Andrea Chenier Review

Umberto Giordano's "Andrea Chenier" is a major part of the operatic canon, but has rarely been performed regularly at the Metropolitan Opera. The last time Met audiences got a chance to see the verismo masterpiece was in 2007 when American tenor Ben Heppner took on the title role. For the revival on Monday, March 24, Argentinean tenor Marcelo Alvarez took on the work's eponymous character with Patricia Racette and Zeljko Lucic filling out the cast.

The production Nicolas Joel debuted back in 1996 and despite being inherently traditional in its trappings, remains modern in its intelligent use of space. "Chenier" does not really lend itself to a modern update or transposition of the action to a different locale of time period. The French Revolution is not simply mentioned in a few passing statements, but dominates the action of the work from the start to the finish. Continue Reading 

Andrea Chenier Opens Tonight

Giordano's masterpiece opens at the Metropolitan Opera with Marcelo Alvarez in the title role, Patricia Racette as Maddalena and Zeljko Lucic as Gerard. The production by Nicolas Joel will be conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. The opera will be livestreamed on the Met website and on Sirius. Tell us what you think of the performance!  

Royal Opera House Rumors

The Royal Opera House is taking a while to announce their season but there are some things that are rumored for next season. 

Mariusz Kwiecien  has already announced on his website that he will be joined by Saimir Pirgu in Steffen Aarfing's production of Szymanowski's King Roger in June of 2015.

Meanwhile Dmitri Platanias will sing the title role of Nabucco, which will be revived for the first time since the new production premiered. The Royal Opera will also stage Andrea Chenier  with Jonas Kaufmann, Eva-Maria Westbroek and Željko Lucic. The production will most likely be featured in the Live in Cinemas series. 

Another big opera will be Verdi's I Due Foscari. The production will star Maria Agresta as Lucrezia and Placido Domingo who will also perform Simon Boccanegra. Once again these are all rumors and things can change by the time the company announces the season. 

La Traviata Livestream

The exciting soprano Diana Damrau will open La Scala in a New Production of La Traviata. ARTE will live stream the opera at 3 pm for those of you are excited for this work. Piotr Beczala will sing Alfredo and Zeljko Lucic will sing Germont. So if you saw Rigoletto at the Met last year, then you know what to expect.


Here is a Video La Scala Just released 

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.

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. 

Las Vegas Rigoletto Coming to DVD

The art work to the Met's new Rigoletto has been revealed. The production by Michael Mayer was a huge hit and stars Piotr Beczala, Zeljko Lucic and Diana Damrau in the principal roles. The DVD will be released on May 21 months before it is televised on PBS.

Rigoletto Opens tomorrow

After having seen the rehearsal of Rigoletto I decided not to do a preview for Rigoletto so that I do not assume anything. I am pretty sure that many will enjoy the production which is in Las Vegas. The opera is very much traditional and it will not have much controversy as Micael Mayer is very respectful to Verdi. The production stars Piotr Beczala, Diana Damrau, and Zeljko Lucic. Michele Mariotti conducts. 

For pictures and information click here 

For videos click here 

Rigoletto's First Video

The Met has released the first video of their 1960s Vegas production from yesterday's rehearsal. The production is quite striking if a bit safe. More it later. Enjoy the video!

Met's Rigoletto Rehearsal pictures

Rigoletto stills have been revealed on the Facebook. The photos show a glimpse of Piotr Beczala, Diana Damrau and Zeljko Lucic in character and on stage. Enjoy!