Joyce El-Khoury News

Without a doubt, Gounod's ROMEO & JULIET is one of Austin Opera's finest productions, and they have assembled a cast of the highest caliber. Paired with a gorgeous set, costumes and staging, this is not a production that one would want to miss. 'If music be the food of love, play on.'

Stephen Costello scored a knockout in the title role of Romeo et Juliette at San Diego Opera five years ago. Now the Tucker Award-winner makes his Austin Opera house debut starting this Today with a reprise of his “electrifying” portrayal (San Diego News Network) in the same Doug Scholz-Carlson production of Gounod's Shakespearean masterpiece. Austin's three-performance run also stars Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury as Juliette and bass Peter Volpe as Friar Laurence, with Austin's Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Richard Buckley on the podium (Jan 24 & 29; Feb 1).

Stephen Costello scored a knockout in the title role of Romeo et Juliette at San Diego Opera five years ago. Now the Tucker Award-winner makes his Austin Opera house debut starting this Saturday with a reprise of his “electrifying” portrayal (San Diego News Network) in the same Doug Scholz-Carlson production of Gounod's Shakespearean masterpiece. Austin's three-performance run also stars Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury as Juliette and bass Peter Volpe as Friar Laurence, with Austin's Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Richard Buckley on the podium (Jan 24 & 29; Feb 1).

Toronto – The world premiere of a new Canadian work was one of the many operatic highlights revealed today at the public launch of the Canadian Opera Company's 2015/2016season at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The COC's 65th season is once again comprised entirely of company productions, four of which are new to Toronto audiences, and features the COC's first mainstage world premiere since 1999, COC premieres of opera rarities and the revival of classic masterpieces.

It's a new era at Seattle Opera. The company today announced its 2015/16 season, the first to be presented by General Director Aidan Lang, and a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas, including new productions and a world premiere. Under Lang's leadership, the company hopes to serve the community through the magic of theater and music in McCaw Hall, and in learning and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest.

It's a new era at Seattle Opera. The company today announced its 2015/16 season, the first to be presented by General Director Aidan Lang, and a return to full-year programming with a total of six operas, including new productions and a world premiere. Under Lang's leadership, the company hopes to serve the community through the magic of theater and music in McCaw Hall, and in learning and engagement programs across the Pacific Northwest.

Serving Collier, Lee and Charlotte Counties, Gulfshore Opera promises to present the highest quality of opera theater and classical vocal music performances while maximizing accessibility for diverse audiences of all ages. Their Educational Outreach program is committed to community building through a youth development program that empowers at- risk children to strive for excellence through music.

Soprano Anna Netrebko was AWOL. Tenor Marcello Giordani wasn't there. Mezzo Isabel Leonard didn't make it either. At least tenor Richard Tucker (1913-1975) had the best excuse for not being at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday evening. But, as they say “the show must go on”--and the annual gala of The Richard Tucker Foundation certainly did, despite all the cancellations. Celebrating the famed singer, as well as showcasing the newly anointed winner of its top award, tenor Michael Fabiano, the evening was filled with many pleasures.

Stephen Costello looks forward to a number of important firsts in 2014-15. Besides creating the role of Michele in San Francisco Opera's world premiere production of Two Women, the Tucker Award-winning tenor returns to the Metropolitan Opera for a pair of house role debuts, reprising his star turn as Alfredo -- also seen this season at the Vienna State Opera -- in La traviata, and singing Camille in Susan Stroman's new staging of The Merry Widow. He makes his professional role debut as Ferrando in Così fan tutte at Houston Grand Opera, and house debuts at both Austin Lyric Opera, in the title role of a new Roméo et Juliette, and London's Wigmore Hall, where he launches the season with a solo recital in the prestigious Rosenblatt Series. Costello also joins his wife, soprano Ailyn Pérez, for romantic duets from their recent hit album, Love Duets, with the BBC Symphony at London's Barbican Hall, and on a U.S. duo recital tour to the opera houses of Washington, Dallas, San Diego, and Philadelphia.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City opens its 57th season with Giuseppe Verdi's lush and grand opera, La Traviata, September 27, October 1, 3 and 5, 2014 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The production will be sung in Italian with English and Italian titles.

In conjunction with the centennial of World War I and the Kansas City debut of the Pulitzer Prize winning production of Silent Night, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents Over There! at the National World War I Museum tonight, August 23. This 1914 field dining experience, co-chaired by Trudy and Jack Gabriel, will include a cabaret performance featuring music of the era.

In conjunction with the centennial of World War I and the Kansas City debut of the Pulitzer Prize winning production of Silent Night, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents Over There! at the National World War I Museum on Saturday, August 23. This 1914 field dining experience, co-chaired by Trudy and Jack Gabriel, will include a cabaret performance featuring music of the era.

Interim General Director Plato Karayanis and Artistic Director Tobias Picker announce OPERA San Antonio's inaugural season as the Resident Opera Company of the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. OPERA San Antonio will present three new productions for the 2014-15 season: Tobias Picker's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Richard Strauss's Salome and a double bill of Ermanno Wolf- Ferrari's Il segreto di Susanna and La voix humaine by Francis Poulenc.

North Carolina Opera, under the leadership of General Director Eric Mitchko and Artistic Director & Principal Conductor Timothy Myers, presents Antonín Dvorák's Rusalka in Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh on Sun. Mar. 30 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $27-$85 and may be purchased online at www.ncopera.org or by phone at 919.792.3850. This production ofRusalka is sung in Czech with English surtitles. Timothy Myers conducts the performance, which is staged by Crystal Manich. This production of Rusalka, with lighting design by Ross Kollman, is “semi-staged” in that the conductor and orchestra appear on stage behind the principal singers and stage action. NCO's previous semi-staged productions include Aida, Il trovatore and Faust.

North Carolina Opera, under the leadership of General Director Eric Mitchko and Artistic Director & Principal Conductor Timothy Myers, presents Antonín Dvorák's Rusalka in Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh on Sun. Mar. 30 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $27-$85 and may be purchased online at www.ncopera.org or by phone at 919.792.3850. This production of Rusalka is sung in Czech with English surtitles. Timothy Myers conducts the performance, which is staged by Crystal Manich. This production of Rusalka, with lighting design by Ross Kollman, is “semi-staged” in that the conductor and orchestra appear on stage behind the principal singers and stage action. NCO's previous semi-staged productions include Aida, Il trovatore and Faust.

Vancouver Opera unveils its bold, new look and feel - the first major rebranding of the company since 1985. The fresh contemporary look is part of the company's new long-term strategy aimed at broadening and deepening its connection with the communities it serves, while building a new generation of operagoers.

The Canadian Opera Company launches its 2013/2014 season with a new production of one of the world's greatest love stories, La Bohème. Puccini's masterpiece of youthful flirtation, passionate love and heartbreaking tragedy returns to the COC for 12 performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts tonight, October 3 and October 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 2013.

The Canadian Opera Company launches its 2013/2014 season with a new production of one of the world's greatest love stories, La Bohème. Puccini's masterpiece of youthful flirtation, passionate love and heartbreaking tragedy returns to the COC for 12 performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 2013. Check out the behind the scenes video below, featuring a look at costumes and wigs.

The Canadian Opera Company launches its 2013/2014 season with a new production of one of the world's greatest love stories, La Bohème. Puccini's masterpiece of youthful flirtation, passionate love and heartbreaking tragedy returns to the COC for 12 performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 2013.

The Canadian Opera Company launches its 2013/2014 season with a new production of one of the world's greatest love stories, La Boheme. Puccini's masterpiece of youthful flirtation, passionate love and heartbreaking tragedy returns to the COC for 12 performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29, 30, 2013.