Q & A: Amy Crankshaw on Pauline Viardot, ‘Cendrillon’ & Orchestrating the Iconic Work

Composer George Benjamin has been awarded the 2023 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. The prize is worth €250,000 and celebrates the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation’s 50th anniversary. The foundation began 50 years ago with its first prizewinner being Benjamin Britten. Since then, the foundation has accompanied, supported,...

American Mezzo-Soprano Makes History Performing ‘Gianni Schicchi’. This week the San Diego Opera is set to present two of Puccini’s operas from “Il Trittico;” “Gianni Schicchi” and “Suor Angelica.” The event is special as it will see Stephanie Blythe making history by becoming the first mezzo to perform the role of “Gianni Schicchi.”

Teatro Grattacielo has announced its 2022-23 season. The company will kick things off with “Don Giovanni” in co-production with the Mid-Atlantic Chamber Orchestra. Jason Tramm will conduct while Stefanos Koroneos directs. The performance will feature Enes Pektas, Lucas Bouk, and Ashton Jones as Don Giovanni; Logan Dooley as Leporello; William Mouat and Rick Agster as Commendatore; Sara Kennedy, Ashia Barnes, and Stephanie Rivero as Donna Anna; Juan José Beltrán Carmona and Pedro Barrera as Don Ottavio; Kathleen Echols, Eun Byoul Song, and Stephanie Lorenz as Donna Elvira; Seongeun Luna Park, Alana Sha’I, and Taylor Consiglio as Zerlina; Minki Hong as Masetto, and Omar Howard as Miss Shangay Lily.

(Photo Credit: David Conte) Closing its 13th season, the Washington Master Chorale will present the world premiere of David Conte’s new work “The Unknown Sea” as part of the “Poetry Into Song” concert on March 5, 2023, at the National Presbyterian Church. The concert starts at 5:00 p.m., local time.

Composer Samuel Lord Kalcheim will present “Ancient Wisdom, Emerging Voices” on Friday, March 3, 2023. The showcase, which will take place at the Tenri Cultural Institute in New York City, will feature two world-premiere pieces in addition to other unique works by Kalchiem. At the forefront of this...

Madonna graced the 2023 Grammy Awards stage on Sunday to present another singer's performance. However, she quickly shared a speech to the crowd and those watching from home. The "Material Girl" singer told everybody, "I'm here to give thanks to all the rebels out there, forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it."

Uncovered Opera is set to showcase a unique production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” starting on Feb. 25, 2023. Taking on the title role will be Emil Vincenzi and Robert Byford with Marianne Town Smith and Anna Loveday rotating as Lady Macbeth. André Andrade stars as Banco while Davide Basso and Ernesto Vacarezza will share the role of Macduff. Melvin Claridge will be Malcolm and Adam Brown will be the Medico. Finally. Alice Usher and Alicia Mallace-Goulbourne will take turns as the Dama.

The Grammy Awards have announced their 2023 winners. In the Best Opera Recording category Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut up in my Bones” took home the award. The recording to “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” features Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Angel Blue, Will Liverman, Latonia Moore, and Walter Russell III. David Frost, produced and the record features the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and The Metropolitan Opera Chorus.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale has announced the next two major shows in its 2022-23 season. First up is “Choose Something Like A Star.” The showcase, which will be directed by Artistic Director Grant Gershon, is set to take place on Feb. 12, 2023 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

SAS Performing Arts Concert Opera has unveiled its two upcoming performances. First up is Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” at Chris and St. Stephen’s Church in New York City. The performance will star mezzo-soprano Sophie Delphis as Cenerentola and tenor Ai Ra as Prince Ramiro. Playing the wicked...

Famed mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke will appear at an upcoming concert presented by Music of Remembrance scheduled for March 19, 2023. The mezzo will perform Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s “Intonations: Songs from Violins of Hope.” She will appear alongside solo violinist Mikhail Shmidt, youth violinist Zoe Lonsinger. Other instrumentalists performing on this piece include violinists Artur Girsky and Elizabeth Phelps as well as violist Susan Gulkis Assadi, and cellist Walter Gray.

This week audiences will be about to hear rarely performed works and three famed song cycles in a production setting. Navona Records releases the latest from The ARK Trio, formed by soprano Allison Charney, cellist Kajsa William-Olsson, and pianist Reiko Uchida. The pieces presented in the CD may be an eclectic mix of American history, Bachian and Schubertian influences, and timeless poetry.

Soprano Joyce El-Khoury has been nominated for the 2022 Paul de Hueck & Norman Walford Career Achievement Award. The soprano is nominated for her achievements in classical singing. Past recipients in classical singing include Gerald Finley and Judith Forst. Next up for El-Khoury is. Performance of Tobias Picker’s “Awakenings” in...

Opera Colorado continues its 2022-23 Season with a new production of Korngold’s “Die tote Stadt.”. The opera, which opens on Feb. 25 and runs through March 5, will be presented for the first time at Opera Colorado. In a statement, says Greg Carpenter, the Ellie Caulkins General &...

Virginia’s Victory Hall Opera will present a unique rendition of a classic masterwork spotlighting deaf performers. On March 21, 2023, the company will showcase Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice” at the Old Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia. The work will feature deaf stars Amber Zion and John Maucere as they battle numerous personal challenges at the hands of their doctor Warren “Wawa” Snipe. Within the framework is Gluck’s famed opera with new texts written by Miriam Gordon-Stewart with poetry by Gregory Orr that will be performed in ASL. The opera will be sung in Italian.

Portland Opera will continue its 2022-23 season with “Thumbprint,” an opera inspired by the true story of Mukhtar Mai, written by composer Kamala Sankaram,. The work will be showcased on March 18, 22, 24 and 26, 2023 at the Newmark Theatre. Those unable to attend the live performance will have digital access for a limited time via Portland Opera Onscreen.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has extended Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s contract to 2030. In a statement, the organization said, “we are thrilled to share the news that Yannick Nézet-Séguin has extended his contract through 2030, with a newly expanded title of the music and artistic director. We look forward to the continuation of the extraordinary partnership between Yannick and The Philadelphia Orchestra for many years to come! ”

The Centennial Season of San Francisco Opera is set to culminate on June 16, 2023 in a special concert and dinner honoring the Company’s 100-year history. The concert will be led by Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim, former Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles, and former Principal Guest Conductor Patrick Summers and will be available as a livestream for a worldwide audience.

The Semperoper Dresden is set to revive a production of “Ariadne auf Naxos.”. The production by David Hermann will return for the first time since it premiered in 2018. The work will star Catherine Hunold in the title role, Sarah Aristidou as Zerbinetta, Angela Brower as the Composer, and Gregory Kunde in his role debut as Bacchus.

The Houston Grand Opera has announced that Sarah and Ernest Butler created a new fund within the HGO Endowment for $22 million. Per an official press statement, this is the largest philanthropical investment in the company’s 68-year history. Moreover, the company will rename its training program the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio.