Composer

Bottesini

San Carlo Theatre

It’s basically your classic Romeo and Juliet story but gets even trickier when a third wheel is introduced to the mix. High priestess Norma is in love with Roman proconsule Pollione, under whose command Norma’s land has been invaded and her people subjected to Roman rule. Despite fighting on opposite fronts, they not only have fallen in love, but have had two children in secret. No one can know of Norma’s and Pollione’s relationship, for this would mean Norma’s political fall from grace. When Pollione falls in love with the young priestess Adalgisa, Norma is deeply hurt and angered. The events take a tragic and fatal turn. 

Norma, especially in its concert version, has a long-standing tradition. As one of the most important works of the bel canto repertoire, it has been established as the diamond standard for a soprano’s vocal and dramatic prowess. Recordings of the aria “Casta diva” have been made famous by the likes of Maria Callas and Edita Gruberova.

With Lisette Oropesa, who will sing the title role for the very first time, the new generation of singers has found just the perfect someone to continue the legacy of grand soprano art. Known to the Savonlinna Opera Festival audience for her stellar performance in the 2023 production of Roméo et Juliette, Lisette has since continued to grace the world’s leading opera houses, firmly establishing herself as one of the true superstars of the operatic stage.

Norma & Lisette Oropesa

Olavinlinna

Praised internationally for his commanding stage presence and vocal artistry, Italian bass-baritone Nicola Alaimo makes a welcome appearance at Wigmore Hall in a program that brings together the wit, elegance and lyricism of early 19th-century Italian song.

Donizetti & Friends: Nicola Alaimo and Carlo Rizzi with Hetty Snell

Wigmore Hall, London

A grand decorative opera on the one hand: ancient saga! War between Rome and Gaul, but Norma is also a psychologically fine-grained chamber play about a highly complex woman in the throes of terrible conflicts: Norma, high priestess of the Druids and mistress of the Roman proconsul Pollione. When she is betrayed, this "Casta Diva", this "chaste goddess" is determined to take revenge. It all ends terribly: a love-death burning at the stake! The madness, ecstasy and beauty of total bel canto!

NORMA

Max-Joseph-Platz

Under the inspired baton of conductor Naomi Woo and accompanied by the Orchestre de l’Agora, the artists of the Atelier lyrique will take the stage to perform the defining highlights of their journey. This unique program, free of a formal narrative, is designed to showcase the excellence, vibrant personality, and remarkable artistic growth of each talent.

Gran finale

Place des Arts

Harpsichordist Justin Taylor will offer a suspended moment around Chopin, echoing the literary voice of Léonor de Récondo, writer and violinist, whose unique journey opens a sensitive dialogue with the composer's universe. Her new novel, Marcher dans tes pas, was published by L'Iconoclaste in 2025. An inspired evening, at the crossroads of imagination.

Justin Taylor & Léonor de Récondo

Opéra Comédie

Janse Barkley, tenor

Northwestern Bienen School of Music

Known for her radiant voice and deeply expressive artistry, acclaimed soprano Larisa Martínez takes listeners on a journey of passion, poetry, and vibrant musical storytelling as this program explores love in all its forms, from quiet reflection to exuberant celebration.

EPSG:4326

Larisa Martinez, soprano

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Margot Hall, soprano

Teatro Lirico d’Europe and the Connecticut Virtuosi presents the Tribute to Pavarotti concert program with projections that tell the story of each piece will feature highlights from: Giordano ANDREA CHÉNIER, Bellini NORMA, Verdi IL TROVATORE, Puccini TOSCA, Verdi LA TRAVIATA, Donizetti LA FILLE DU REGIMENT, Puccini LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST, Puccini TURANDOT, and other operas associated with the great tenor’s career plus several romanzas and canzones that Pavarotti’s popularity brought to the attention of the entire world!

Tribute to Pavarotti

First Presbyterian Church of Hartford

A series of events featuring young artists from the Academy of Advanced Studies, designed to introduce the public to musical theater

Pentagramma Ducale

Doge's Palace

The will to resist the Roman is growing among the Galls, and Norma should finally give the sign for an uprising against the oppressor in the name of the god of war. But she hesitates due to a conflict of conscience: despite her vow of chastity, Norma has two children, hidden from the public, fathered by the Roman Pollione. When she finds out that Pollione loves the novice Adalgisa and wants to run away with her, her situation seems hopeless. If she reveals her double life, she risks not only her own standing, but that of her children as well.

Norma

Bebelplatz

Oluwatoni “Toni” John is a graduating senior at WashU studying history with minors in music and applied linguistics. Although she grew up singing, she more concretely began her vocal journey in her sixth-grade choir class. Every year since then, she has sung in school and district choirs. At WashU, she has been a member of Concert Choir and has taken voice lesson with Tamara Campbell since her freshman year. Toni also founded, leads, and arranges for Unending Praise Gospel Choir, WashU’s premier a cappella gospel choir. The group has performed at events including Black Convocation, WashU’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations, and various others. After graduation, Toni plans to take a gap year before enrolling in a Ph.D. program in African studies.

Oluwatoni John, Senior Minor Recital, voice

560 Music Center

Norah Bernstein, soprano

Featuring our Young Artists Competition winners and cinematic favorites. The music of the movies!

The Magic of Cinema

Maryland Hall

They are the most famous pair of lovers of all time: Romeo and Juliet. The Italian bel canto composer Vincenzo Bellini created a particularly beautiful operatic version of their tragic story, whose melodious and captivating work will be performed by the Hamburg Ensemble Resonanz, the WDR Radio Choir, and a top-class line-up of soloists on stage in the Great Hall.

Bellini: The Capulets and the Montecchio / Richard Minasi

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

The acclaimed production by Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito returns — a staging that delves deep into the supposedly superficial characters. The story of Amina, a sleepwalker wrongly accused of betrayal, is brought to life by a bel canto dream cast featuring Helene Schneiderman, Catriona Smith, Charles Sy, and Claudia Muschio.

La sonnambula

Stuttgart Opera

La Sonnambula

Trinity-St. Paul's United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts

Juan Diego Flórez

Teatro alla Scala

Lyric Opera soloists of the Teatro alla Scala Academy

I Puritani was Vincenzo Bellini's last opera – a shining example of the beauty and drama of the bel canto tradition. The work was written for four of the foremost singers of the time, and its power rests largely on the singers' technical brilliance and expressiveness.

Here we see how the thin veil of reason can easily be torn – and madness takes over. In the demanding lead roles we hear a world-leading quartet: Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee as Elvira and Arturo, lovers torn apart by the chaos of civil war, Artur Ruciński as the jealous Riccardo, and Christian Van Horn as the warm-hearted Giorgio.

Opera (live) at the cinema: I Puritani

Umeå Folkets Hus

Composer and librettist Scott Eyerly brings a fresh approach to the Mahaiwe’s Met lectures. He combines his experience as a teacher at The Juilliard School with a wide range of creative accomplishments – from his comic opera My Life Online, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, to his musical comedy Pooch, produced in workshop at Seagle Music Festival. Eyerly’s lively talks are drawing novices and cognoscenti alike.

Scott Eyerly’s Virtual Met Opera Lecture: Bellini’s I Puritani

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

During the Twelfth Night weekend, Norrlandsoperan" class="css-u850">Norrlandsoperan opens its doors for a glittering, high-class opera gala with carefully selected treats for opera connoisseurs and beginners alike. Swedish rising star Rebecka Wallroth makes her debut at Norrlandsoperan and as the male counterpart we hear the well-known tenor Per Lindström.

The evening begins in the good spirit of La Scala with Italian splendor. Rebecka Wallroth sets the tone with the famous Rossini aria “Una voce poco fa” from The Barber of Seville followed by the duet “Un soave non so che” from Cinderella by the same composer. This is followed by another soprano number from the bel canto repertoire, this time from Bellini’s opera I Capuleti ei Montecchi . The first set is rounded off in grand style by Per Lindström with Puccini’s beloved tenor arias “E lucevan le stelle” from Tosca and “Che gelida manina” from La Bohème.

Thirteenth Day Concert

Norrlandsoperan

For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals. On New Year’s Eve, the curtain goes up on the first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years—a striking staging by Charles Edwards, who makes his company directorial debut after many successes as a set designer. The Met has assembled a world-beating quartet of stars, conducted by Marco Armiliato, for the demanding principal roles. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee are Elvira and Arturo, brought together by love and torn apart by the political rifts of the English Civil War, with baritone Artur Ruciński as Riccardo, betrothed to Elvira against her will, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Elvira’s sympathetic uncle, Giorgio.

I Puritani

Lincoln Center

New Year's Eve concert

Kurpark Bad Oeynhausen

Konzerthalle, Bad Salzuflen

Brakel Town Hall

Bünde Town Hall

Kurhaus, Hamm

Stadtpark Schützenhof Hangül GmbH

Sporthalle Marne

Minden City Theater

St. Ambrosius, Ostbevern

Paderhalle Paderborn

Cultura - Sparkassentheater on the Ems

Hall at the gymnasium

Our singers together with the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra set off acoustic fireworks at the "Great New Year's Eve Concert" in Duisburg Theatre, which brings the year to an amusing close with great opera music. Let us surprise you!

Grand New Year's Eve concert

Theater Duisburg

End of year Concert 2025

Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi

Ryan Rowe – Master’s Recital

Hamel Music Center

2. Philharmonic Evening

Graz Congress

The harp master returns to the magnificent Grand Hall with three of his most esteemed artistic companions: the wonderful flautist Magali Mosnier, castanet legend Lucero Tena, and the Artistic Director of the Mozarteum Foundation, star tenor Rolando Villazón. The magic and power of friendship make this shared musical expedition, which begins at the two small sources of the Vltava River and leads to southern Europe, a deeply felt and highly emotional evening.

Master Concert: De Maistre & Friends Villazón / Mosnier / Tena

Mozarteum Foundation

Each of Bellini's ten operas will be the subject of a separate introduction, including image and sound sequences, which corresponds to the current state of research and at the same time represents an invitation to the generally interested public to become (more) familiar with Bellini's operatic oeuvre as a whole.

The operas Vincenzo Bellini

Vienna State Opera

The Capulets And The Montagues

Teatro "Dino Buzzati"

Bellini's depiction of the story portrays the Capuleti and Montecchi as rival political factions (Guelph and Ghibelline respectively), distinct from the  Shakespearean version. Capellio is the father of Giulietta (Juliet) and the leader of the Capuleti. Giulietta is betrothed to Tebaldo (Tybalt), however she has already met and fallen in love with Romeo, leader of the Montecchi (Montagues). This is a secret to all but Lorenzo (Lawrence), her doctor and confidant. Complicating matters, Romeo has inadvertently killed the son of Capellio (Giulietta's brother) in battle.

Romeo & Juliet

Millikan High School

At the now traditional recitals, you will experience internationally renowned singers not in the usual opera productions, but with specially compiled song and aria programs.

Recital Rolando Villazon

The Opera Orchestra's Midis Musicales are always a great success with audiences. These short concerts (from 45 minutes to 1 hour) are presented in a warm and friendly atmosphere and will surprise you with the richness of the offerings!

Midi Musical | Winners of the Gordes International Melody Competition

Following triumphant Met turns in Roméo et Juliette, La Traviata, and Lucia di Lammermoor, Nadine Sierra summits another peak of the soprano repertoire as Amina, who sleepwalks her way into audiences’ hearts in Bellini’s poignant tale of love lost and found. In his new production, Rolando Villazón—the tenor who has embarked on a brilliant second career as a director—retains the opera’s original setting in the Swiss Alps but uses its somnambulant plot to explore the emotional and psychological valleys of the mind. Tenor Xabier Anduaga returns after his acclaimed 2023 Met debut in L’Elisir d’Amore, co-starring as Amina’s fiancé Elvino, alongside soprano Sydney Mancasola as her rival, Lisa, and bass Alexander Vinogradov as Count Rodolfo. Riccardo Frizza takes the podium for one of opera’s most ravishing works.

RDAM conductors

Konservatoriets Koncertsal

“Casta Diva” – “Chaste Goddess”. With this famous cavatina, the priestess Norma commands the population to remain peaceful in the fight against the Roman occupiers. However, Norma herself is conflicted, having broken her vows and secretly being a lover and mother. She leads a double life, as do her lover, the Roman general Pollione, and the novice Adalgisa. All these dangerous secrets escalate into a drama of life, death, and the sacrifice of love in the face of conflicts over occupation and Roman supremacy. It is said that all weapons are fair game in war – even those that strike at the heart and destroy all that we love?

Oper Leipzig

A Message from Nachtigall Artists, the Concert Organizer
It is a great honor and pleasure for us that we have been able, for the last 25 years, to bring the most famous opera stars to you – the Czech audience. We value the support of all of you, whether you have been our fans since our beginnings or you started coming our concerts recently. Whether we like it or not, a quarter-century makes us to look back, reflect on what we have accomplished, but above all, we are now obliged to throw a really big party.

Anniversary gala: 25 years of Nachtigall Artists

Smetana Hall Municipal House

YSP Closing Concert — Mozarteum Orchestra · Cimento

House for Mozart

Norma – Escape to Exile V – Gstaad Festival Orchestra III

Festival-Zelt Gstaad

La Sonnambula is an opera better understood by audiences than by critics. Vincenzo Bellini and Felice Romani were one of the greatest composer-poet teams in the history of opera, comparable to Mozart with Da Ponte, Gluck with Calzabigi, and Verdi with Boito, and this work is perhaps the purest specimen of their ability to distill human emotion into verse and melody. The work’s naive candor has invited condescension and misunderstanding from some sectors of opera’s intelligentsia, but the public has never made that mistake, and has loved it for nearly 200 years.

Montclair State University

New York City Center

Anaïs Feller, from San Diego, a student of Midori, is the Tobe Amsterdam Fellow and entered Curtis in 2023.

Broadcast: Ponce, Beethoven, Schumann, and more

Gavin Hardy, from Winston-Salem, N.C., a student of Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson, is a Curtis Institute of Music Fellow and entered Curtis in 2024.

Broadcast: Bach, Bottesini, and Coulthard

"This was my first work played by an orchestra and my first contact with a large audience. I was 22 years old at the time," reports Olivier Messiaen. "Les offrandes oubliées" (The Forgotten Offerings) was composed in 1930 and premiered on February 19, 1931 in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées by the Orchestre des concerts Straram under the direction of its boss and namesake, Walther Straram. The "symphonic meditation" (as the subtitle says) is based on linguistically comprehensible but abstract ideas. The texts were written by Messiaen himself. The themes of the three verses (cross - sin - Eucharist) can be understood as situations of contemplation, descent and rapture and form the three sections of the work.

Sylvain Cambreling, Szymon Nehring, Jane Archibald – Messiaen, Bellini, Chopin

Laeiszhalle Hamburg

Philharmonia-2

Philharmonic-2

Italian composer, Vincenzo Bellini’s The Capulets and the Montagues (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) is a gritty re-working of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Loyalty and love are put to the test amidst political violence, set to exquisite ‘bel canto’ (literally meaning beautiful singing) operatic music that brings the story’s tragedy to the fore.

Bellini's The Capulets and the Montagues

Marlowe Theatre

This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the degree Master of Music. Colin Miller is a student of Nova Thomas.

Colin Miller, Tenor

Alice Pratt Brown Hall

This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music. Kyubin Moon is a student of Robin Rice.

Kyubin Moon, Baritone

Stacee Firestone, voice - Senior Recital

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Pre-College Faculty Recital: Scott Pratt, piano

ETO returns to Norwich Theatre Royal with a tale of two households, both alike in dignity, and two lovers, doomed by the conflict between their families. Bellini’s The Capulets and the Montagues is a gritty re-working of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, where loyalty and love are put to the test amidst political violence, set to exquisite bel canto peratic music that brings the story’s tragedy to the fore.

English Touring Opera present: The Capulets and the Montagues

Norwich Theatre Royal

This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music. Lindsay Feldman is a student of Ana María Martínez. 

Lindsay Feldman, Soprano

This recital is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. Lucila Zavala Pérez is a student of Ana María Martínez.

Lucila Zavala Pérez, Soprano

In February 2025, Prague will host a starry opera gala. The phenomenal Mongolian baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat, who receives offers from the most famous opera houses, accepted the invitation of the Nachtigall Artists agency, and found a place in his busy calendar for one performance in Prague.

In 2012, his victory in the Operalia world competition opened his way among world opera elite. Yet, it still took some time before the opera houses noticed him. Other competition successes followed, including the Francesco Viñas International Competition in Barcelona as well as the famous BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Consequently, invitations to the Metropolitan Opera in New York followed (Giorgio Germont in La traviata), La Scala in Milan (Rigoletto and Macbeth), and in April 2024 Amartuvshin Enkhbat will perform as Scarpia in Tosca at the Vienna State Opera.

Juliana Grigoryan & Amartuvshin Enkhbat

Considered by many to be Bellini's most beautiful score, La sonnambula was written at a time when stage works involving somnambulism (sleepwalking) where all the rage in Paris.  As was often the case during this period, the work was written with a specific singer in mind, in this case, the legendary soprano Giuditta Pasta.

The story takes placec in a Swiss village. Amina is preparing to marry Elvino. Lisa, who is also in love with Elvino, resents Amina and the joyful celebrations taking place in the village on the occasion of their marriage.  Alesio is interested in Lisa but she rejects him.  A stranger arrives as the notary is in the process of marrying Elvino and Amina.

Lucie Stern Community Theatre

This concert, Shakespeare in Paradise, showcases Hawai‘i’s emerging talent as it features of the winners of the Philharmonic’s 2024/25 Madeline Schatz-Harris Youth Concerto Competition, a perennial season standout. Additionally, Vincenzo Bellini’s The Capulets and the Montagues Overture evokes the drama and romance of Shakespeare’s classic tale. Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to Oberon enchants listeners with its fairy-tale charm. Richard Strauss’s Macbeth, op. 23 adds a dark, intense interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragic hero. Felix Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream: Nocturne brings a serene, magical atmosphere to the program. Expect a rich tapestry of music inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless works.

Shakespeare In Paradise

Kahilu Theatre

Revered conductor Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in music by two of the great Italian opera composers, plus Tchaikovsky’s formidable Fourth Symphony. Our 2023–2024 season-opening concerts at Carnegie Hall showed Muti and the CSO in peak form as one of the world’s top Verdi partnerships, performing the overture to Giovanna d’Arco with a “crackling energy and a sense of reveling—not just in the music, but also in the ensemble itself,” according to The New York Times. Muti is also highly renowned for his performances of the Tchaikovsky symphonies, and this concert promises an evening of high drama and thrilling orchestral playing.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Carnegie Hall

Witness the legendary sound of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by indomitable Music Director Emeritus Riccardo Muti. With more than 500 astonishing concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under his belt, “Muti can still galvanize musicians as few others ever will. He has never been better” (The Times, London). Muti and the CSO have forged one of the most riveting classical music partnerships of our time. Their musicmaking is all plush power and shimmering finesse, performing with “a crackling energy and a sense of reveling … with crashing cymbals, all-out brasses and majestic strings” (The New York Times).

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Opera Classica Europa welcomes the new year with a top-class concert on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in the Alte Oper Frankfurt and will play the most beautiful melodies from opera and operetta, including "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz", "Lippen schweigen", "Das Wolgalied", "Casta Diva" and "Nessun Dorma".

Big names in the opera world, such as star soprano Elena Moșuc or world-class tenor Martin Muehle, who will be appearing at this New Year's concert, are not usually seen together on one evening. The overall winner of the 1st Opera Singing Competition in Honor of Romana Vaccaro, baritone Hongyu Chen and several other opera soloists will also be heard.

New Year's Concert

Alte Oper Frankfurt

All Visiting Orchestras tickets include same-day admission to The Baker Museum. Museum hours on days of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances: 10am-7:30pm. In addition, the doors to Hayes Hall will open 90 minutes prior to this performance. Arrive early to enjoy the exhibitions and light fare available at Heidi's Place.

Artis–Naples

Special concert 2025

Museum Ludwig

In the foyer of the opera house, Claudia Muschio, Itzeli Jáuregui, Charles Sy and Johannes Kammler present an entertaining and varied evening of songs from the Italian bel canto repertoire. The ensemble singers will be accompanied by Vlad Iftinca on the piano.

3. Song Recital

The Staatstheater Stuttgart

Above all, their long, wistful melodies made Vincenzo Bellini's operas the epitome of musical romanticism in Italy and arias such as Norma's "Casta Diva" still characterise our concept of sung emotion today. Elda Laro, répétiteur, pianist and conductor at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, is a self-confessed Bellini fan and introduces us to the world of the Sicilian composer in the concert programme "A tribute to Bellini", which she conceived and presents together with members of the orchestra and ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

A Tribute to Bellini

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Students of Susan Lorette Dunn’s Presence on Stage

“Casta Diva” – “Chaste Goddess”. With this famous cavatina, the priestess Norma commands the population to remain peaceful in the fight against the Roman occupiers. However, Norma herself is conflicted, having broken her vows and secretly being a lover and mother. She leads a double life, as do her lover, the Roman general Pollione, and the novice Adalgisa. All these dangerous secrets escalate into a drama of life, death, and the sacrifice of love in the face of conflicts over occupation and Roman supremacy. It is said that all weapons are fair game in war – even those that strike at the heart and destroy all that we love

World stars Rolando Villazón and Kate Lindsey take the audience on an emotional journey. The internationally celebrated and popular star tenor and the outstanding mezzo-soprano present the most beautiful moments from great operas such as Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann", Bellini's "I Capuleti" and Rossini's "Otello".

Rolando Villazón & Kate Lindsey: Amore e Follia - between love and madness

Vienna Concert Hall

Tonhalle Zürich

Die Münchner Symphoniker verzaubern mit „Viva Italia!“, ein Programm das die Herzen aller Musikliebhaber höher schlagen lässt. Sorgfältig ausgewählte Ausschnitte aus herausragenden Werken der Opernliteratur versprechen ein Schwelgen in Emotionen. Dieses Konzert ist nicht nur eine Vorführung von unvergänglichen Opernwerken, sondern auch eine Hommage an die Einzigartigkeit und zeitlose Schönheit der Opernkunst. Réka Kristóf singt Opernarien von Rossini, Bellini, Puccini und Verdi, mit denen die legendäre, griechische Sopranistin Maria Callas zu Weltruhm gelangte.

Viva Italia!

Congress Center Villach

Voice Students coached by Tom Jaber

Lunchtime Opera Recital

The festival will close with the most famous playwright whose work has inspired composers for 460 years since his birth next year. To mark William Shakespeare’s anniversary, we will perform his most famous play Romeo and Juliet in four musical settings by composers from two centuries, accompanied by Les Ballets Bubeníček ensemble in a choreography by Jiří Bubeníček.

Shakespeare 460: Romeo & Juliet

Brewery Garden, Český Krumlov

Many, many composers set to music the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, but as far as we know, Vincenzo Bellini had never considered doing so until about two months before the premiere of I Capuleti e i Montecchi, which took place on March 11, 1830 at Venice's Teatro La Fenice.

I Capuleti e i Montecchi

Jazz At Lincoln Center

Since its inception in 2011, Art of the Piano has grown immensely over the years, in a variety of ways.  We started out in Cincinnati with a handful of applicants, which—to our delight—eventually blossomed to over 200 young pianists hoping to attend each year.

Pre-College Recital - Scott Pratt, piano

Join us for an enchanting evening of vocal performance as Audrey Neace, a talented mezzo-soprano and Bachelor of Music student at the Northwestern Bienen School of Music, takes the stage. Under the guidance of Patrice Michaels, Audrey will perform a captivating recital featuring a diverse repertoire that spans the breadth of classical music. The program includes Charles Gounod's "Faites-lui mes aveux" from Faust, selections from Gustav Mahler's Lieder und Gesänge, Gabriel Fauré's Cinq mélodies de Venise, Op. 58, and more, showcasing the depth and versatility of Audrey's vocal talent.

Accompanied by Julia Frodyma, soprano, and Jason Carlson on piano, the evening promises to be a showcase of exceptional musicality and a celebration of the human voice. The recital will also feature works by Vincenzo Bellini, Pauline Viardot, Libby Larsen, Jocelyn Hagen, William Bolcom, and Victor Herbert, offering a rich tapestry of musical expressions.

This special event is scheduled for Sunday, June 2, 2024, at 8:30pm CDT, in the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall. Located in the Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, the Galvin Recital Hall is renowned for its stunning acoustics and breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, providing the perfect backdrop for an evening of exquisite music.

Admission to this event is free, and tickets are not required. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream will be available, ensuring that no one misses out on this remarkable performance. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the artistry of Audrey Neace and her fellow musicians in one of the most beautiful concert venues in the country.

Audrey Neace, mezzo-soprano

Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall

In demand across the world, Ermonela Jaho is best known for her portrayals of Verdi and Puccini’s heroines. She returns to her bel canto roots in a recital of rare songs by Gaetano Donizetti, alongside a selection by his contemporaries, with Opera Rara’s Artistic Director and pianist Carlo Rizzi. They will explore repertoire that has been recently restored and rarely, if ever, performed. The programme is complete with two works for violin and piano by Donizetti performed by brothers Marco and Carlo Rizzi.

Ermonela Jaho & Carlo Rizzi: Donizetti and Friends

Wigmore Hall

Join us for an enchanting evening of vocal brilliance as Priya Krishnaswamy, a talented soprano from the Northwestern Bienen School of Music, takes the stage for her Bachelor of Music recital. This special performance is scheduled for Friday, May 17, 2024, at 8:30pm CDT, in the intimate setting of the McClintock Choral and Recital Room.

Under the tutelage of Theresa Brancaccio, Priya will be joined by Greta McNamee, mezzo-soprano, and Teresa Kang on piano, to present a diverse and captivating program. The evening's repertoire includes cherished works by J.S. Bach, such as "Ich folge dir gleichfalls" from St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, and "Aus Liebe" from the same passion, alongside George Frideric Handel's "Come unto Him" from Messiah, HWV 56. The program will also feature pieces from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Vincenzo Bellini, Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Joseph Haydn, Stacy Garrop, Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, Claude Debussy, Léo Delibes, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Frederick Lowe, promising a rich exploration of vocal music.

This recital is a free event, open to all who appreciate the power and beauty of the human voice in its many forms. Whether you're a lover of classical opera, contemporary compositions, or timeless classics, Priya's performance is sure to captivate and inspire.

The McClintock Choral and Recital Room, located at 70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, within the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts, offers a cozy and acoustically pleasing environment, perfect for the nuances of vocal performance. With seating for 120, it's an ideal space for an intimate musical experience.

For those unable to attend in person, we are pleased to offer a live stream of the event. Ensure you don't miss this remarkable display of musical talent and passion.

Mark your calendars for an unforgettable night of music and emotion with Priya Krishnaswamy and guests.

Priya Krishnaswamy, soprano

Ryan Center for the Musical Arts

Join us for an enchanting evening of vocal performance as Ben Breitman, a talented baritone and Bachelor of Music student under the guidance of Nancy Gustafson, graces the stage. This recital is set to take place on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 6:00pm CDT in the intimate setting of the McClintock Choral and Recital Room, located within the prestigious Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts.

Accompanied by the skilled pianist Olga Sklyanskaya, Ben will delve into a repertoire that spans the emotional spectrum of classical music. The program includes heartfelt compositions by Francesco Paolo Tosti such as "Non t’amo più," "A vucchella," and "L’ultima canzone." The evening will also feature captivating arias from W. A. Mozart's operas "Le nozze di Figaro" and "Die Zauberflöte," alongside Vincenzo Bellini's poignant "Ah per sempre io ti perdei" from "I puritani." The recital will be rounded off with selections from Franz Schubert's "Schwanengesang," D. 957, and the timeless standard "It Had to Be You" by Isham Jones.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to experience the depth of classical and operatic music, brought to life by emerging talent within the Northwestern Bienen School of Music community. Admission is free, and no tickets are required, making it accessible to all who wish to immerse themselves in the beauty of music. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream will be available, ensuring no one misses out on this captivating performance.

Mark your calendars for an evening of exquisite music that promises to be both inspiring and memorable.

Ben Breitman, baritone

Grammy Award-nominated soprano Chelsea Basler continues to make her mark on an extensive array of operatic roles with her unique combination of vocal appeal and artistry. Praied for her "luminous voice" with its "easy soaring range," she has been noted for her "wonderful acting" and declared "simply superb" by Opera Today. In the spring of 2019, Ms. Basler appeared with the Boston Lyric Opera as Moira in Poultries Ruder's The Handmaid's Tale and made a company debut with Boston Midsummer opera as Clorinda in La Cenerentola. In the fall of 2019, Ms. Basler joined the Metropolitan Opera roster, covering Pousette in Manon. Her other roles include Micaëla in Carmen, the High Priestess in Aida, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Glasha in Katya Kabonova, and the title role of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah.

Composer

Vincenzo Bellini

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Past events

Sep 20, 2026

Bottesini · Teatro di San Carlo

Jul 29 - Aug 1, 2026

Norma & Lisette Oropesa · Savonlinna Opera Festival

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