Bolshoi Theatre Offers Baroque Opera In 2015-16 Season

Rebecca Evans as Rodelinda in the Richard Jones production this season at ENO (Photo: Clive Barda)

"The Bolshoi Theater's 2015-2016 season, which was announced at a press conference Wednesday, will include a number of new stagings and modern productions in both opera and ballet. In the first half of the season, the Bolshoi will debut a children's opera, “The Fables of The Vixen, The Duckling, and Balda.” The production will combine three operas about fairy tales — Sergei Prokofiev's The Ugly Duckling, Igor Stravinsky's Renard, and Alexander Pravednikov's The Tale of the Priest and his Workman Balda. The opera will be conducted by Dmitry Belyanushkin, who also directed last year's children's opera The Legend of Kai and Gerda. Musical director Tugan Sokhiev told attendees at the conference that the opera will include 'interactive elements.' Also in October, the Bolshoi will premiere a program that includes both the Nutcracker Suite and the opera Iolanta, a realization of Tchaikovsky's initial plans for the two productions to be performed on a single bill. In December, the Bolshoi New Stage will feature a production of Handel's Rodelina in collaboration with the English National Opera, a rare staging of a baroque opera at the theater. In the spring, the theater will offer a new production of Donizetti's opera-buffa Don Pasquale, under the direction of Timofei Kulyabin, who was fired for his modern staging of Wagner's Tannahauser at the Novosibirsk Opera and

Diana Damrau Makes Late Entry Into Kristian Schuller MET Photos

(Click on all images to enlarge)

When the MET announced its 2015-16 season, their online brochure featured gorgeous photographs by Kristian Schuller for their new productions. One conspicuous omission was no photo of any artist for the new production of Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles featuring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, and Mariusz Kwiecień. Perhaps because it is a co-production originally created by English National Opera? Although the Manon Lescaut is a co-production with Baden-Baden Festival and Kristine Opolais made the brochure deadline. Whatever the reason, the MET has released the promotional photo featuring the soprano as Leïla. A photo of Diana Damrau working with Kristian Schuller, as well as other high resolution images by the photographer for the new season, after the jump.

Kristian Schuller Is New Metropolitan Opera Brochure Photographer

Kristine Opolais as Manon Lescaut by 
Kristian Schuller for MET 2015-16 season

On February 18, 2015, The Metropolitan Opera announced its 2015-16 season. As new productions and artist debuts were heralded, something else was new in the presentation: the photographer. In previous seasons, photographer Brigitte Lacombe was tasked with capturing opera stars in costume for upcoming new productions via lavish photo shoots for the brochure. Now we look through the lens of Paris-based fashion photographer Kristian Schuller. He was born in Hălchiu, Romania, on December 24, 1970. His grandfather was a priest in Cata and his father is the controversial playwright and director Frieder Schuller. He emigrated with his parents and brother to Germany at an early age, growing up in Bonn and Düsseldorf. Interested in fashion since youth, he began to study clothing design with Vivienne Westwood in 1997. Within the next five years she would take him to France to introduce him to the world of fashion shows and the atmosphere of Paris. It was during this time that he discovered an interest in photography. He studied with F.C. Gundlach at the University of Fine Arts Berlin and decided to combine his two loves to become

Lens Meister: Photographer Kristian Schuller seen
with Metropolitan Opera star Anna Netrekbo
during a photo shoot for Deutsche Grammophon

a fashion photographer. In 2003, English fashion editor Isabella Row brought him to Condé Nast Publications in London. Here he had the opportunity to shoot top models like Gisele Buendchen, Amber Arbucci, and Heidi Klum in original and creative settings for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Glamour. He married his partner Peggy, who serves as a designer and stylist for his shoots, in 2007. They collaborate on the process for new series. At the beginning he makes rough sketches of ideas for sets and costumes. His inspiration comes from old photographs, art history, and films (particularly those by Federico Fellini). He has stated that his work is also influenced by theater experiences in childhood. Once the initial concept is done, he works with Peggy on locations, models, hairstyles, make-up, and clothing. By 2010 he was serving as a guest judge on Heidi Klum's television show Germany's Next Top Model. That same year he released his first book, 90 Days, One Dream. He photographed actress Penelope Cruz for Campari's 2013 calendar. Most recently he is known in the world of opera for photographing soprano Anna Netrebko for her Verdi album of arias on Deutsche Grammophon. Another of his captivating photos appears on the cover of her latest release: Vier letzte lieder by Richard Strauss. Learn more about the photographer on his official website and look at fashion images on his Instagram account. Examine the whole season and brochure photos at the official site of the MET. See a plethora of extra images from the 2015-16 season of The Metropolitan Opera as captured by Kristian Schuller, as well as two bonus shots, after the jump. [Source, Source, Source, Source]

Sondra Radvanovsky captured by Kristian Schuller in the photo shoot for Roberto Devereux

Kristian Schuller in the photo shoot for Roberto Devereux

Renée Fleming Heads The Line-Up Of New Productions At MET

Renée Fleming under the hot pursuit of Nathan Gunn (Photo: Brigitte Lacombe/Metropolitan Opera)

The Metropolitan Opera announced its 2014-15 season today. Check out the online brochure here. Several new productions are added to the repertoire and many works created under the Peter Gelb regime will be revived. The New Year's Eve Gala will be focused on

Susan Stroman's new interpretation of Franz Lehár's 110-year old operetta Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow as it will be performed in English) starring mega-star Renée Fleming in her role debut as Hanna. "The Merry Widow is an operetta by the Austro–Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband – on an 1861 comedy play, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché) by Henri Meilhac. The operetta has enjoyed extraordinary international success since its 1905 premiere in Vienna and continues to be frequently revived and recorded. Film and other adaptations have also been made. Well-known music from the score includes the 'Vilja Song,' 'Da geh' ich zu Maxim' ('You'll Find Me at Maxim's'), and the 'Merry Widow Waltz'. The operetta was first performed at the

Theater an der Wien in Vienna on December 30, 1905, with Mizzi Günther as Hanna, Louis Treumann as Danilo, Siegmund Natzler as Baron Zeta and Annie Wünsch as Valencienne. It was Lehár's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era. Lehár subsequently made changes for productions in London in 1907 (two new numbers), and Berlin in the 1920s, but the definitive version is basically that of the original production. The operetta toured Austria and in 1906 enjoyed productions in Hamburg's Neues Operetten-Theater, Berlin's Berliner Theater (starring Gustav Matzner as Danilo and Marie Ottmann as Hanna, who made the first complete recording in 1907), and Budapest's Magyar Szinhaz. Its English adaptation by Basil Hood, with lyrics by Adrian Ross, became

a sensation in London in 1907 and ran for an extraordinary 778 performances, followed by extensive British tours. The first performance in Paris was at the Théâtre Apollo on April 28, 1909. Many international productions, as well as revivals followed, as did sequels, spoofs and film versions. http://www.musicals101.com/widowhist3.htm. The operetta originally had no overture; Lehár wrote one for the Vienna Philharmonic to perform at his 70th birthday concert in April 1940." [Source] For a full synopsis, click here. 

The Metropolitan Opera 2012-13 Official Season Brochure

Now available online, click here to view the whole season brochure complete with videos of Bartlett Sher, David McVicar, Robert Lepage, David Alden and more, discussing their respective new works. Also included are photos of the performers in costume for their roles next year. 

Angela Gheorghiu In Director's Chair (Literally) For Cinema News

Angela Gheorghiu with Sergei Polunin and
Lauren Cuthbertson celebrate the launch
together. (Photo: Nigel Norrington)

"More than 700 cinemas across the world will screen performances from Covent Garden as part of Royal Opera House Cinema, a new venture that was launched yesterday evening. Angela Gheorghiu with Sergei Polunin and Lauren Cuthbertson celebrate the launch of The Royal Opera House's cinema season. It is the first time that Royal Opera and Royal Ballet productions have been broadcast by ROH exclusively. The 2011/12 programme will feature ten shows, five broadcast live and five recently recorded. Tony Hall, ROH chief executive, said: 'What we love about cinema is making what we do here available to as many people as we can – great art, great opera and ballet should be for everybody. If you are thinking, that sounds a little bit pie, it’s also great fun and why shouldn’t people enjoy themselves as they do here too.' The season will open with Faust on September 28 and also includes Adriana Lecouvreur, Tosca, Cendrillon, Il Trittico, Madame Butterfly and Rigoletto, all by the Royal Opera, and the Royal Ballet’s productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet and La Fille Mal Gardee. Soprano Angela Gheorghiu will star in the first three opera productions of the cinema season, taking the title roles in Adriana Lecouvreur and Tosca and playing Marguerite in Faust." [Source]

Opéra National de Paris Announces 2011-12 season

Soprano Inva Mula

With performances at the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille, the Opéra National de Paris has announced the opera season for 2011-2012. Their website has a very impressive video presentation for each opera offered with commentary by directors, administration and singers. Check out the videos here. There is also an extra bonus performance of soprano Inva Mula singing Marguerite's music including excerpts from "Il etait un roi" and "Ah! je ris de me voir si belle en ce miroir" from Gounod's Faust. Watch the performance here. For more information about the Opéra National de Paris, click here. The complete season listing for all the operas being performed next season is after the jump.

Hungarian State Opera House Announces 2011-12 Season

Highlights of the season include the opening performance of Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, 93 years after its premiere at the Hungarian State Opera, with a 3D production by Renzo Cerbo; Costume designer Ivan Stefanutti brings to life a production of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, an opera not seen at the house since 1991; conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson leads Mozart's Don Giovanni; beginning in January 2012, Achim Freyer (director, costumes and stage designer) will begin four-

Peter Gelb's wife will conduct

year cycle of Wagner's Ring; not seen since 1934, Strauss's Arabella will return to the opera house; a presentation of the 1757 version of Rameau's Hippolyte et Aricie in June 2012. The company will feature repertory pieces of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. Big names featured next season include Leo Nucci and Charles Castronova in Rigoletto and Johan Botha in performances of Tannhäuser. [Source]