11 Jan 2026
Katarina Bradić stars in yet another world premiere as she sings the role of the Mother in the first-ever performance of Matthias Pintscher’s Das kalte Herz at the Staatsoper Berlin, in a new production by James Darrah and conducted by Maestro Pintscher himself. She joins a distinguished cast that also includes Samuel Hasselhorn as Peter, Rosie Aldridge as Anubis, Sophia Burgos as Clara, Sunnyi Melles as Azael, and Adriane Queiroz as the Old Woman. Performances take place on January 11, 14, 16, 20, and 23, 2026. Katarina Bradić last appeared at the Staatsoper Berlin last season in another contemporary work, Bernard Foccroulle’s Cassandra, earning high acclaim for her performance.
10 Jan 2026
This evening, Juan Sancho sings the fierce and tormented Bajazet in Handel’s Tamerlano at Dubai Opera. The production, directed by Stefano Poda and conducted by Alibek Kabdurakhmanov, is presented by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation. The Andalusian tenor Juan Sancho is widely regarded as one of today’s foremost interpreters of Early Music and the Baroque repertoire. He earned high praise for his portrayal of Bajazet, arguably one of the first great tenor role in opera, when he performed the role at the Internationale Händel Festspiele Göttingen.
08 Jan 2026
Michael Spyres partners once again with pianist Mathieu Pordoy for two recitals on January 8 and 9, at the Opéra de Lausanne and the Auditorium de Dijon, respectively. The close-knit duo will perform a rich program featuring Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été, Korngold’s Unvergänglichkeit, Strauss’s Vier Lieder, op. 27 (Four Last Songs), and Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. Frequent collaborators, the American baritenor and the French pianist most recently joined forces for the singer’s Latvian debut last month. [Photo: Marco Borrelli]
02 Jan 2026
Michael Spyres opens the new year in grand style with a New Year’s Gala Concert at the Gstaad Music Festival on January 2, at the Church of Rougemont. He is joined by soprano Anastasia Bartoli and pianist Vincenzo Scalera for an evening celebrating vocal brilliance and sheer musical versatility.
Once again, Michael Spyres will showcase his unique range, moving effortlessly from baritone favorites such as “Largo al factotum” from Il barbiere di Siviglia and “Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert” from The Merry Widow, to tenor showpieces including “Vesti la giubba” from Pagliacci. The program spans opera buffa, operetta, tragic melodrama, and Italian art song, with Rossini’s “La danza” also featured.
Together with Anastasia Bartoli, he will perform duets from “La traviata”, “La bohème”, and “The Merry Widow”, before bringing the gala to a festive close with the Neapolitan evergreen “’O sole mio.”
30 Dec 2025
Beth Taylor brings to a close an exciting year marked by high-profile events, notable house and concert hall debuts, and important part debuts with a performance of Beethoven’s majestic and visionary Symphony No. 9 with the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Wiener Singakademie, led by Dima Slobodeniouk. She joins a top-class quartet of soloists that includes soprano Christiane Karg, tenor Julian Prégardien, and bass-baritone Alexander Grassauer. Beth Taylor recently sang Beethoven’s monumental and revolutionary Symphony No. 9 at Carnegie Hall with Raphaël Pichon and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, performing a work that has long stood at the heart of Vienna’s New Year tradition.
28 Dec 2025
Juan Sancho returns to one of the composers with whom he feels the greatest affinity, Claudio Monteverdi, performing in the majestic and radiantly expressive Vespro della Beata Vergine at the Megaron The Athens Concert Hall with Camerata Friends of Music, led by Emiliano Gonzalez Toro, who also sings the second tenor part. He appears alongside soprano Myrsini Margariti and mezzo-soprano Theodora Baka. The concert takes place at the Christos Lambrakis Hall on December 28. A noted Baroque specialist, Juan Sancho has appeared in several acclaimed recordings of Monteverdi’s works, including L’Orfeo, Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria, and a DVD of L’incoronazione di Poppea.