Ukraine orchestra's leader debuts at Met with Russian opera
Hers were the guiding hands that molded the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, an ensemble founded as a musical statement of defiance against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Three weeks later, “I was supposed to go to Odessa to conduct, and instead I met Peter in London,” she said. He contacted the head of the Polish National Opera, and together they arranged funding and tour dates for the new orchestra. And coming out of COVID.”With only 10 days to rehearse together in Warsaw before launching the tour, Wilson recalled, “The first day was quite rough, and we just played Dvořák’s 'New World Symphony.' For Wilson, jumping right into rehearsals at the Met after the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra’s final concert eased the pain of separation.
wftv.comDropped by Met, Netrebko to sing at Monte Carlo Opera – WFTV
Soprano Anna Netrebko has been hired by the Monte Carlo Opera to sing this month following the Metropolitan Opera's decision to drop her for failing to repudiate Russia President Vladimir Putin. The Monte Carlo Opera said Thursday that Netrebko will sing the title role in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" in performances on April 22, 24, 27 and 30. Netrebko was to have sung five performances in a revival of Puccini's “Turandot” at the Met in New York from April 30 to May 14. She was replaced by Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska for Turandot and by Italian soprano Eleonora Buratto for a revival of Verdi's “Don Carlo” at the Met from Nov. 3-19. Netrebko, who is from Krasnodar, received the People’s Artist of Russia honor from Putin in 2008.
wftv.comRenée Fleming to portray Pat Nixon at Paris Opera in 2023
NEW YORK — (AP) — American soprano Renée Fleming is to make rare operatic appearances as Pat Nixon in a new production of John Adams' “Nixon in China” at the Paris Opera next season. The opera is to be given eight performances at the Bastille from March 25 to April 16, 2023, the company said Wednesday. Music director Gustavo Dudamel will conduct a cast that includes baritone Thomas Hampson as Nixon and soprano Kathleen Kim as Madame Mao. Fleming returns to New York's Metropolitan Opera for the staged premiere of Kevin Puts' "The Hours," which opens Nov. 22 in the first of eight performances through Dec. 15. Soprano Anna Netrebko, dropped by the Metropolitan Opera for failing to repudiate Russian President Vladimir Putin, is to sing Leonora in a revival of Verdi's “La Forza del Destino” on Dec. 12 and 21 at the Bastille.
wftv.comRussian soprano Anna Netrebko to resume performing in May
BERLIN — (AP) — Russian soprano Anna Netrebko said Wednesday that she plans to resume performing in late May after announcing in the early days of the war in Ukraine that she was taking a “step back” from the stage. “This is not a time for me to make music and perform,” Netrebko said back then. This should be a free choice.”Netrebko received the People’s Artist of Russia honor from Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2008. “After taking my announced break, I will resume performing in late May, initially in Europe,” she said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comAnna Netrebko out of Met Opera over her support of Putin
Met Opera-Netrebko FILE - Russian soprano Anna Netrebko bows to the audience at the end of La Scala opera house's gala season opener, Giacomo Puccini's opera "Tosca" at the Milan La Scala theater, Italy, on Dec. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) (Luca Bruno)NEW YORK — (AP) — Soprano Anna Netrebko withdrew from her future engagements at the Metropolitan Opera rather than repudiate her support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, costing the company one of its top singers and best box-office draws. “It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” Met General Manager Peter Gelb said in a statement Thursday. “Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward.”Gelb had said Sunday that the Met would not engage artists who support Putin. The Met said Netrebko also will be replaced as Elisabetta in Verdi's “Don Carlo” for five performances from Nov. 3-19.
wftv.comAnna Netrebko out of Met Opera over her support of Putin
Soprano Anna Netrebko withdrew from her future engagements at the Metropolitan Opera rather than repudiate her support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, costing the company one of its top singers and best box-office draws. “It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” Met General Manager Peter Gelb said in a statement Thursday. “Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward.”
news.yahoo.comMet Opera shares 2022-23 season, Netrebko not in 'Lohengrin'
Met Opera Season This artist rendering released by the Metropolitan Opera shows a set design by Tim Yip for François Girard's new production of Wagner's "Lohengrin," which is among seven new stagings the company announced Wednesday for its 2022-23 season. Next season includes seven new-to-the Met productions, the most since 2012-13. The Met, which resumes its season Monday following a scheduled four-week break, lost the entire 2020-21 season because of the pandemic. “It’s sort of like three-dimensional chess.”The Met said in October 2017 that Netrebko would star in three co-productions with Moscow’s Bolshoi Opera. David McVicar directs “Medea” and “Fedora,” raising his Met productions to 13.
wftv.comMasked Milanese fill La Scala for gala premiere of 'Macbeth'
Italy La Scala Opening Italian esthetic surgeon Dvora Ancona arrives for the premiere of Verdi's Macbeth at La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Masked guests packed the opera house to capacity, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella in the royal box festooned with pink and red roses. Fashion stalwart Giorgio Armani, senator-for-life Liliana Segre and La Scala's own, principal dancer Roberto Bolle, also attended Tuesday's gala. “Macbeth” completes La Scala music director Riccardo Chailly’s trilogy of young Verdi opera’s after “Giovanna d’Arca” in 2015 and “Attila” in 2018. Livermore, in his fourth consecutive La Scala premiere, set the Shakespearean tragedy in a contemporary city of skyscrapers.
wftv.comDespite pandemic, famed Italian theater opens season
MILAN — (AP) — While many European theaters remain closed due to the pandemic, the famed Teatro alla Scala on Tuesday opened its new season with the gala premiere of Verdi’s “Macbeth” to a fully seated house. “Macbeth” completed music director Riccardo Chailly’s trilogy of young Verdi opera’s after “Giovanna d’Arca” in 2015 and “Attila” in 2018. Livermore, in his fourth consecutive La Scala premiere, set the Shakespearean tragedy in a contemporary city of skyscrapers, with video images projecting a dystopian fate as it falls to Macbeth’s tyranny. Netrebko, who stunned with a dreamlike ballet performance in the third act, was the first to defend the staging. Both she and Salsi said they saw the modern interpretation as the future of opera.
wftv.comAnna Netrebko needs shoulder surgery, cancels performances
Music-Netrebko-Surgery FILE - Russian soprano Anna Netrebko bows to the audience at the end of La Scala opera house's gala season opener, Giacomo Puccini's opera "Tosca" at the Milan La Scala theater, Italy, on Dec. 7, 2019. Netrebko needs shoulder surgery and has canceled performances in Verdi’s “Nabucco” at the Vienna State Opera. The 50-year-old was to have sung Abigaille on Nov. 1, 6, 9 and 12, the first three with Amartuvshin Enkhbat in the title role and the last with Plácido Domingo (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File) (Luca Bruno)Soprano Anna Netrebko needs shoulder surgery and has canceled performances in Verdi's “Nabucco” at the Vienna State Opera. The 50-year-old was to have sung Abigaille on Nov. 1, 6, 9 and 12, the first three with Amartuvshin Enkhbat in the title role and the last with Plácido Domingo. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comMet Opera cuts season by 3 1/2 months, to shorten some shows
NEW YORK The Metropolitan Opera season is getting shorter, along with some of its shows. Social distancing and grand opera do not mix, Met general manager Peter Gelb said. The pandemic caused the Met to stop its season on March 12, forcing cancellation of the final 58 of 217 originally scheduled performances. There are 130 staged performances of 15 operas in the new schedule, down from the 218 performances of 23 operas that had been announced. This will be the fewest Met staged productions since a low of 14 in the lockout-delayed 1980-81 season, when there were 112 staged performances.