30 May 2025
One of the brightest operatic stars of the past few decades, Jennifer Larmore takes on the role of Madelon in “Andrea Chénier” at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on May 30, June 4 and 7, 2025. This John Dew production, conducted by Axel Kober, features a celebrated cast including Gregory Kunde in the title role, Sandra Radvanovsky as Maddalena di Coigny, and Pavel Yankovsky as Carlo Gérard. Though brief in stage time, the role of Madelon is profoundly moving—an emotional anchor within the opera’s sweeping narrative of love and revolution. Since the work’s premiere, this poignant character has drawn many of the world’s leading mezzo-sopranos to its quiet intensity and depth.
27 Apr 2025
Michael Spyres takes on the title role in Handel’s final oratorio, "Jephtha", as part of a multi-nation tour with the acclaimed ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro under the baton of Francesco Corti. The tour begins at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, followed by performances at Teatro Real in Madrid (May 1), Konzerthaus Dortmund (May 2), Auditorio Príncipe Felipe in Oviedo (May 4), the Barbican Centre in London (May 7), Müpa Budapest (May 9), and concludes in Katowice on May 11. Spyres is joined by an outstanding cast: Joyce DiDonato as Storgé, Mélissa Petit as Iphis, Cody Quattlebaum as Zebul, and Jasmin White as Hamor. Renowned for his extraordinary versatility, the Missouri-born baritenor excels across a vast repertoire—from Early Music and bel canto to the dramatic works of Verdi and Wagner. He is celebrated as one of the leading interpreters of virtuoso Baroque singing, including several iconic Handelian roles. [Photo: Marco Borrelli]
Beth Taylor performs the role of Cornelia in Handel’s "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" with the English Concert, conducted by Harry Bicket as part of a UK and USA tour, which starts on April 27 at the Zellerbach Hall at the University of California in Berkeley, proceeds to Opera Omaha on May 1, to Carnegie Hall on May 4, to conclude at the Barbican Centre London on May 11. She will sing alongside Christophe Dumaux in the title role, Louise Alder as Cleopatra, Paula Murrihy as Sesto, John Holiday as Tolomeo, Morgan Pearse as Achilla, Thomas Chenhall as Curio, and Meili Lu as Nireno. Last summer, Beth Taylor’s Cornelia was enthusiastically greeted at the Glyndebourne Festival.
18 Apr 2025
Beth Taylor grandly continues her electrifying current season with her participation as the alto soloist in Ludwig van Beethoven’s timeless, revolutionary, majestic, and ultimately uplifting Symphony No. 9 at the Baden-Baden Festival with Kirill Petrenko leading the Berliner Philharmoniker, the other soloists being soprano Katharina Konradi, tenor Sebastian Kohlhepp and bass Tareq Nazmi. The two performances will take place on April 18 and 21. This season, the Glasgow-born mezzo-soprano sang Beethoven’s seminal masterpiece in other high-profile engagements, such as a performance with Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris at the Philharmonie de Paris and shortly, she will reprise it at Carnegie Hall New York with the Orchestra of St Luke’s. Raphaêl Pichon will conduct both concerts.
12 Apr 2025
On April 12, 2025, Kangmin Justin Kim, accompanied by Alfonse Cemin on the piano, participates in the Weiwuying International Music Festival Taiwan with a recital entitled “From Baroque to Cabaret”, which - as the title says - displays his wide versatility featuring music ranging from Baroque composers to Poulenc’s mélodies, to some of Steven Sondheim’s best-known songs, to Jason Robert Brown. More specifically, the Korean-American countertenor will perform Monteverdi’s Scherzi Musicali ("Maledetto sia l’aspetto”, "Quel sguardo sdegnosetto”, "Eri già tutta mia”, "Ecco di dolci raggi il sol armato”, "Ed è pur dunque vero”); Porpora’s “Alto Giove” from “Polifemo”, Handel’s "Se bramate d'amar chi vi sdegna" from “Serse”, and “Lascia la spina” from “Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno”, Poulenc’s Fiançailles pour Rire (“La Dame d’André”, “Dans l’herbe”, “Il vole”, “Mon cadavre est doux comme un gant”, “Violon”, “Fleurs”); Sondheim’s "Losing My Mind" from “Follies”, "Giants in the Sky" from “Into the Woods”, "Send in the Clowns" from “A Little Night Music”; Jason Robert Brown’s "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" and "Stars and the Moon" from “Songs for a New World”.
11 Apr 2025
On Palm Sunday weekend, Michael Spyres participates in “Frühling aus Wien,” two concerts with the Wiener Symphoniker led by Petr Popelka at the Politeama Rossetti in Trieste. On April 11, the superstar baritenor will sing the role of Siegmund in the first act of Die Walküre, joining Sarah Wegener as Sieglinde and George Zeppenfeld as Hunding. The April 13 concert - also featuring cellist Christoph Stradner - is, on the contrary, devoted to the Viennese operetta and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Michael Spyres’ contributions will be “Als flotter Geist” from Johan Strauss II’s Der Zigeunerbaron, and "Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert!” from Franz Lehár’s Giuditta. [Photo: Marco Borrelli]