Karita Mattila News

After a resoundingly successful fall season and the launch of its new holiday opera series with the world premiere of Iain Bell and Simon Callow's A Christmas Carol, Houston Grand Opera (HGO) rings in 2015 with two beloved productions: a reprise of Michael Grandage's knockout staging of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, which triumphed at its 2010 Houston debut, and the American premiere of Sir Nicholas Hytner's iconic English National Opera staging of Mozart's The Magic Flute in a revival directed by Ian Rutherford.

OPERA NEWS Editor in Chief F. Paul Driscoll today announced the recipients of the 10th Annual Opera News Awards. This year's honorees—Piotr Beczala, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Sondra Radvanosky, Samuel Ramey and Teresa Stratas—will be feted at a black tie gala celebration on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Previous Opera News Award Winners Martina Arroyo,Gerald Finley and Susan Graham are among the presenters.

San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and San Francisco Opera Association President Keith Geeslin today announced that Gockley will retire in July 2016, concluding a ten-year, seven-month tenure with the Company and capping an internationally acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America's most prominent opera impresarios. Gockley, who will be 73 at the end of the 2015–16 season, became the Company's sixth general director when he joined San Francisco Opera in January 2006. Today's announcement was made at a War Memorial Opera House press conference.

Lyric Opera of Chicago is proud to present the all-new exhibition DON GIOVANNI: Past to Present at the Civic Opera House. The exhibit will open onSaturday, September 27, coinciding with opening night of Lyric's new production ofDon Giovanni, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, Lyric's music director, and directed by Robert Falls, artistic director of the Goodman Theatre.

Houston Grand Opera's 2014–15 season, the company's 60th anniversary season, includes the world premiere of A Christmas Carol by Iain Bell—the company's 55th new commission —from award-winning Dickens authority Simon Callow; the continuation of HGO's first Ring cycle, with the American premiere of La Fura dels Baus's groundbreaking take on Die Walküre; the American premieres of Sir Nicholas Hytner's The Magic Flute and Lee Blakeley's Sweeney Todd; a 60th Anniversary Gala Concert featuring mezzo-soprano (and HGO Studio alumna) Joyce DiDonato; and a host of career-shaping role debuts that speak to Patrick Summers's gift for casting. Together with the company's first presentation of John Cox'sOtello, and the returns of Göran Järvefelt's beloved Così fan tutte and Michael Grandage's hit staging of Madame Butterfly, these rich offerings serve once again to illustrate some of the ways that HGO—still the only opera company with two Grammys, two Emmys, and a Tony—epitomizes “one model of what a forward-looking opera company could be” (Greg Sandow, Arts Journal).

Houston Grand Opera capped a financially and artistically successful 2013–14 season by presenting Mieczyslaw Weinberg's The Passenger —the Polish-Jewish composer's long-suppressed Holocaust opera—to wide acclaim at New York's Park Avenue Armory as part of the Lincoln Center Festival, July 10–13. Earlier this year, HGO gave the American premiere of the work in Houston with the same cast. There was special praise for the production and performances, conducted by HGO Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers. New York magazine described David Pountney's staging as “a multi-story set so vivid you can practically smell the machine oil and coal smoke,” while the Financial Times said: “The production, imported from Houston, is imposing in every way.” The New York Times called the cast “flawless,” adding: “The conductor, Patrick Summers, drew a surging, textured, richly detailed performance of this challenging score (lasting three hours) from the inspired musicians of the Houston Grand Opera.” WQXR's Operavore summed up the import of the performances: “The Passenger shows how a Holocaust opera can hold the stage while examining important, complex issues—and could certainly point the way for future composers to deal with such important but delicate subject matter.”

Houston Grand Opera drew the season to a close with hit new productions of Das Rheingold and Carmen that prompted CultureMap Houston to conclude: 'This is, without doubt, the epitome of early twenty-first century opera production. It's where we are going, and it's thrilling.'

Of all the music that Richard Strauss wrote during his long career—and he'd composed almost 60 songs and more than 40 piano works by the time he was 18—perhaps none are more gorgeous and moving than his FOUR LAST SONGS (VIER LETZTE LIEDER). Finnish soprano Karita Mattila's performance on Saturday night at Carnegie Hall with the Munich Philharmonic under Fabio Luisi was gleaming and full bodied, and she held the audience in her thrall.

Carnegie Hall previously announced that conductor Fabio Luisi has agreed to step in for Lorin Maazel tonight, April 12 at 8:00 p.m., leading the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in the second of two all-Richard Strauss programs this week at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. Due to illness, Maestro Maazel with deep regret has cancelled his professional engagements in Munich and New York this week. The April 12 program is unchanged, with soprano Karita Mattila singing Strauss's Four Last Songs on a program that also includes Ein Heldenleben and Der Rosenkavalier Suite.

Carnegie Hall today announced that conductor Valery Gergiev will step in for Lorin Maazel on Friday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m., leading the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in the first of two all-Richard Strauss programs this week at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. Due to illness, Maestro Maazel with deep regret has cancelled his professional engagements in Munich and New York this week. As previously announced, Fabio Luisi will conduct the orchestra on Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Carnegie Hall today announced that conductor Fabio Luisi has agreed to step in for Lorin Maazel on Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 p.m., leading the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in the second of two all-Richard Strauss programs this week at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. Due to illness, Maestro Maazel with deep regret has cancelled his professional engagements in Munich and New York this week. The April 12 program is unchanged, with soprano Karita Mattila singing Strauss's Four Last Songs on a program that also includes Ein Heldenleben and Der Rosenkavalier Suite.

This April, Lorin Maazel conducts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in two concerts of works by Richard Strauss at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. On Friday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m., the orchestra performs Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, and Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28, and is joined by pianist Emanuel Ax for Burleske. The following evening, Saturday, April 12 at 8:00 p.m., soprano Karita Mattila sings the composer's Four Last Songs. Also on the program is Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40, and the Der Rosenkavalier Suite. The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra last performed at Carnegie Hall in 2002.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) announced today another bold season of firsts for 2014–15. As Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech revealed, coming attractions include the world premiere of A Christmas Carolby Iain Bell—the company's 55th new commission —from award-winning Dickens authority Simon Callow; the continuation of HGO's firstRing cycle, with the North American premiere of La Fura dels Baus's groundbreaking take on Die Walküre; the American premieres of Sir Nicholas Hytner's Magic Flute and Lee Blakeley's Sweeney Todd; and a host of career-shaping artistic role debuts that speak to Patrick Summers's gift for casting. Together with the company's first presentation of John Cox's Otello, and the returns of Göran Järvefelt's belovedCosì fan tutte and Michael Grandage's hit staging of Madame Butterfly, these rich offerings serve once again to illustrate some of the ways that HGO—still the only opera company with two Grammys, two Emmys, and a Tony—epitomizes “one model of what a forward-looking opera company could be” (Greg Sandow, Arts Journal).

Conductor Christoph Eschenbach returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in its first three performances of 2014, tonight and Saturday, January 10 and 11, at 8 pm, and Sunday, January 12, at 2 pm.

Conductor Christoph Eschenbach returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in its first three performances of 2014, Friday and Saturday, January 10 and 11, at 8 pm, and Sunday, January 12, at 2 pm. Joining the orchestra is Christian Tetzlaff, one of the violin's most thoughtful masters, to explore the paradoxes of Schoenberg's Violin Concerto, a work not heard here since 1975. Also on the program are Beethoven's Egmont Overture and Dvo?ak's Symphony No. 9, "New World," one of the composer's most popular symphonies.

Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce will take a star turn together when they co-host the Ninth Annual Opera News Awards, set to take place on Sunday, April 13, 2014, in the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City. They will be joined by a distinguished line-up of presenters – Luca Pisaroni, Susan Graham, Renata Scotto, Eva Wagner-Pasquier and Francesca Zambello – who will pay tribute to five superb artists who have made an invaluable contribution to the art form: the late director Patrice Chéreau, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig,bass-baritone James Morris, and soprano Nina Stemme. First introduced in 2005, the Opera News Awards gala dinner, which features the hosts and presenters speaking about the awardees and introducing video performance clips, has become one of the most anticipated opera events of the season: an evening of celebration, appreciation, reuniting and celebrity-spotting that is without parallel in the industry.

Carnegie Hall has announced its April 2014 calendar. Scroll down for details!

The editors of Opera News are pleased to announce the honorees for the ninth annual Opera News Awards, paying tribute to five superb artists who have made invaluable contributions to the art form: director Patrice Chéreau, tenor Juan Diego Flórez, mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig, bass-baritone James Morris and soprano Nina Stemme. The Opera News Awards ceremonywill take place on Sunday, April 13 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. All the winners - and a host of the city's cultural, civic, and social luminaries - will be present at the gala awards dinner, which will feature celebrity presenters speaking about the awardees and introducing video performance clips.