02 Oct 2025
Beth Taylor opens her 2025/26 season on October 2 at London’s Cadogan Hall, performing the title role in excerpts from Rossini’s rarely performed yet searingly intense and dramatic “Ermione”, joined by the Monteverdi Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Jakob Lehmann. The program also features Rossini’s most celebrated sacred masterpiece, the “Stabat Mater”. Hailed as a genuine rossiniana, Taylor has won acclaim for her interpretations of some of the composer’s most demanding roles, among them the protagonist of “La Cenerentola”, Falliero in “Bianca e Falliero” and Arsace in “Semiramide”.
27 Sep 2025
On April 27, 2025, tenor Juan Sancho returns to the Teatro Real Madrid as Pompeo in Antonio Vivaldi’s "Farnace". This semi-staged production is directed by Mathilde Etienne, with Emiliano Gonzáles Toro leading the ensemble I Gemelli while also performing the title role. The cast is completed by Key’mon W. Murrah as Gilade, Adèle Chavet as Berenice, Deniz Uzun as Tamiri, Daria Proszek as Selinda, and Álvaro Zambrano as Aquilio. Recognized as one of today’s most sought-after interpreters of the Baroque repertoire, the Sevillan tenor has been a regular presence at the Teatro Real, where he has appeared as Emilio in Handel’s Partenope, Grimoaldo in Rodelinda, and, most recently, Marzio in Mitridate, among other roles.
25 Sep 2025
Michael Spyres takes on the title role in Offenbach’s "Les contes d’Hoffmann", opening the 2025/26 season of the Opéra Comique in Paris. The new staging is directed by Lotte De Beer and conducted by Pierre Dumoussaud. Joining him on stage are Amina Edris as Stella/Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta, Héloïse Mas as The Muse/Nicklausse, Jean-Sébastien Bou as Lindorf/Coppélius/Miracle/Dapertutto, Raphaël Brémard as Andrès/Cochenille/Frantz/Pitichinaccio, Nicolas Cavallier as Luther/Crespel, Matthieu Justine as Nathanaël/Spalanzani, Matthieu Walendzik as Herrmann/Schlémil, and Marie-Ange Todorovitch as The Mother’s Voice. Michael Spyres is no stranger to Hoffmann, a role he has sung to great acclaim on numerous occasions and captured on DVD in his debut at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu, released by Erato. A familiar and much-admired presence at the Opéra Comique, the American baritenor has previously distinguished himself there in once-popular and demanding French works such as "La muette de Portici", "Le postillon de Longjumeau", and "La nonne sanglante", as well as in Beethoven’s "Fidelio" as Florestan.
16 Aug 2025
Beth Taylor concludes a fulfilling and vibrant season with two performances in Montreal. On August 16, at La Maison Symphonique, she appears as mezzo-soprano soloist in Edward Elgar’s “Sea Pictures”, a lush, lyrical, and evocative song cycle she has passionately championed in recent seasons, both in its original orchestral version and in piano arrangements. Rafael Payare conducts the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. The following afternoon, also at La Maison Symphonique, the Glaswegian mezzo-soprano returns for a recital with pianist Esther Gonthier, offering a program centered on “the voice of nature.” The selection includes art songs by Hahn, Schumann, Weir, Brahms, Chaminade, and Britten.
12 Aug 2025
On August 12, 2025, Juan Sancho stars in the title role in a concert performance of Monteverdi’s epoch-making masterpiece L’Orfeo at France’s Les Heures Musicales de l’Abbaye de Lessay, under the musical direction of Stéphane Fuget. Acclaimed as one of today’s leading tenors in Baroque opera, Juan Sancho has been featured in numerous recordings of Monteverdi’s groundbreaking and celebrated trilogy, L’Orfeo, Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria, and L’incoronazione di Poppea. These include DVD releases on the Dynamic label of Pier Luigi Pizzi’s productions at Teatro Real Madrid, conducted by William Christie, as well as a Naïve label recording of L’Orfeo with the ensemble I Gemelli.
11 Aug 2025
On August 11, 2025, acclaimed mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor appears as the alto soloist in Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall, as part of the BBC Proms. Known for her dark-hued tone and expressive depth, BethTaylor brings emotional resonance to Mahler’s profound setting of Nietzsche’s “O Mensch! Gib Acht!” and the luminous “Es sungen drei Engel”. Ryan Bancroft conducts a powerful collaboration between the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestre National de Bretagne, joined by the CBSO Children’s Chorus and the upper voices of the National Chorus of Wales. The Scottish mezzo-soprano has quickly risen to prominence as one of today’s leading interpreters of Mahler. Just weeks ago, she earned critical acclaim for her performance of Das Lied von der Erde in Munich. [Photo: John Cooper]