Vienna State Opera 2014-15 season Features Anna Netrebko, Juan Diego Florez and Angela Gheorghiu

After a number hours in which the Vienna State Opera's website crashed, I finally have a list of works which will be performed this year. The reason for slow connection was because the company announced the season and puts all tickets on sale immediately. 

The upcoming season will see 223 staged opera performance and will include six new productions listed below: 

The Tempest (Austrian premiere) 14 June 2015 c: Thomas Ades, d: Robert Lepage, with Adrian Eröd, Audrey Luna, Stephanie Houtzeel, David Daniels

• Idomeneo 5 October 2014 c: Christoph Eschenbach, d: Kasper Holten, with Michael Schade, Margarita Gritskova, Maria Bengtsson, Chen Reiss 
• Khovanshchina 15 November 2014 c: Semyon Bychkov, d: Lev Dodin, with Ferruccio Furlanetto, Christopher Ventris, Herbert Lippert, Andrzej Dobber, Ain Anger, Elisabeth Kulman, Norbert Ernst
• Rigoletto 20 December 2014 c: Franz Welser-Möst, d: Pierre Audi, with Piotr Beczala, Simon Keenlyside, Valentina Nafornită, Elena Maximova 
• Elektra 29 March 2015 c: Franz Welser-Möst, d: Uwe Eric Laufenberg, with Anna Larsson, Nina Stemme, Anne Schwanewilms, Falk Struckman 
• Don Pasquale 26April 2015 c: Jesús López-Cobos, d: Irina Brook, 
 with Michele Pertusi, Juan Diego Flórez, Alessio Arduini, Valentina Nafornită

The company will see the return of a number of stars including Juan Diego Florez in L'Elisir d'Amore and La Cenerentola, Placido Domingo and Maria Guleghina in Nabucco, Anna Netrebko in Anna Bolena and Angela Gheorghiu in Werther. Kristine Opolais and Piotr Beczala will perform Rusalka while Olga Peretyatko will bring her acclaimed Elvira in I Puritani. Another highlight will be Aleksandrs Antonenko in Tosca and Pique Dame. Elina Garanca will bring her acclaimed Octavian to Der Rosenkavalier while Ramon Vargas will sing Don Carlos, Werther, and Simon Boccanegra. Nina Stemme will also return as Minnie in La Fanciulla del West. For more Click Here 

Antonenko Cancels Il Trovatore

Everyone has been anticipating the debut of Anna Netrebko Netrebko's Leonora at the Berlin State Opera. The cast was perfect with Placido Domingo and Aleksandrs Antonenko. Now it is being reported that Antonenko has cancelled the lead role of Manrico. The production is currently rehearsing with no Manrico and with a star studded cast and sold out shows Berlin is posed to find a star of the same measure as Antonenko.

Rumor mill says that Jonas Kaufmann is currently front-runner but with his busy schedule it is unlikely. Other blogs mention Francesco Meli while others say Ramon Vargas. The question is who will fill the spot and will it be a newcomer.

Update: Francesco Meli is unlikely to Sing as he will be premiering a new production of Ernani at the Teatro Roma with Riccardo Muti 

Ramon Vargas Never added that role to his repertoire and Marcelo Alvarez is in Tokyo singing Tosca 

Met 2015-19 Predictions

As the season comes to a start new details on the upcoming Met season have been released by La Cieca on Parterre. The site announced the replacement of the Faust as well as the opening night for the 2015-16 season.

According to the blog, the 2014-2015 season is going to go off pretty much as predicted, except that Faust is not going to happen.A possible revival of Macbeth will take its place, though most likely without Anna Netrebko, whose Lady Macbeth  will not arrive in New York until later.

2015-16: Netrebko will sing Desdemona in the 2015-2016 opening night production of Otello, starring Alexsandrs Antonenko and Zeljko Lucic, under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. However Netrebko will sing Il trovatore and Don Pasquale.  The Deborah Warner Messiah has been canceled and a revival of Die Fledermaus will also happen. Placido Domingo will return to Simon Boccanegra. A new production of  Manon Lescaut will premiere with  Jonas Kaufmann and Kristine Opolais.

2016-2017: The Dmitri Tcherniakov Der Rosenkavalier will happen with Joyce DiDonato,Erin Morley and Renée Fleming.  That season also sees the long-awaited return of Guillaume Tell to the Met repertoire featuring Bryan Hymel/John Osborn, and Angela Meade/Marina Rebeka . Netrebko is featured in a revival of Onegin and a revival of Manon Lescaut.

2017-2018:  Semiramide will return to the repertoire with DiDonato in the title part.  Netrebko will sing Lady M.

Between 2017 and 2019 plans are obviously very flexible. Stefan Herheim‘s Meistersinger is, as we know, on its way, but La Cieca’s source says the Met is “putting out feelers” for a new Lohengrin as well. Sometime (sooner rather than later) Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo will team for new productions ofRoméo et Juliette and Les pêcheurs de perles directed by Mary Zimmerman. There are also plans for Netrebko to sing Norma.

Anna Netrebko's First Desdemona Live Stream

Anna Netrebko sings her first Desdemona at the Verbier Festival on July 25 along with Aleksandrs Antonenko as Otello. The performance will only include the first act of the opera and will also feature Alexy Markov as Iago. The second half of the concert will include Bryn Terfel in the third act of Die Walkure with Irene Theorin and Eva Maria Westbroek. Valery Gergiev will conduct the concert. For more information click here and for the live stream click here.

Notable CD and DVD Releases For the Month of June

The month of June will conclude the Tutto Verdi celebration as well as will bring a new CD by Alekandra Kurzak and Cecilia Bartioli's new Norma. Additionally Renee Fleming's Ariadne Auf Naxos will finally be released.

The most anticipated release of the month is by far Cecilia Bartoli's Norma. The new recording also stars Sumi Jo and John Osborn and brings a new critical edition that should prove revealing for audiences and the musical world around. It may also split many but it is one to listen to if for mere curiosity. 

Anna Netrebko and Placido Domingo to sing Trovatore

It is official Anna Netrebko and Placido Domingo will sing Il Trovatore in Berlin this year. They will be joined by Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role. Daniel Barenboim will lead the orchestra.

Domingo is also slated to sing Simon Boccanegra while Luidmyla Monastyrska will sing her acclaimed Aida. The company will also present La Boheme, Il Barabiere di Siviglia, Don Carlos and La Traviata. Salome will be presented.

For more information on the Season Click here .

The Covent Gardens new Nabucco at La Scala

La Scala premiered their new Nabuco with a spectacular cast that includes the amazing Liudmyla Monastyrska and veteran baritone Leo Nucci. The production will land in London in April. Here is the full production.

 

Notable DVD and CD releases for the Month of July

This month a slew of DVDs are released from the greatest theaters in the world. 

The featured DVD of the month is from the Royal Opera House. Il Trittico conducted by Antonio Pappano stars Eva Maria Westbroek, Lucio Gallo, Aleksandrs Antonenko, and Ermonela Jaho. The production is by Richard Jones. The performance was hailed as glorious and rewarding.