Michael Spyres News

Nothing beats sitting in the opera house for the thrill of hearing singers giving their all. But the new recording of Berlioz's LES TROYENS (THE TROJANS), conducted by John Nelson, comes pretty close. Taken from a couple of live concert performances in Strasbourg, France, at the Salle Erasme, with a cast headed by mezzo Joyce DiDonato as Dido (Didon, en francais), tenor Michael Spyres as Aeneas (Enee) and Marie-Nicole Lemieux as Cassandra (Cassandre) plus that famed Trojan horse--brings us all the chills and thrills we could want, short of being there.

The recording of the complete, uncut score of Les Troyens is drawn from two concert performances that took place over the Easter weekend in April 2017 in the city of Strasbourg in eastern France.

This September, Italian conductor Carlo Rizzi steps onto the Metropolitan Opera's podium once again to open the 2017-18 season with Bellini's Norma, in a new production directed by Sir David McVicar.

Will Crutchfield, longtime director of the Bel Canto at Caramoor series, announced today the formation of a new organization, Teatro Nuovo, that will continue and expand that program's work as it departs from Caramoor next year. 

Ranking among today's leading conductors, Carlo Rizzi's vast repertoire ranges from the foundation works of the operatic and symphonic canon to rarities by Bellini, Cimarosa and Donizetti. He is in high demand as a guest artist at the world's most prestigious venues and festivals, not least for the insight and integrity of his musicianship and the visceral energy and psychological depths of his interpretations.

The legendary Placido Domingo returns to Lyric for a single evening in March for a glorious musical celebration - his only Chicago-area appearance this year.

The legendary Placido Domingo returns to Lyric for a single evening in March for a glorious musical celebration - his only Chicago-area appearance this year.

The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the names of the six distinguished professionals selected to participate in the second annual session of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera taking place November 26 - December 11, 2016 in Dallas, Texas.

The 68th season of the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, under the leadership of General Manager Bernard Foccroulle, will present an international roster of artists in six major vocal productions plus an opera-in-concert from June 30 - July 20. New Festival productions this year are Mozart's Cosi fan tutte directed by Christophe Honore and conducted by Louis Langree with the Freiburger Barockorchester; Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande led by Esa-Pekka Salonen with the Philharmonia Orchestra; and completing the Festival's Handel Cycle, Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno conducted by Emmanuelle Haimwith Le Concert d'Astree. In addition, the 2016 season will feature a concert version of Rameau's Zoroastre with Raphael Pichon leading the orchestra and choir of the Ensemble Pygmalion.

With artful direction and choreography from Susan Stroman, Lyric Opera's mounting of Franz Lehar's well-known 1905 operetta THE MERRY WIDOW sweeps audiences into a joyful waltz, complete with exquisite talent and a production with opulence to spare. This production debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2014 with commanding opera diva Renee Fleming at the helm as the titular widow Hanna Glawari. Fleming truly shines in this production, with the equally talented Thomas Hampson at her side as Count Danilo Danilovich.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the sparkling operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar in a new-to-Chicago production directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Presented in English with projected titles, the production opens tonight, November 14 with 10 performances through Sunday, December 13.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the sparkling operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár in a new-to-Chicago production to launch the holiday season. It opens tomorrow, November 14, with 10 performances through Sunday, December 13. Performances are in English with projected titles. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the sparkling operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar in a new-to-Chicago production to launch the holiday season. It opens on Saturday, November 14 with 10 performances through Sunday, December 13. Performances are in English with projected titles.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Irving Berlin' arrives in town, and screenings of 'Little Shop' and 'Oklahoma!' light 'em up. Jess Godwin sang with Kristin Chenoweth, and a Thanksgiving musical prepares, as do 'Seussical,' 'The Merry Widow' and 'My Way.' And Broadway In Chicago and the Drury Lane Theatre announce lineups for 2016!

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the sparkling operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar in a new-to-Chicago production directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Presented in English with projected titles, the production opens on Saturday, November 14 with 10 performances through Sunday, December 13. Performance dates are November 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 28 at7:30pm; and December 3, 9, 11, and 13 at 2pm. For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go towww.lyricopera.org/merrywidow.

Lyric Opera of Chicago presents the sparkling operetta The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár in a new-to-Chicago production to launch the holiday season. It opens on Saturday, November 14 with 10 performances through Sunday, December 13. Performance dates are November 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 28 at 7:30pm; and December 3, 9, 11, and 13 at 2pm. Performances are in English with projected titles.

On Wednesday 14 January 2015, at HUSH in Mayfair, the finalists of the International Opera Awards 2015 were announced. These were selected by the jury chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera magazine and classical music critic with The Daily Telegraph.

One of the most hotly-anticipated arts events of 2014, Terry Gilliam's production of Benvenuto Cellini for English National Opera opened at the London Coliseum last night.

English National Opera has announced that come this spring, it will be launching 'ENO Screen,' built around a new partnership with AltiveMedia, and bring their productions to cinemas worldwde, and in HD. The first to be screened will be Britten's Peter Grimes and Terry Gilliam's Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini, which will broadcast live to cinemas in the UK and Ireland, and others, on Sunday 23 Feb.

Extreme flirting, lots of champagne, and dance-to-dawn partying - it's Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr. The most famous of all Viennese operettas arrives at Lyric Opera of Chicago tonight, December 10 in an effervescent new-to-Chicago production, starring Juliane Banse* as Rosalinde, Bo Skovhus as Eisenstein, Daniela Fally** as Adele, Michael Spyres* as Alfred, Adrian Eröd* as Falke, Emily Fons as Prince Orlofsky, and Andrew Shore as Frank. Die Fledermaus is conducted by Ward Stare with E. Loren Meeker in her Lyric Opera directorial debut.