Although Alexander Zemlinsky wrote the opera George the Dreamer in 1904-6, it was not premiered until 1980. The story, although filled with the magic of fairy tales, takes a realistic look at the pain of being an outsider in society. Oper Frankfurt will present a new production of this rarely seen work on Feb. 25-March […]
Ireland’s National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Wilson, will present the European premiere of Ligeia, a trombone concerto by Joe Chindamo, with Peter Moore as soloist. The March 1 program will also include Holst’s The Planets. https://bit.ly/3tAbDoI
On March 3 the London Symphony Orchestra will present the world premiere of John Adams’ Frenzy. Simon Rattle conducts this all-American program, which includes Roy Harris’ Symphony No. 3 and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto, featuring Kirill Gerstein. https://www.lso.co.uk/whats-on/sir-simon-rattle-listening-to-america/
Directed by Barrie Kosky, Komische Oper Berlin’s new production of Handel’s Hercules demonstrates that oratorios can, in fact, be staged. Mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy sings the lead role of Dejanira, long-suffering wife of Hercules (March 3-April 5). https://www.komische-oper-berlin.de/en/what/a-z/hercules/
Szymanovski’s little-known ballet Harnasie will be performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra on March 6, with plenty of room onstage for Wayne McGregor’s vision, described as digitally enhanced, cross-arts choreographic storytelling. To add to the evening’s excitement, there will be a world premiere of a new work by the LPO’s composer-in-residence, Tania León. Edward Gardner […]
Deutsche Oper Berlin will present a new production of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades March 9-27. Director Sam Brown, making his DOB debut, focuses on the unanswerable questions in the libretto. Sebastian Weigle conduct. Martin Muehle is Hermann and Sondra Radvanovsky sings Lisa. https://deutscheoperberlin.de/en_EN/calendar/pikowaja-dama-queen-of-spades.17512194
2024 is the centenary of the birth of composer Luigi Nono, and the Elbphilarmonie has put together a festival running March 13-15. First up is Quatuor Diotima playing Nona’s Fragmente – Stille along with Beethoven’s Op. 132. On the second night, SWR Experimentalstudio presents Nona’s Quando stanno morendo for women’s voices, flute, cello, and live […]
A program by the London Philharmonic Orchestra called The Gift of Youth on March 16 will include the world premiere of Daniel Kidane’s Violin Concerto. It will feature Julia Fischer, for whom it was written. Principal conductor Edward Gardner takes the podium for this concert, which also includes Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with sopranos […]
When Federico García Lorca wrote the play Don Perlimplín's Love for Belisa in His Garden, he composed the incidental music for the 1933 premiere himself. Many composers since then have attempted to turn the play into an opera; Oper Frankfurt is presenting Wolfgang Fortner’s version from 1962. The new production—the first time the work has […]
There are two world premieres and a U.K. premiere in the April 7 program by the London Symphony Orchestra, appropriately titled Music of Tomorrow. François-Xavier Roth conducts works by Christian Drew, Unsuk Chin, Donghoon Shin, and Stef Conner, on a concert that concludes with Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. The new cello concert by Shin will […]
To mark the 100th birthday of its founder, Neville Marriner, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields will present three programs in three locations under the guest directorship of Joshua Bell and Jaime Martin. The April 15 concert will include a world premiere by British composer Errollyn Wallen along with some classics that Marriner […]
The Irish National Opera and the Irish Baroque Orchestra have teamed up over the past few seasons to present the operas of Vivaldi. This time, it’s L’Olimpiade, April 20-June 1. Mezzo-soprano Gemma Ní Bhriain stars, with Peter Whelan conducting a production staged by Daisy Evans. https://www.irishnationalopera.ie/whats-on/current-upcoming-productions/lolimpiade
Combining two short works into one new production directed by Tamara Trunova, the Bavarian State Opera will present Respighi’s Lucrezia and Carl Orff’s Der Mond (“The Moon”) April 24-May 4. Ustina Dubitsky conducts; the cast includes Natalie Lewis, Louise Foor, and Liam Bonthrone. https://www.staatsoper.de/en/productions/lucrezia-mond-opst-prod-24/2024-04-24-1930-14183
From April 25-June 14, Deutsch Oper Berlin will mount a new production of Strauss’ Intermezzo, directed by Tobias Kratzer; it is his second of three new Strauss productions planned with DOB. Maria Bengtsson and Thomas Johannes Mayer star, with Donald Runnicles on the podium. https://deutscheoperberlin.de/en_EN/calendar/intermezzo.17512231
Delayed by the pandemic, Vladimir Jurowski’s planned Ring cycle at last reaches its conclusion as he conducts a semi-staged production of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung with the London Philharmonic on April 27. The cast includes Burkhard Fritz as Siegfried and Svetlana Sozdateleva as Brünnhilde. https://lpo.org.uk/event/gotterdammerung/
The Arditti Quartet, celebrating its 50th season, will present world premiere of a new work by Sarah Nemtsov on May 11 at the Elbphilharmonie. The program consists of works from the late 20th century (Elliott Carter, Iannis Xenakis, Helmut Lachenmann) as well as the 21st (Olga Neuwirth, Brian Ferneyhough). https://www.elbphilharmonie.de/en/whats-on/50-years-of-the-arditti-quartet/20269
Thomas Adès leads the London Symphony Orchestra in the U.K. premiere of his new violin concerto, Air, with Anna Sophie Mutter as soloist. The May 30 program also includes two works by Stravinsky—Orpheus and Agon—as well as Witold Lutosławski’s Partita. https://www.lso.co.uk/whats-on/myth-and-magic-thomas-ades/
Mussorgsky wrote both the music and the libretto for his opera Chowanschtschina (Kovanshchina) but died before he could complete it. The Staatsoper Berlin’s new production June 2-24 will use the version by Shostakovich with an ending by Stravinsky, and the whole score has been re-orchestrated. The staging is by Claus Guth with music direction by […]
British composer Sally Beamish finally gets to hear her new concerto performed in her native city as the London Symphony plays the U.K. premiere of Distans, a concerto for violin and clarinet. The soloist are violinist Janine Jansen and clarinetist Martin Fröst. LSO principal guest conductor will also lead the orchestra in Prokofiev’s Symphony No. […]
Directing team Hauen und Stechen have created a new production of John Adams’ Nixon in China for Deutsche Oper Berlin. With performances June 22-July 12, the production will be directed by Daniel Carter. The cast includes Kyle Miller as Chou En-lai, Thomas Lehman as Nixon, and Heidi Stober as Pat Nixon. https://deutscheoperberlin.de/en_EN/calendar/nixon-in-china.17580481
