Rusalka and La tragedie de Carmen by English Touring Opera

Of their two tours per year, English Touring Opera tends to channel the majority of the budget into the Spring season, and the Autumn tour – despite a focus in recent years on some high-quality Baroque chamber works, which lend themselves well to the size of the venues around the UK which the company visits – can be rather noticeably the poor relation.

Elektra at Royal Opera House

“Opera directing is very different to theatre directing”, says Charles Edwards, director of Elektra at the Royal Opera House this season. “It has to be the music that motivates you”. For this production, he works with Mark Elder, “an extraordinarily theatrically-minded conductor who sees theatre in everything he hears”.

In a Man’s World, Poison Is Her Best Revenge

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/arts/music/03borg.html

Opera Cleveland’s ‘Hansel and Gretel’ at State Theatre was performance of charm, grace, musical depth

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/122561826947620.xml&coll=2

Tale of a fallen woman stands out for style

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d0e82dba-a773-11dd-865e-000077b07658.html

Getting a Handel on Baroque music

http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/performing_arts/story/867169.html

Works of Richard Strauss

The following are performances of major works by Richard Strauss. Click the appropriate link to access.

Wagner Duets: Nilsson and Hotter, Polaski and Botha

A few years ago EMI released a recording of Wagner duets with Placido Domingo and Deborah Voigt.

The Tsar’s Bride by OONY

What opera contains a terrific overture, a wedding sextet, two murderous magical potions, a mad scene for coloratura soprano, a magnificent a cappella aria for contralto, dozens of glorious melodies and lots of nifty choral writing?

Blond Leading the Blond: Scandinavia Times Three

I was just itching to experience the new Oslo Opera House ever since I saw the pictures of its grand opening (ahead of schedule, thank-you-very-much) last April.