Q & A: Gregory Spears on ‘Fellow Travelers’ & His Upcoming Opera ‘Sleepers Awake’
Composer Gregory Spears marks the 10th anniversary of his opera “Fellow Travelers,” a work about the 1950s Lavender Scare that will tour ten U.S. cities, including Seattle, Portland, San Diego and Cooperstown. He notes the piece’s lasting relevance, with singers using its arias for auditions and audiences connecting to its ordinary‑person narrative. Spears also announces the premiere of a new opera, “Sleepers Awake,” at Opera Philadelphia, a fairy‑tale‑inspired, existential take on “Sleeping Beauty” that emphasizes chorus and neo‑medieval textures. He discusses his collaborative process with directors, producers and singers across both projects.
If Opera Festival Unveils 2026 Lineup
The If Opera Festival marks its 30th anniversary with a 2026 season that runs from August 6 to 14, featuring Bizet’s Carmen, a baroque drinking‑song concert, a family‑friendly Carmen fiesta, Oscar Straus’s The Chocolate Soldier, and a baroque masterclass. Productions...
Q & A: Music Director Peter Whelan on His Vision for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale & the 2026-27 Season...
Peter Whelan steps in as the new Music Director of the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, unveiling the 2026‑27 season titled “The Power of Music.” The season opens with Handel’s opera Tolomeo, features a cross‑cultural Vivaldi‑and‑oud program, and presents the U.S....
Berkshire Opera Festival to Present ‘Once Upon an Opera’
The Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) will stage a free, interactive family concert titled “Once Upon an Opera” on April 12 at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The one‑hour program showcases soprano Juliet Schlefer, mezzo‑soprano Abbegael Greene,...
Mexican Conductor Felipe Tristán Earns Mayte Spínola Gold Medal
Mexican conductor Felipe Tristán has been awarded the Mayte Spínola Gold Medal, a top honor from the Grupo Pro Arte y Cultura recognizing contributions that fuse culture, society, and patronage. The ceremony takes place in Belgium, underscoring the award’s international...
Clémentine Margaine, Constantin Trinks, Ian Bostridge, Lidia Fridman Headline Opéra De Lyon’s 2026-27 Season
The Opéra de Lyon unveiled its 2026‑27 season, featuring a blend of classic operas, contemporary works, and extensive concert and recital programming. Star performers Clémentine Margaine, Constantin Trinks, Ian Bostridge and Lidia Fridman headline key productions, including new stagings of Prokofiev,...
Central City Opera Announces Cast of ‘The Ballad of Baby Doe’
Central City Opera revealed the principal cast for its upcoming production of “The Ballad of Baby Doe,” featuring Virginia Mims as Elizabeth “Baby Doe” Tabor, Weston Hurt as Horace Tabor, Emily Pulley as Augusta Tabor, Kristin Gornstein as Mama McCourt, and...
Opera Unbound to World Premiere ‘The Fox’
Opera Unbound will stage the world premiere of Roan Shankaruk’s chamber opera “The Fox” from April 17‑19, 2026 at the ANNEX in Vancouver. The production marks the company’s first full‑length opera, directed by Christopher Lam and conducted by music director...
Cast Change: Aigul Akhmetshina Set to Deliver Solo Recital at Hungarian State Opera
The Hungarian State Opera announced a cast change for its March 22, 2026 recital, replacing the originally scheduled duet partner Long Long with mezzo‑soprano Aigul Akhmetshina as the sole vocalist. Akhmetshina will now perform a solo program alongside pianist Jonathan Papp, featuring...
Cast Change: Tommi Hakala Steps Into ‘Siegfried’ Production of the Royal Opera & Ballet Production
The Royal Opera & Ballet announced a cast change for its March 21, 2026 performance of “Siegfried.” Tommi Hakala will replace Christopher Maltman as the Wanderer after Maltman developed laryngitis. Hakala, making his Royal Opera debut, brings experience from the Finnish National Opera...
Glyndebourne Names 2026 Jerwood Young Artists
British opera house Glyndebourne has announced its 2026 Jerwood Young Artists cohort, naming five emerging singers: soprano Seohyun Go, mezzo‑soprano Angelina Dorlin‑Barlow, tenor Liam Forrest, and baritones Hector Bloggs and Oliver Williams. The programme, backed by the Jerwood Foundation since...
The Crossing’s Donald Nally Named to Interim Position at Eastman School of Music
Donald Nally, Grammy‑award‑winning founder of The Crossing, has been appointed visiting professor of conducting and ensembles and interim director of choral activities at the Eastman School of Music for the 2026‑27 academic year. He will lead the Eastman Chorale and...
Young Texas Artists Music Competition Announces 2026 Winners
Rice University baritone Heechang Byun captured both the gold medal and the Audience Choice Award in the Voice division of the Young Texas Artists Music Competition, earning $8,000 in prize money. Boston Conservatory student Elizabeth Marlow took silver with a...
Finnish National Opera to Showcase Finnish Premiere of ‘Festen’
The Finnish National Opera announced the Finnish premiere of Mark‑Anthony Turnage’s opera “Festen,” scheduled from 27 March to 7 May 2026. The production, directed by Richard Jones, debuted to critical acclaim at London’s Royal Opera House in February 2025. Featuring a cast led by...
Emily D’Angelo Recipient of 2026 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize
Mezzo‑soprano Emily D’Angelo has been named the 2026 Glenn Gould Protégé Prize recipient, selected by Laureate Elton John. D’Angelo, who debuted at 21 and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Berlin State Opera and Paris Opera, also opened...
Bergen Philharmonic Announces New Chief Conductor
Tabita Berglund has been appointed chief conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming the first Norwegian in the role since 1985 and the first Norwegian woman to lead a major Norwegian symphony. She will assume the title of chief conductor...
New Wave Opera to Present ‘Rising Tides’
New Wave Opera will stage “Rising Tides,” a free lunchtime concert in Portland on April 15, 2026, exploring climate grief, the natural world, and social justice through opera and song. The program previews excerpts from Caroline Louise Miller’s upcoming queer‑fantasy...
Halle Opera House to Stage Rare Schreker Opera ‘Das Spielwerk Und Die Prinzessin’
The Halle Opera House will present Franz Schreker’s seldom‑performed opera “Das Spielwerk und die Prinzessin” from April 11 to May 24, 2026. Conducted by Fabrice Bollon and directed by Nele Lindemann, the production features Thomas Weinhappel as Master Florian alongside a multinational cast. The staging revives the original 1913 version, which sparked...
Teatro Nacional De São Carlos to Present First Lisbon ‘Tannhäuser’ in Over 30 Years
The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos will stage Wagner’s Tannhäuser in Lisbon on April 23 and 25, 2026, marking the city’s first production of the opera in more than three decades. Directed by Max Hoehn, the staging draws on early‑20th‑century German graphic...
Barockwerk Hamburg 2026 Review: Pharao Tubaetes
Barockwerk Hamburg staged a rare revival of Carl Heinrich Graun’s 1735 opera Pharao Tubaetes at the Hamburg State Library Atrium, a work that has long lacked modern scores or recordings. The ensemble crafted a new edition, compressed recitatives, and employed visual projections...
Cast Change: Amartuvshin Enkhbat Replaces Ludovic Tézier in ‘Un Ballo in Maschera’ at Staatsoper Unter Den Linden
Ludovic Tézier has withdrawn from Verdi’s Un ballo in Maschera at Berlin’s Staatsoper unter den Linden, prompting the house to install baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat for the March 29, April 1 and April 4 performances. The new production, staged by Rafael R. Villalobos, will open on March 29 and features a star‑studded cast...
Christoph Gedschold Steps Down From Copenhagen Philharmonic
Christoph Gedschold has stepped down as Music Director of the Copenhagen Philharmonic, ending a tenure marked by notable concert productions and artistic growth. The orchestra’s board chair Maria Frej praised his strong artistic mark and thanked him for his contributions. Gedschold...
Tenor Matthew Corcoran Features in the Oscar Winning Film ‘The Singers’
Tenor Matthew Corcoran appears in the Oscar‑winning short film “The Singers,” performing a snippet of “Vesti la Giubba.” The film, based on Ivan Turgenev’s 19th‑century Russian tale of a barroom sing‑off, triumphed at the Academy Awards after a festival circuit...
Artist of the Week: Alexander Marev
The Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège will stage Liszt’s Faust Symphony, featuring Alexander Marev in the pivotal tenor role. Marev, a long‑time collaborator with the house, moves from supporting parts to headline the work’s climactic finale. The piece, first performed...
Maria Brea, Eugene Brancoveanu, Elliot Madore & Kelly Guerra Lead Opera San Jose’s 2026-27 Season
Opera San José unveiled its 2026‑27 season, spanning September 2026 through May 2027, with four productions: Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the musical Fiddler on the Roof, John Adams’s Doctor Atomic, and Bizet’s Carmen. The lineup showcases rising talent such as soprano Maria...
Cast Change: Alexandra Marcellier Joins Opéra De Monte-Carlo’s ‘Il Trovatore’
Opéra de Monte‑Carlo announced that soprano Pretty Yende will miss the remaining performances of “Il Trovatore” after a family bereavement forced her to return to South Africa. The house confirmed that French‑Swiss mezzo‑soprano Alexandra Marcellier will assume the role of...
Frederica Von Stade & Susan Graham to Perform at Ravinia Festival 2026
Frederica von Stade, the celebrated mezzo‑soprano who retired in 2018, will return to the stage for a rare art‑song concert at the Ravinia Festival on August 16, 2026. She will share the program with Grammy‑winning contralto Susan Graham, accompanied by...
Christine Goerke Headlines Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s 2026-27 Season
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra announced its 2026‑27 season, featuring soprano Christine Goerke as the headline artist. Goerke will perform Mahler’s “Kindertotenlieder” and Wagner’s “Liebestod” under the baton of Rossen Milanov on January 23‑24, 2027. The season will close with Beethoven’s...
Josh Groban Performs ‘Zadok the Priest’ Arrangement at the Oscars
Josh Groban performed a new arrangement of Handel’s “Zadok the Priest” during the 2026 Oscars, appearing in a parody sketch with the Los Angeles Master Chorale as Conan O’Brien was humorously crowned king of Best Achievement. The piece, originally composed...
Vivo Performing Arts Announces Thor Steingraber as President & CEO
Vivo Performing Arts, the newly renamed former Celebrity Series of Boston, announced Thor Steingraber as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 2026. Steingraber succeeds Gary Dunning, who led the organization for 15 years, becoming the fifth leader...
Korean National Opera Signs Agreement to Stream Live Opera Performances in Hong Kong
The Korea National Opera has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korean Cultural Centre in Hong Kong to stream one live performance each month throughout 2026. Starting in April, twelve productions—including “La Traviata” and “La Bohème”—will be screened free...
Marie Gautrot & Ambroisine Bré to Headline Opera Hong Kong’s ‘Carmen’
Opera Hong Kong will stage Bizet’s Carmen from May 7‑10, 2026 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre, part of the French May Arts Festival. The production, directed by Jia Ding, relocates the story to 1970s Hong Kong, a...
Wallis Giunta to Headline Ensemble Modern’s ‘Weimar’
Ensemble Modern launches its first U.S. tour since 2011 with a program titled “Weimar,” spotlighting Kurt Weill’s music and the broader Weimar Republic era. The centerpiece is a new chamber arrangement of Weill’s “The Seven Deadly Sins” for 15 players,...
Cast Change: Larissa Diadkova Joins Cast of ‘Eugene Onegin’ at Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera announced a second cast change for its spring production of Eugene Onegin, naming veteran mezzo‑soprano Larissa Diadkova as the new Filippyevna. Diadkova, who debuted at the Met in 1996, brings a rich repertoire that includes major Verdi and...
Latvian National Opera to Host Star-Studded ‘Aida’ with Marina Rebeka, Elīna Garanča & Ludovic Tézier
The Latvian National Opera will present Verdi’s Aida on March 15 and 17, featuring home‑grown sopranos Marina Rebeka and Elīna Garanča in the title roles, baritone Ludovic Tézier in his Latvian debut, and tenor Irakli Kakhidze as Radames. Italian conductor Lorenzo Passerini will lead the orchestra. Board...
Cast Change: Vasilisa Berzhanskaya Joins Gran Teatre Del Liceu’s ‘Semiramide’
Gran Teatre del Liceu announced a cast change for Rossini’s “Semiramide.” Soprano Adela Zaharia withdrew due to scheduling conflicts, and mezzo‑soprano Vasilisa Berzhanskaya will assume the title role. Berzhanskaya, currently singing the part at Palermo’s Teatro Massimo, is renowned for...
Lise Davidson, Angel Blue, Francesca Dotto, Wallis Giunta & Raffaele Pe Lead New CD/DVD Releases
This week’s opera‑focused releases span new live recordings, historic revivals, and contemporary commissions. Decca issues Lise Davidsen’s Met recital, while Deutsche Grammophon presents the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra’s Beethoven 5 and Kolomiiets suite in support of Ukraine. The Azrieli Music Prizes volume...
Elīna Garanča, Christian Van Horn, Chen Reiss & Catriona Morison Lead Munich Philharmonic’s 2026-27 Season
Munich Philharmonic unveiled its 2026‑27 season, featuring eight concerts from October 2026 through July 2027. The program highlights leading vocalists Elīna Garanča, Christian Van Horn, Chen Reiss and Catriona Morison alongside conductors such as Thomas Hengelbrock, Barbara Hannigan, Manfred Honeck,...
Sarasota Opera Announces ‘Salute to the Stars’ Awards Luncheon
Sarasota Opera will host its annual “Salute to the Stars” Awards Luncheon on March 24, 2026, at the Sarasota Yacht Club. The event honors Apprentice and Studio artists from the 2026 Winter Opera Festival with a gourmet lunch and live...
Tzvi Bat Asherah Wins 2026 Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition
Bass‑baritone Tzvi Bat Asherah captured first place at the 34th Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition on March 6, 2026, earning a $10,000 prize and the audience‑selected Jonathan Pell People’s Choice Award. The competition, held at the Winspear Opera House, featured ten finalists...
Pro-Putin Supporter Ildar Abdrazakov Named Artistic Director of the Mikhailovsky Theatre
Renowned bass Ildar Abdrazakov, a vocal supporter of President Vladimir Putin, has been appointed artistic director of the St. Petersburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater – the Mikhailovsky Theatre. He announced the role on social media, thanking Governor Alexander Beglov...
Houston Grand Opera Names 2026-27 Butler Studio Artists
Houston Grand Opera announced its 2026‑27 Butler Studio roster, adding five first‑year artists to seven returning members. The newcomers—soprano Scarlett Jones, mezzo‑soprano Lauren Randolph, tenor Misael Corralejo, bass‑baritone Tzvi Bat Asherah, and pianist‑coach Maeve Berry—earned top placements in HGO’s Eleanor...
AFM Stages Demonstration at Times Square As Sound Recording Negotiations Continue
The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) will stage a live‑music rally in Times Square on March 11, coinciding with the second round of Sound Recording Labor Agreement talks with Sony, Universal, Hollywood Records and Warner. The union’s core demands focus...
Leonardo Capalbo Joins Tartiere Artists for Management
Tenor Leonardo Capalbo has joined Tartiere Artists as its worldwide General Manager. Capalbo is celebrated for his interpretations of Verdi, Bizet, Massenet, Mascagni and Puccini, and has performed at leading houses such as Covent Garden, Berlin State Opera and Chicago...
David F. Caravaca Joins GoDirect Artists Management
David F. Caravaca has been appointed General Manager at GoDirect Artists Management, bringing his rising profile as a Spanish conductor to the agency. He is a prize‑winner of the Leipzig Conducting Competition and the inaugural Orquesta de Juventudes Musicales award....