Critical acclaim for Christopher Maltman in Das Rheingold
The reviews are in for Christopher Maltman's role debut as Wotan in Barrie Kosky's new production of Das Rheingold!
“The gods, including Wotan – sung with superb, suave power by Christopher Maltman [..].”
“Maltman is well on the way to becoming a truly great Wotan and assuming Kosky develops a conceptual framework to match his theatrical imagination, this could be a Ring to savour as it unfolds over the coming three years.”
“Christopher Maltman is a Wotan of the very highest quality, his rounded baritone projecting enormous nobility as he contemplates Valhalla. We hear that nobility but we know that it’s false, because at every turn, he displays the character of an organised crime boss, his voice frequently turning savage to match.”
“But the singing, supported by Antonio Pappano’s orchestra on brilliant form, is wonderful. Baritone Christopher Maltman’s sonorous Wotan anchors everything.”
iNews
Das Rheingold runs until 29th September. For more information and tickets, click here.
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Lise Davidsen's Christmas album announced
Lise Davidsen's Christmas album on the Decca label, Christmas From Norway is available for pre-order on all major streaming platforms and on vinyl.
Pre-save using this link.
Thomas Atkins receives outstanding critical acclaim
"Atkins himself, a fast-rising New Zealander, is in superb vocal form" THE TIMES
"Thomas Atkins has the ideal lyric tenor for the title role of Tom Rakewell, sounding bright, brilliant and supple as he commences with such optimism, only to end so ignominiously" THE STAGE
“Thomas Atkins is superb casting as Tom; his stage presence was engaging, conveying the character’s energetic naivety with lithe motions and a winning smile. Diction was clear – his singing required no consultation of the surtitles – and his pale tenor’s bright top was never strained, immaculately deployed in one of the performance’s highlights, his moving “Love Too Frequently Betrayed”. This Tom gives an air of perpetual unrest.” BACHTRACK
“There is an outstanding Tom Rakewell in New Zealand tenor Thomas Atkins, a graduate of the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, where he sang the final scene of this opera in the end-of-year showings. He has vulnerability, humour, innocence, plenty of vocal power and sings the text with impeccable clarity.” FINANCIAL TIMES
"Thomas Atkins as Tom Rakewell ticked every box. Atkins captured every downward step of the decline, slightly over-emoting at times. In quiet scenes, Atkins seems to pluck perfect notes effortlessly from the air but when needed there is an avalanche of force to his voice" LONDON UNATTACHED
“Thomas Atkins…asserts his ringing tenor to excellent effect” MUSICOMH
Christopher Maltman signs to MWA
We are thrilled to announce the signing of one of the most sought-after dramatic baritones today and Grammy Award winner Christopher Maltman, who has appeared to wide acclaim on all the major operatic stages such as the Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Wiener Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and Teatro alla Scala in Milan, to name a few. Initially associated with the works of Mozart and a globally renowned Don Giovanni, his extensive and ever-growing repertoire includes roles such as Iago Otello, Wotan in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Jochanaan Salome, Mandryka Arabella, the title role of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Orest Elektra, Amfortas Parsifal, Scarpia Tosca and Enescu’s monumental Oedipe.
This September Maltman makes his debut as Wotan Das Rheingoldi in Barrie Kosky’s eagerly anticipated new production of the Ring Cycle at the Royal Opera House. He also sings his first Scarpia at the Staatsoper Berlin and appears as Don Alfonso Cosi fan tutte, another new production by Barrie Kosky and as Leporello Don Giovanni, both at Wiener Staatsoper; and as Iago Otello at Bayerische Staatsoper.
An alumnus of the Royal Academy of Music, Maltman initially studied Biochemistry at the University of Warwick. His breakthrough performance came when he won the Lieder Prize in the 1997 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. He remains a renowned interpreter of Lieder and song. His vast and varied discography includes John Corigliano’s Grammy award-winning Ghost of Versailles from Los Angeles Opera. In 2023, Erato released Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette & Cléopâtre featuring Maltman with the Orchestre Philarmonique de Strasbourg, led by John Nelson.
Thomas Atkins stars in the Rake's Progress at Glyndebourne
Thomas Atkins stars as Tom Rakewell in the iconic production of The Rake’s Progress envisioned by David Hockney for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
Atkins, a former Glyndebourne Jerwood Young Artist, has previously appearedfor the festival as Kudrjaš Kat'a Kabanova, Tamino and First Armed Man The Magic Flute.
Future engagements include Alfredo La Traviata in Hamburg, Jose Carmen for Opera de Ruen and Pinkerton in a new production of Madama Butterfly in Copenhagen.
Find out more information about the performances of The Rake's Progress.
Freddie De Tommaso makes his US debut
Freddie De Tommaso makes his highly anticipated US debut at the Santa Fe Opera with the role that catapulted him to fame: Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca. Following the run of Tosca in Santa Fe, he will return to Arena di Verona to sing Cavaradossi on the 1st of September alongside Anna Pirozzi in the title role and as Alfredo La Traviata in the closing performance of the festival on the 9th of September,
Click here for performance dates in Santa Fe.
Elena Villalón joins MWA for worldwide management
We are thrilled to announce the signing of Cuban-American soprano Elena Villalón, one of the youngest ever winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. A recent alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Elena is already attracting major industry attention with engagements at the Metropolitan Opera, Dallas Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe, Carnegie Hall and Oper Frankfurt. Read more about Elena here
Huge acclaim for Lise Davidsen's debut as Elisabetta
On June 30th, Lise Davidsen made her debut as Elisabetta in Verdi's Don Carlo at Royal Opera House to outstanding critical and public acclaim:
“a legendary performance from Lise Davidsen” (The Evening Standard)
“Lise Davidsen is stunning as Elizabeth” ( The Telegraph)
“a tour de force of glorious singing,” (The Guardian)
"As a lesson in perfect singing, the big Act Five “Tu che le le vanità” is alone worth the price of admission.” (Arts Desk )
Davidsen is easily the most outstanding Elisabetta I’ve heard live, a luxury voice in this most luxurious of Verdi operas.” (Bachtrack)
There are four performances remaining on 6, 9, 12 and 15 July.
Lise Davidsen debuts in Don Carlo at the ROH
Lise Davidsen makes her highly anticipated debut as Elisabetta in Don Carlo in at the Royal Opera House. This marks Davidsen's double appearance this season at the ROH, following her critically acclaimed performance of Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. Alexander Köpeczi also returns to the Royal Opera House as the Monk.
Bertrand de Billy conducts Verdi’s mighty score in this revival of Nicholas Hytner’s spectacular production, steeped in the gilt and gore of Renaissance art.
Don Carlo runs from 30th June -15th July. For more details and tickets, click here.
Freddie De Tommaso returns to Arena di Verona
Following his company debut last season, Freddie De Tommaso returns to the Arena di Verona in a triple appearance: As Don José in Franco Zeffirelli's production of Carmen conducted by Daniel Oren, Alfredo in Franco Zeffirelli's production of La Traviata conducted by Marco Armiliato and Cavaradossi in Hugo de Ana's production of Tosca conducted by Francesco Ivan Ciampa.
Freddie will appear on the following dates:
Carmen
23rd June and 6th July. For more details, click here.
Tosca
1st September. For more details, click here.
La Traviata
9th September. For more details, click here.
Huw Montague Rendall debuts in Roméo et Juliette in Paris
Huw Montague Rendall returns to the Opéra national de Paris as Mercutio in Thomas Jolly's new production of Roméo et Juliette, conducted by Carlo Rizzi. Montague's remarkable season also includes Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet at the Komische Opera Berlin and his US debut as Pelléas Pelléas et Mélisande at Santa Fe Opera.
Roméo et Juliette runs from the 17th - 27th June. For more details and tickets, click here.
Jamez McCorkle returns to Spoleto Festival
Following his spectacular debut in Omar, Jamez McCorkle returns to the Spoleto Festival for a innovative presentation of Schumann's Dichterliebe. With dazzling projections and stagecraft by Miwa Matreyek, Jamez both sings and accompanies himself on the piano in Schumann's romantic masterpiece.
'A Poet's Love' runs from the May 26 - 30. For more information and tickets, click here.
Lise Davidsen and Freddie De Tommaso star at in Tosca
Lise Davidsen makes her role debut as Floria, and Freddie De Tommaso reprises his highly in-demand Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Bergen International Festival, alongside Bryn Terfel as Scarpia. In the opening performance of the Bergen International Festival this fatal trefoil takes the stage accompanied by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner.
Tosca will be performed at the Greighallen, Bergen on the 24th and 26th May. For more information, click here.
Erin Morley is Pamina at the Metropolitan Opera
Erin Morley returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Pamina in a new production of Die Zauberflöte by Simon McBurney, conducted by Nathalie Stutzmann.
"McBurney lets loose a volley of theatrical flourishes, incorporating projections, sound effects, and acrobatics to match the spectacle and drama of Mozart’s fable." Metropolitan Opera.
Die Zauberflöte runs from 19th May - 10th June. For more information and tickets, click here.
Gerald Finley and Stanislas star at the Staatsoper Berlin
Gerald Finley and Stanislas de Barbeyrac make anticipated role debuts at the Staatsoper Berlin this month in Der fliegende Holländer conducted by Matthias Pintscher. Gerald sings the title role and Stanislas sings Erik in Philipp Stölzl‘s production, which presents Wagner’s work as a colourful pirate story and an adventurous spiritual journey with some surprising twists and turns.
Der fliegende Holländer runs from 18th May - 11th June. For more information and tickets, click here.
Anna Pirozzi debuts in Medea at the Greek National Opera
Celebrated soprano Anna Pirozzi makes her house and role debut at the Greek National Opera in David McVicar's new production of Cherubini's Medea. This major international GNO co-production with three leading North American opera houses –the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Canadian Opera Company, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago is conducted by Philippe Auguin marks and celebrates the Maria Callas Centenary.
“I will have to search deep within myself for the right key to interpret that ancient, hallucinatory, wild madness that as a mother just does not belong to me. But I will give my all for this debut, which –with such an important production and in Athens– is fundamental for me.” - Anna Pirozzi
Medea runs from 25th April - 9th May at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. For more information and tickets, click here.
MWA Artists at the 2023 BBC Proms
We are thrilled to announce that Lise Davidsen will headline this year's Last Night of the BBC Proms. Alongside her, three other MWA artists: Erin Morley, Brindley Sherratt and Jacquelyn Stucker make anticipated appearances:
On the 23rd August, Jacquelyn Stucker sings Dalila for her Proms debut, and Brindley Sherratt sings Harapha in Handel’s Samson with the Academy of Ancient Music and the Philharmonia Chorus conducted by Laurence Cummings.
For more information, click here.
On the 7th September, Erin Morley makes her proms debut in Mozart’s Requiem with ensemble Pygmalion under the baton of Raphaël Pichon.
For more information, click here.
Lise Davidsen headlines the Last Night of the Proms on the 9th September with a programme featuring works by Verdi, Strauss and Wagner and more with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop. She is joined by star cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
For more information, click here.
Lise Davidsen and Erin Morley at the Metropolitan Opera
Lise Davidsen makes her highly anticipated role debut as the Marschallin, and Erin Morley returns in one of her most iconic roles: Sophie in Robert Carson’s production of Der Rosenkavalier at the Metropolitan Opera, conducted by Simone Young.
Der Rosenkavalier runs from 27th March - 20th April. For more information and tickets, click here.