Christoph Willibald Gluck News

One of the nation's most adventurous opera companies, Odyssey Opera, begins its sixth season with the U.S. premiere of La reine de Saba by French composer Charles Gounod (1818-1893). This powerful love story of the famed Queen of Sheba will be presented as a concert performance in French with English subtitles marking the Boston debut of singers Kara Shay Thomson (Queen of Sheba) and Dominick Chenes (Adoniram), and the return of Kevin Thompson (King Solomon). This kick-starts the company's 2018-19 season: a two-part journey with the first in Fall 2018 memorializing the 200th anniversary of Gounod's birth (as well as the 125th death anniversary), and the second in Winter/Spring 2019 inspired by one of the most enigmatic figures in ancient history, Helen of Troy.

Following Odyssey Opera's 2017-18 season dedicated to works inspired by Joan of Arc, Artistic and General Director Gil Rose today announced the company's 2018-19 season: a two-part journey with the first memorializing the 200th anniversary of French composer Charles Gounod's birth (as well as the 125th death anniversary), and the second inspired by one of the most enigmatic figures in ancient history, Helen of Troy. Celebrating its sixth season as one of the nation's most innovative opera companies, Odyssey Opera will present one U.S. premiere, four Boston premieres, three fully-staged productions, and two concert operas. (Please scroll down for complete details.)

Orpheus could charm the very stones with his lyre and his singing. Just such magic can be seen on the stage of Opera Theatre St. Louis when Jennifer Johnson Cano portrays the mythical superstar in the company's current production. She gives an utterly stunning performance.

The operatic spectacle Faust, Alberta explores the tragic story of Doctor Faustus and his fatal deal with Mephistopheles from a contemporary angle. A Nameless Man finds himself in a remote cabin surrounded by frozen snowfields. He doesn't know who he is nor where he is from, only that something is after him - an unstoppable machine that hunts those who fell from grace. In nine scenes, he tries to collect his memory. Triggered by snippets from his past, he slowly starts to put the pieces together. The "music-theatre metaphysical western", as composer Simone Spagnolo and librettist Giordano Trischitta describe their new work, is scored as a mono-opera for one singer and four musicians, and inspired by Wim Wenders. It asks whether we can ever escape from our past, and how to find redemption.

For the second year, Time Zone Theatre Ltd in collaboration with the Bridewell Theatre presents Opera in the City Festival. The boutique festival focuses on rarely performed classics and new, experimental works by emerging British and international artists.

MasterVoices - dedicated to celebrating the power of the human voice through the art of musical storytelling - presents two performances of a new production of Orphic Moments, in conjunction with producers Anthony Roth Costanzo and Cath Brittan. 

What would you do for just one more moment with the person you love? Seattle Opera hopes to make audience members hold their dear ones a little closer through its new chamber opera, O+E, presented in the Seattle Opera Studios. This new twist on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth is brought to life through an all-women creative team and cast of principal singers.

On March 11, 2018, Los Angeles Opera presented Christoph Willibald Gluck's ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE in conjunction with Joffrey Ballet Chicago at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Having previously presented the Italian version of the opera with a mezzo-soprano as Orfeo, L. A. Opera offered the 1774 French version with a tenor Orpheus and a great deal more dance this time

Recently, Susan T. Danis, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera, was sitting in the audience, listening to the woman in front of her commenting on the body count in the company's first two operas of the 2017-18 season, Lucia di Lammermoor and Salome.

Plácido Domingo, LA Opera's Eli and Edythe Broad General Director, has announced final details about the company's spring presentation of Christoph Willibald Gluck's landmark masterpiece, Orpheus and Eurydice, which will be conducted by James Conlon, the company's Richard Seaver Music Director. The new production, created by LA Opera in collaboration with Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Hamburg Staatsoper, is directed, choreographed and designed by John Neumeier and will feature the entire company of the Joffrey Ballet, one of the world's great dance companies.

Recently, Susan T. Danis, General Director and CEO of Florida Grand Opera, was sitting in the audience, listening to the woman in front of her commenting on the body count in the company's first two operas of the 2017-18 season, Lucia di Lammermoor and Salome.

Opera Columbus, along with co-producers Against the Grain Theatre in Toronto, Ontario and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta are developing Christoph Willibald Gluck's most famous work, Orph e et Eurydice (Berlioz version). Premiering in 1762, the opera was in the vanguard, changing the way that the musical form was experienced. Opera Columbus' interpretation of the piece while staying true to the music and feel of the Baroque original -- will place the work firmly in the 21st century with new electronic orchestration, baroque burlesque dancers, sopranos singing from silks, and aerial dancers. Most importantly, the co-producers are seeking singers of all types who are interested in becoming part of the production's virtual chorus.

Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York has selected the world-renowned opera company's premiere production of the 1774 Paris version of Gluck's Orph e et Eurydice, created by the legendary choreographer John Neumeier and featuring The Joffrey Ballet, to be part of the prestigious Great Performances series on PBS.

Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, has announced the addition of three dancers to the Joffrey's international roster for the 2017-2018 season: Olivia Duryea (Haslett, Michigan), Yuka Iwai (Iwate, Japan) and Greig Matthew (Aberdeen, Scotland).

Lyric Opera of Chicago launches its 63rd season tonight with Orph e et Eurydice by Christoph Willibald Gluck. This highly anticipated new production created by the legendary director-choreographer John Neumeier marks Lyric's first collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet.

Lyric Opera of Chicago launches its 63rd season with Orph e et Eurydice by Christoph Willibald Gluck. This highly anticipated new production created by the legendary director-choreographer John Neumeier marks Lyric's first collaboration withThe Joffrey Ballet.

Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Joffrey Ballet today announced that Joffrey will become the resident dance company at the Lyric Opera House (20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago) at the start of the 2020/21 Season.

Brooklyn Opera Works presents Echo et Narcisse on August 17 & 19, 2017 at 7:30pm at BMS Playhouse, 126 St. Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $10-25 and are available at (718) 638-5660 or www.brooklynmusicschool.org.

MasterVoices - dedicated to the art of musical storytelling and celebrating the power of the human voice - announces its 2017-18 season.

Brooklyn Opera Works presents Echo et Narcisse on August 17 & 19, 2017at 7:30pm at BMS Playhouse, 126 St. Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY.