Thomas Russell News

San Francisco Opera announces updated casting for its 96th Season, which opens Friday, September 7, with the double bill of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, and two galas, Opera Ball 2018: ¡Viva La Noche! and the BRAVO! CLUB Opening Night Gala. The 2018-19 Season features eight productions that are new to the War Memorial Opera House stage, including a new staging of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca and the West Coast premiere of Jake Heggie's It's a Wonderful Life. Highlights also include Placido Domingo in Concert on October 21 and a roster of returning artists, debuting soloists and conductors.

The Peterborough Players will screen an encore presentation of the Metropolitan Opera's La Boheme on Saturday, March 3 at 12:30pm.

From January 23 28, 2018, Carnegie Hall celebrates the legendary mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, who will lead The Song Continues in her final season as Artistic Advisor before passing the torch to acclaimed soprano Ren e Fleming, who will continue this beloved tradition in years to come.

The Artios is awarded to those CSA members who receive primary screen (or program) credit for casting on the winning project. Location Casting Directors, Casting Executives and Department Heads who are CSA members and who receive credit on winning projects also receive an Artios Award. CSA Associates on those projects are recognized in the press and with a certificate.

Eli and Edythe Broad General Director Pl cido Domingo has announced the repertory and artist roster for the company's 2018/19 season, planned by Mr. Domingo in collaboration with Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon and Sebastian Paul and Marybelle Musco President and CEO Christopher Koelsch. The season will include six mainstage productions presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with additional performances presented elsewhere through the company's Off Grand initiative.

San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock today announced plans for the 2018 19 Season. The Company's 96th Season will open Friday, September 7 with a gala double-bill performance of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in Jos Cura's production with an international cast featuring Lianna Haroutounian, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Roberto Aronica, Marco Berti and Dimitri Platanias, conducted by Daniele Callegari. To usher in the new opera season, San Francisco Opera Guild will produce its signature benefit event, Opera Ball 2018.

San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock today announced plans for the 2018 19 Season. The Company's 96th Season will open Friday, September 7 with a gala double-bill performance of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci in Jos Cura's production with an international cast featuring Lianna Haroutounian, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Roberto Aronica, Marco Berti and Dimitri Platanias, conducted by Daniele Callegari. To usher in the new opera season, San Francisco Opera Guild will produce its signature benefit event, Opera Ball 2018.

The Canadian Opera Company's 2018/2019 season presents the world premiere of Hadrian, a new opera from composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor, which features the highly anticipated COC debuts of international opera stars Thomas Hampson and Karita Mattila.

Griffith Kazmierzcak, tpt Ben Frock, tpt Joe Herrara, tpt Chris Frick, pn Jim Hanna, prc Ian Trusheim, bs Kelton Norris, dm Warm the season up with Leo's Maximal Latin Jazz Trumpets!! Arrangements of the music of Tadd Dameron, Louis Armstrong, Clifford Brown, original compositions, and more. Leo Maxey is a Baltimore area jazz trumpeter. Reared in Augusta, GA, he began his musical studies under the tutelage of his father Leonard Maxey, Sr. and Darian Washington and studied with the likes of local greats John Bradley, Michael Katterjohn, and Todd Jenkins. He holds tenure with the BCJO and has performed with artist to include the David Murray Baltimore Big Band, Frankie Ruiz, Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra, the Whitt Williams Big Band, The Four Tops, The Impressions, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and others. He studied with Alex Norris, Tim Murphy, Gary Thomas, Michael Formanek, Paul Bollenback, Russell Thomas, Robert Blaine, and Darcie Bishop.

The world's most popular opera returns in Franco Zeffirelli's classic production, with a series of exciting casts. Angel Blue, Anita Hartig, and Sonya Yoncheva share the role of the fragile Mim , with Dmytro Popov, Russell Thomas, and Michael Fabiano alternating as the poet Rodolfo. Alexander Soddy and Marco Armiliato share conducting duties.

See the full schedule of January and February events at Carnegie Hall below!

From January 23 28, 2018, Carnegie Hall celebrates the legendary mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, who will lead The Song Continues in her final season as Artistic Advisor before passing the torch to acclaimed soprano Ren e Fleming, who will continue this beloved tradition in years to come.

'Bread-and-butter operas usually bore me,' tenor Russell Thomas told me frankly, as he prepared for his first performance of Rodolfo, at the Met, in Puccini's LA BOHEME--one of opera's most popular tenor roles--in nearly 15 years. But it wasn't any disdain for the role that kept him away from it: It was James Levine, the Metropolitan Opera's Music Director for 40 years (and still sometimes conductor) who led to his decision.

Below, note the following updates to Carnegie Hall's 2017-18 schedule, reflecting changes made since the season was originally announced in January 2017. 

Who needs an excuse to leave NYC in the blistering days of summer? It's especially true if you head north to some of the bucolic opera and vocal venues within driving distance.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ An independent press quietly launched a year ago in Long Beach has emerged as a new player in Southern California publishing, with a pair of nonfiction books set to debut on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the single-elimination, winner-take-all, open-application tournament launched in 2014, today announced a television deal with ESPN for 2015, which will see the tournament spread nationally and the field expand to 96 teams.

Tenor Russell Thomas will replace Brandon Jovanovich, who has withdrawn due to illness, in the New York Philharmonic performances of the Verdi Requiem, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert. The performances will also feature soprano Angela Meade (in her Philharmonic debut), mezzo-soprano Lilli Paasikivi, bass-baritone Eric Owens, and the New York Choral Artists, directed by Joseph Flummerfelt, this weekend, January 15, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, January 17 at 8:00 p.m.

Tenor Russell Thomas will replace Brandon Jovanovich, who has withdrawn due to illness, in the New York Philharmonic performances of the Verdi Requiem, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert. The performances will also feature soprano Angela Meade (in her Philharmonic debut), mezzo-soprano Lilli Paasikivi, bass-baritone Eric Owens, and the New York Choral Artists, directed by Joseph Flummerfelt, Thursday, January 15, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, January 17 at 8:00 p.m.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) today announced a new Artist-In-Residence program, which will begin with this week's "Christmas with the ASO" concerts and continue throughout the remainder of the Orchestra's 2014-15 season. Tenor Russell Thomas -an internationally-recognized vocalist who has performed with the Metropolitan Opera and the Deutsche Oper Berlin, among others- will serve as the ASO's 2014-15 Artist-in-Residence. Mr. Thomas' residency is a one-year appointment that will conclude at the end of the ASO's 2014-15 season and marks the beginning of an annual Artist-In-Residence program at the ASO.