brilliantly executed" (Chicago Tribune) production. The Czech fairy tale opera features a cast headed by Rachel Willis-Sorensen in her role debut as Rusalka,Brandon Jovanovich as the Prince, Jamie Barton as Ježibaba, bass Kristinn Sigmundsson as Vodnik and Sarah Cambidge as the Foreign Princess. South Korean maestra and Houston Grand Opera Principal Guest Conductor Eun Sun Kim leads the cast and San Francisco Opera Orchestra in her first Company engagement. Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the chorus.

San Francisco Opera presents Anton n Dvo k's Rusalka at the War Memorial Opera House, June 16 28, in David McVicar's thoughtfully conceived and brilliantly executed (Chicago Tribune) production. The Czech fairy tale opera features a cast headed by Rachel Willis-S rensen in her role debut as Rusalka, Brandon Jovanovich as the Prince, Jamie Barton as Je ibaba, bass Kristinn Sigmundsson as Vodn k and Sarah Cambidge as the Foreign Princess. South Korean maestra and Houston Grand Opera Principal Guest Conductor Eun Sun Kim leads the cast and San Francisco Opera Orchestra in her first Company engagement. Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the chorus.

We'll be updating the list of nominees LIVE throughout this evening's Olivier Awards from London's Royal Albert Hall - winners are indicated IN BOLD!

Today (Tuesday 5 March), actors Sheila Atim and Giles Terera announced the nominations for the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard, which takes place on Sunday 7 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford.

The Chicago area's Bach Week Festival has announced its 46th annual concert programs, with performances in Evanston and Chicago April 26 to May 3, 2019, featuring several Johann Sebastian Bach works never before heard at the festival; the return of pianist Sergei Babayan, praised by The New York Times for his 'consummate technique and insight'; and a first-time collaboration with gifted pre-college musicians of the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago.

Beginning June 5 and continuing through the 29th, San Francisco Opera presents a trio of extraordinary lyric works Georges Bizet's Carmen, George Frideric Handel's Orlando and Anton n Dvo k's Rusalka featuring powerful leading women in the title roles. Spanning three centuries and sung in French, Italian and Czech, the 2019 Summer Season repertory will occasion the Company debuts of four conductors, including two women, in productions that are new to the War Memorial Opera House stage. Some casting updates for the repertory were announced today and additional casting of supporting roles will be released at a future date.

With the last remains of glittery Nutcracker magic now behind us for another year, just two days after the end of the run of the festive classic, the Royal Ballet return with a fun, bright and uplifting mixed bill to ease us through January.

The Royal Opera House's 2017/2018 cinema series concludes with The Royal Ballet's critically acclaimed production of Swan Lake with new choreography by Liam Scarlett. Filmed in high definition at The Royal Opera House in London's iconic Covent Garden Theatre, the production is screening in cinemas throughout the USA from July 14 through September 15, with most major markets screening on Today, July 31.   

The Royal Opera House's 2017/2018 cinema series concludes with The Royal Ballet's critically acclaimed production of Swan Lake with new choreography by Liam Scarlett. Filmed in high definition at The Royal Opera House in London's iconic Covent Garden Theatre, the production is screening in cinemas throughout the USA from July 14 through September 15, with most major markets screening on Tuesday, July 31.   

Jaffrey's River Street Theatre  (RST) presents The London Royal Ballet's new production of Tchaikovsky's magnificent classical ballet, SWAN LAKE this Sunday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 18.