Richard Wagner News

San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and Music Director Nicola Luisotti today announced the Company's 2015-16 season repertory and roster of international and critically acclaimed guest artists, conductors and creative teams scheduled to appear at the War Memorial Opera House.

On Sunday, January 18, at 4 pm at Richardson Auditorium, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) presents Scenic Rhythms, a concert featuring guitar soloist Robert Belini? performing Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. Daniel Boico will guest conduct the program which also includes Ottorino Respighi's Trittico Botticelliano and Ludwig van Beethoven'sSymphony No. 7 in A Major.

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.

Janis Martin, American opera singer who sang leading roles first as a mezzo-soprano and later as a soprano in opera houses throughout Europe and the United States, has died at the age of 75. She was particularly known for her performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and sang at the Bayreuth Festival from 1968 to 1997.

During the 2014-15 season, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera celebrates the 19th century with community partners by exploring art, dance, food, film, and music created under the Romantic influence. For a complete listing of events and online learning materials for The Romantics Cultural Festival, please visit, www.usuo.org/festival.

The Canadian Opera Company presents its winter listings, including Don Giovanni and Die Walküre, as well as highlights of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre.

Richard Wagner's Die Walküre is opera at its most epic with incredible vocal demands, a 110-piece orchestra and a story about gods and mortals, all played out to one of opera's most powerful and iconic scores. This immense work returns to the Canadian Opera Company this winter with a critically acclaimed production by renowned Canadian directorAtom Egoyan, with COC Music DirectorJohannes Debus conducting, and one of the most hotly anticipated role debuts of the opera world this season: Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Goerke as the Valkyrie Brünnhilde. Die Walküre is sung in German with English SURTITLESTM and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on January 31,February 4, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22, 2015.

Richard Wagner's Die Walküre is opera at its most epic with incredible vocal demands, a 110-piece orchestra and a story about gods and mortals, all played out to one of opera's most powerful and iconic scores. This immense work returns to the Canadian Opera Company this winter with a critically acclaimed production by renowned Canadian director Atom Egoyan, with COC Music Director Johannes Debus conducting, and one of the most hotly anticipated role debuts of the opera world this season: Grammy Award-winning soprano Christine Goerke as the Valkyrie Brünnhilde. Die Walküre is sung in German with English SURTITLESTM and runs for seven performances at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on January 31, February 4, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22, 2015.

I never ran a marathon, but I sure sat through one the other night at the Met. Richard Wagner's DIE MEISTERSINGER clocked in at six hours--a quarter of a day--without a god or flying horse in sight. And while the composer referred to this as a comedy, it's not exactly “I Love Lucy” (nor, for that matter, LE NOZZE DI FIGARO).

Savor two giant works of the repertoire for Pacific Symphony's first concert in December, beginning with Beethoven's masterful and rhythmic Seventh Symphony, which the composer himself called “one of my best works.” Then, the program turns to perhaps the world's most lyrical, popular and critically admired piano concerto—Rachmaninoff's Second—performed by keyboard wonder and longtime Symphony friend, Alain Lefèvre. The concert, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, opens with a world premiere by the Symphony's Composer-in-Residence Narong Prangcharoen, who offers a musical tribute to the maestro with his piece, “Illuminating Journey,” which honors St.Clair's 25th anniversary with the orchestra, as well as his commitment to new music.

Town Hall Theater will broadcast the Metropolitan Opera production of Richard Wagner's comedic opera Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg on December 13 at 12 noon.

The Riverside Opera Company opens the holiday season tonight, November 29, 8 p.m. at the Music Hall at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden with poPera from Nessun Dorma to 'Let it Go' from Disney's Frozen is a Home for the Holidays musical feast.

Savor two giant works of the repertoire for Pacific Symphony's first concert in December, beginning with Beethoven's masterful and rhythmic Seventh Symphony, which the composer himself called “one of my best works.” Then, the program turns to perhaps the world's most lyrical, popular and critically admired piano concerto—Rachmaninoff's Second—performed by keyboard wonder and longtime Symphony friend, Alain Lefèvre. The concert, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, opens with a world premiere by the Symphony's Composer-in-Residence Narong Prangcharoen, who offers a musical tribute to the maestro with his piece, “Illuminating Journey,” which honors St.Clair's 25th anniversary with the orchestra, as well as his commitment to new music.

Plácido Domingo, General Director of LA Opera, has announced updated details about the company's upcoming Figaro Unbound celebration, which explores the lasting legacy of French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais and the influential protagonist of three of his stage comedies: Figaro, the wily barber from Seville. LA Opera's programming of three operas based on the Figaro plays—The Barber of Sevilleby Rossini, The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart and the west coast premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corigliano, all conducted by LA Opera Music Director James Conlon—is the inspiration for Figaro Unbound, a three-month citywide celebration of the revolutionary spirit.

The Riverside Opera Company opens the holiday season on Saturday, November 29, 8 p.m. at the Music Hall at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden with poPera from Nessun Dorma to 'Let it Go' from Disney's Frozen is a Home for the Holidays musical feast.

Principal Conductor Pablo Heras-Casado returns to Carnegie Hall tonight, November 6 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, leading Orchestra of St. Luke's in the first of three Carnegie Hall concerts this season as part of the orchestra's 40th anniversary celebration.

During the first week of November, the Mariinsky Theatre returns to the UK for an operatic showcase of Wagner's Ring in Birmingham at the historic Hippodrome and three operas originally written for the Mariinsky including the most recent Levsha (The Left-hander) by Rodion Shchedrin. With a 300-strong troop of musicians, soloists and chorus starting the tour in Cardiff with Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery, Valery Gergiev proceeds to London to present Russia's national epic Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov followed by the UK premiere of The Lefthander, both in concert versions at the Barbican.

The Utah Symphony is dressing up for the 24th annual Halloween Hi-Jinks concert and costume contest tonight, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Abravanel Hall. Principal Pops Conductor Jerry Steichen, one of America's most versatile conductors, dons the baton to conduct music from 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'The Witches of Eastwick,' 'Die Walkure,' 'Harry Potter,' and more. This spectral spectacle is sure to entrance all audiences with unique costumes and thrilling music.