Critic's choice
Greek National Opera - season 2024-2025
The 2024/25 season of the Greek National Opera will open with a remarkable international co-production with the famous Aix-en-Provence Opera Festival and the Opéra national de Paris. The double bill will feature Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride, under the direction of the acclaimed Russian director Dmitri Tcherniakov.
The new productions of the season also include the opera by Rachmaninoff Aleko directed by the unique Fanny Ardant, Verdi’s La forza del destino directed by Rodoula Gaitanou, the unknown gem by Spyridon-Filiskos Samaras Flora mirabilis directed by Yannis Skourletis, and Puccini’s operatic swan song Turandot directed by Andrei Şerban, with sets and costumes designed by internationally acclaimed Greek designer Chloe Obolensky.
The GNO Ballet will present two new productions –Tchaikovsky, choreographed by Cayetano Soto, and the Golden Age, directed, choreographed and with sets designed by Konstantinos Rigos–, as well as a revival of the classical ballet Don Quixote, choreographed by Thiago Bordin.
The GNO is bringing back its outstanding co-production of Lucia di Lammermoor with the Royal Opera House in London directed by Katie Mitchell, La bohème in the staging by renowned Graham Vick, Bluebeard’s Castle under the direction of Themelis Glynatsis, and Rigoletto directed by Katerina Evangelatos.
A new musical director of the Orchestre National de Lille!
2024-2025 will be Joshua Weilerstein's first season as Musical Director. The new program promises to be eclectic, exciting and powerful! The conductor will lead four major concerts: Mahler's 5th Symphony opens the season, before returning to an astonishing transatlantic concert in October with Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, composed during his American exile. Finally, in March, don't miss the gripping Symphony no. 13, “Babi Yar”, co-produced with the Philharmonie de Paris.
Concerto for peace - Omar Harfouch
As part of a European tour, Omar Harfouch will perform his original creation “Concerto for peace” at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées on September 18th, in a private concert attended by a host of VIPs.
A committed man, philanthropist, pianist and composer, Omar Harfouch will be accompanied by the Orchestre symphonique Béziers Méditerranée led by conductor Mathieu Bonnin. With his Concerto for peace, Omar Harfouch proposes a 17-minute movement: 17 minutes during which he wishes to transport his audience into a bubble of peace, where classical and oriental instruments coexist harmoniously.
Omar Harfouch will play other pieces of his own composition, co-orchestrated with his childhood friend Houtaf Khoury, such as “La Fantaisie Orientale” and “Save one Life, you save the humanity”, whose title is taken from a phrase common to the Koran and the Torah:
“Whoever saves one life, it is as if he had saved all of humanity”.
Through his music, Omar Harfouch (born in Lebanon and a victim of the horrors of war) urges us to rise above our cultural, political and religious differences, to come together and defend the peace that is so essential to our lives.
Wratislavia Cantans Festival : from 5th to 15th September 2024
Established in 1965 as an oratorio-cantata festival, this Polish festival still focusses on the human voice, hosted by the concert halls of the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, plus historic buildings there and in nearby Lower Silesian towns.
Themed Migrations, the 2024 edition’s rich complement of guest artists is looking especially full of interesting period repertoire specialists – names such as harpsichordist Jean Rondeau, mandolinist Avi Avital, soprano Julia Lezhneva, and musicologist recorder players Pedro Memelsdorff and Arlequin Philosophe. The many ensembles meanwhile include Collegium Vocale 1704 and Collegium 1704, State Ensemble of Georgian Folk Song Basiani.
The NFM resident ensembles of course also feature prominently: the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic with Christoph Eschenbach, the NFM Choir, the NFM Boys’ and Girls’ choirs, the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble, and the NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra.
Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival : from 5th to 15th September 2024
The Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival is an annual celebration of Baroque music and opera, held in the picturesque town of Bayreuth, Germany. This festival focuses on the rich tradition of Baroque opera, featuring works from composers such as Nicola Antonia Porpora, Leonardo Vinci, Georg Friedrich Handel and Claudio Monteverdi.
Held in the Margravial Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its exquisite Rococo architecture, the festival offers a unique experience by showcasing performances in a historical setting that enhances the authenticity of the Baroque music experience. The opera house, with its opulent design and excellent acoustics, provides an ideal venue for these historically informed performances.
Since its inception only 4 years ago, the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival has attracted an international array of artists, musicians, and audiences who appreciate the meticulous attention to historical accuracy in both musical performance and stage production. The festival not only revives forgotten masterpieces of the Baroque era but also explores lesser-known works, offering a platform for rare gems of the repertoire.
The Oper! Awards, a prestigious annual event recognizing excellence in the world of opera, recently honored the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival with the title of "Best Festival 2024." This accolade is a testament to the festival's exceptional contributions to the opera world, particularly in its dedication to Baroque music and historically informed performances.