Tagged with 'opera'

Work of the Week – Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Violanta

By Christopher Peter
18 Jan 2026

Digital illustration of a nocturnal Venetian scene featuring dark palazzos and the Rialto Bridge silhouette. Vibrant red waves with musical notes flow across the canal. On the right, a vintage black-and-white portrait of young Erich Wolfgang Korngold

From prodigy to master: Erich Wolfgang Korngold's "Violanta" premieres on January 25, 2026, at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Experience a psychological drama of revenge and passion, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles.

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Work of the Week – Huang Ruo: The Monkey King

By Christopher Peter
9 Nov 2025

Portrait of composer Huang Ruo in a dark setting. He is seated on a red velvet sofa wearing a grey suit, holding a pencil and looking thoughtful. Crumpled papers lie on the floor in front of him.

The San Francisco Opera is set to present the highly anticipated world premiere of Huang Ruo’s opera The Monkey King (Libretto: David Henry Hwang) on November 14, 2025. Based on the Chinese epic Journey to the West, the work tells the story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King , who, after a revolt against Heaven, comes to the crucial realization that true power lies in self-enlightenment. The production combines Huang Ruo's innovative "Dimensionalism" aesthetic with elements of Peking opera and visionary puppetry by MacArthur Genius Basil Twist. Directed by Tony winner Diane Paulus and conducted by Carolyn Kuan, The Monkey King is the perfect prelude to the composer's young, strategic partnership with Schott Music.

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Work of the Week – Ludger Vollmer: Rummelplatz

By Christopher Peter
14 Sep 2025

Artistic, stylized depiction of composer Ludger Vollmer. He stands in the foreground, smiling faintly, against a surreal, red-toned landscape featuring smoking factories, rolling hills, and a winding road, atmospherically hinting at the setting of "Rummel

A new opera based on Werner Bräunig's unvarnished post-war novel, a commissioned work for Chemnitz 2025.

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Work of the Week – Toshio Hosokawa: Natasha

By Christopher Peter
10 Aug 2025

Composer Toshio Hosokawa, with dark side-parted hair, a light shirt, and a dark blazer, stands with arms crossed, looking into the camera. Behind him, hooded figures walk through a sea of dark garbage bags

On August 11, 2025, the New National Theatre Tokyo will host the world premiere of a remarkable new opera: Natasha by Toshio Hosokawa. Under the musical direction of Kazushi Ono and staged by Christian Räth, this opera confronts some of the most pressing issues of our time.

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Work of the Week – Ludger Vollmer: Frühlings Erwachen

By Christopher Peter
15 Jun 2025

Collage with crumpled light paper in the background, overlaid with yellow and white spring flowers. On the right, a black-and-white portrait of Ludger Vollmer with glasses and a friendly expression.

A new opera about youth, sexuality, and social taboos: world premiere with young performers in Hamburg.

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Work of the Week – Anthony Davis: The Central Park Five

4 May 2025

African American composer Anthony Davis sits front in a black suit and white shirt, holding glasses. In the background: a dim scene from The Central Park Five at Dallas Opera with five young men in motion.

A true story of injustice turned into opera: Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five brings five falsely convicted teenagers to the stage – in May 2025 a new orchestral version premieres at Detroit Opera.

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Work of the Week – Richard Wagner: Parsifal

By Christopher Peter
6 Apr 2025

Collage showing a golden, steaming Holy Grail in the foreground, surrounded by blue smoke and glowing particles. On the right, a sepia-toned portrait of Richard Wagner.

Wagner’s Parsifal returns to Goetheanum Dornach (Switzerland) in April – with the Schott edition, a star cast and a new book exploring the production.

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Work of the Week – Gregory Spears: Fellow Travelers

By Christopher Peter
23 Mar 2025

A stylized portrait of composer Gregory Spears. He stands with his arms crossed against a blurred background of a classical theater with curtains and balconies. The image has a soft greenish tint.

A forbidden love in 1950s Washington: Gregory Spears’s Fellow Travelers makes its European premiere. Discover why this operatic gem is hailed as a modern classic!

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Work of the Week – Gerald Barry: Salome

By Christopher Peter
10 Mar 2025

Composer Gerald Barry sits at an old piano with several sheet music pages spread out on it. He wears a dark blue shirt and looks into the camera with a serious expression.

Gerald Barry’s new opera Salome breathes new life into the scandalous biblical legend – bold, surprising, and musically thrilling. Experience this world-premiere opera event in Magdeburg!

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Work of the Week – Jacques Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann

By Christopher Peter
20 Jan 2025

An artistically edited portrait of Jacques Offenbach in front of a background featuring painted colorful glasses in various shapes. The vibrant color palette emphasizes shades of violet and green.

Les Contes d'Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach premieres on January 20 in Strasbourg. Learn more about the work and the new production in our Work of the Week!

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