As we see the end of summer on the horizon, as is customary this time of year, it’s time to look forward to what the next operatic season has in store.  It feels that we’re in something of a moment of change currently, with singers who have been at the peak of the profession for the last couple of decades giving valedictory performances of their signature roles, while those who have been tantalizing us with their promise are finally coming into their own and taking on the big roles.  Since the acute phase of the plague, my priorities have shifted somewhat as an operagoer – I’m more likely to review a show now because of where it takes place, as much as the repertoire or performers.  I’m still concerned about the state of the industry, with so many young singers being pushed too far too soon, but that’s a concern that is certainly ongoing.

As always, I’ve pulled together a list of shows that I’m particularly looking ahead to in the upcoming season.  And as always, I’m looking forward to reading yours in the comments.

Elektra, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. September – October, 2024

When I saw the great Evelyn Herlitzius sing the title role in Elektra in Zurich in July 2019, little did I know it would be her last.  I have no doubt that at the end of my operagoing experience, many years from now, her assumption of the daughter of Agammemnon will be one of the greatest performances of anything I have seen.  But time doesn’t stand still.  And Herlitzius, more than anyone, is a supremely intelligent artist, who knows when to leave us wanting more.  In Napoli she’ll be making her role debut as Klytämnestra alongside Ricarda Merbeth and Elisabeth Teige as her daughters.  Mark Elder, a conductor who has previously left me rather underwhelmed, leads from the pit.  Still, this promises to be a highlight of the season and a chance to see a great artist bring her significant insight into this opera to a new role.  And of course, there’s the pizza.

Siegfried and Götterdämmerung, La Monnaie – De Munt. September – October, 2024 and February – March, 2025.

This Ring is concluding in an unexpected way.  Following a successful Rheingold and a more mitigated Walküre, Romeo Castellucci withdrew from producing the remaining operas in the cycle, with the house handing these over to Pierre Audi, very much at the last minute.  One of the biggest pleasures of the cycle so far has been the playing of the house orchestra.  They have consolidated their position as one of the top 3 opera orchestras in the world, in my opinion, under their visionary Music Director, Alain Altinoglu.  The quality of the playing has been absolutely superlative throughout.  Another pleasure has been Gábor Bretz’s Wotan, who sang his music in Walküre as if it were bel canto.  This season also marks the ending of Peter De Caluwe’s mandate as Intendant.  During his time at the house, he has made De Munt – La Monnaie into one of the most dynamic and stimulating theatres on the planet.  Christina Scheppelmann, whose tenure at the Liceu was far from a success, has big shoes to fill. 

Trionfi, Staatsoper Hamburg.  September – October, 2024.

Sometimes I wonder whether I can actually face listening to Carmina burana ever again.  But this new production of Trionfi, directed by the great Calixto Bieito, makes a good case for giving it a go.  I don’t recall ever having had the opportunity to hear the other works in the trilogy live, and so the opportunity to experience a staged production of them is one I’m glad to have.  The cast includes house regulars Nicole Chevalier and Oleksiy Palchykov, joined by Sandra Hamaoui, Jake Arditti, and the spendidly-named Cody Quattlebaum. House Music Director, Kent Nagano, conducts.

La battaglia di Legnano, Teatro Regio di Parma.  September – October, 2024. 

Performances of La battaglia di Legnano are definitely a rarity.  And where better to be able to see it than as part of the Teatro Regio di Parma’s Festival Verdi, which takes place annually in Verdi’s home region.  The Regio has most definitely assembled an interesting cast for this run, with Marina Rebeka as Lida, Riccardo Fassi as Barbarossa, Vladimir Stoyanov as Rolando, and Antonio Poli as Arrigo.  The staging has been entrusted to Valentina Carrasco.  The two productions I have seen of hers previously have been ambitious if rather confused.  Diego Ceretta conducts the forces of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. 

La fiamma, Deutsche Oper Berlin.  September – October, 2024.

Another rarity here with Respighi’s 1934 opera La fiamma, here given its first-ever staging at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin.  The house has most definitely cast the run from strength, with the great Aušrinė Stundytė in the central role of Silvana, with Georgy Vasiliev and Ivan Inverardi as Donello and Basilio respectively.  With singers of the calibre of the veteran Doris Soffel as Agnese di Cervia and the hugely promising, young Valencian bass Manuel Fuentes as Il Vescovo, under Carlo Rizzi’s experienced direction, one could hardly wish for a stronger cast.  Christof Loy directs.

Iphigénie en Tauride, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.  October – November, 2024.

I must admit that my first experience of Rafael Villalobos’ stage direction, a woefully under-directed Ballo in València earlier this year, did add a touch of skepticism for this run of Iphigénie en Tauride at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.  Yet the cast the house has assembled, promises this will be unmissable.  Montréalaise mezzo. Michèle Losier in the title role, with supreme stylist Reinoud Van Mechelen, and the warm and highly musical baritone Kartal Karagedik as Pylade and Oreste, really make this, on paper, a highlight of the season.  Indeed, this is the most promising season that Flanders has offered us in recent years, following the eyeful that was the Tristan last year – although at least the latter has given me material for dinner party conversations for the next decade.  The run will be conducted by experienced early music specialist, Benjamin Bayl. 

Nabucco, Oper Köln.  December, 2024. 

The Oper Köln is offering quite an interesting season this year, all while still being based at its ‘temporary’ theatre in an exposition centre at the opposite site of Rhine from downtown Cologne.  This Nabucco looks particularly stimulating thanks to the presence of three noted Italians in the cast – Marta Torbidoni as Abigaille, Ernesto Petti in the title role, and Sesto Quatrini in the pit.  The production has been confided to Ben Baur, known more as a designer, here directing Verdi’s opera.  The remaining cast is made up of local stalwarts, but Quatrini should certainly bring some Italian style to the work.

La fille du régiment, Bayerische Staatsoper.  December, 2024 – January, 2025 and June – July 2025.  

This year, for its holiday-time new production, the Bayerische Staatsoper has invited the genius Damiano Michieletto to direct Donizetti’s comedy with associated vocal thrills.  For the holiday run, the delightful Pretty Yende takes the title role, alongside the sensational Xabier Anduaga as Tonio.  In the summer, exciting Catalan soprano Serena Sáenz will incarnate the title role, with the similarly sensational Lawrence Brownlee as her love interest.  Lovers of bel canto will clearly wish to see both casts, particularly as that most gallic of US mezzos, Susan Graham, will sing la Marquise de Berkenfield in both runs.  Conductor, Stefano Montanari, will also ensure some Italian style and lively tempi. 

Khovanshchina, Grand Théâtre de Genève.  March – April, 2025.  

For its first performances of Mussorgsky’s magnum opus in over forty years, the Grand Théâtre de Genève has confided this new production to Calixto Bieito, who as a superlative director of choruses, will no doubt bring much insight to the machinations at its heart.  The house has also cast the electrifying US mezzo, Raehann Bryce-Davis as Marfa, alongside Dmitry Ulyanov, Arnold Rutkowski, Dmitry Golovnin, John Relyea and many more.  Alejo Pérez conducts the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the house choruses.

The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Teatro Real, Madrid.  April – May, 2025.

It may seem strange, perhaps, to list a show here that I saw only last season.  But there are some evenings in the theatre where it feels that one leaves completely transformed, and that life can never be the same again.  Dmitri Tcherniakov’s production of The Tale of Tsar Saltan, a coproduction with La Monnaie – De Munt where I saw it last December, felt completely life-changing.  Rather than taking the story at face value, Tcherniakov transforms it into the relationship between a non-verbal autistic boy, attempting to make sense of the world in his own way, and his mother who loves him unconditionally.  This is an evening so full of humanity, one that takes us into the minds and souls of those people in our lives who are on the spectrum and helps us to understand.  It also features a career-defining performance from Bogdan Volkov who throws himself so fully into the role of Gvidon.  The Madrid cast is almost identical to the Brussels cast and this promises to be an unmissable evening.

Die tote Stadt, Opernhaus Zürich.  April – May, 2025.

Another Tcherniakov production on the list and Korngold’s opera, with its focus on psychological breakdown, should suit him very well.  The punishing title role has been assigned to Eric Cutler, and should be a perfect fit for his bright, easy top.  The roles of Marie/Marietta should also be a good match for Vida Miknevičiūtė and her similarly bright soprano.  A surprising presence in the cast is that of the great Evelyn Herlitzius as Brigitta, although she will certainly have no issues with the higher reaches of the part that have defeated a number of interpreters over the years, while the exceptionally handsome baritone of Björn Bürger will be a welcome presence as Frank and the Pierrot.  Lorenzo Viotti conducts.

Hamlet, Teatro Regio di Torino.  May, 2025.

This new production of Hamlet features the extremely stylish tenor, John Osborn, in the title role rather than the customary baritone.  He heads a very promising cast, including Catalan soprano Sara Blanch as Ophélie and the tremendous Clémentine Margaine as Gertrude.  Another attraction of this production will be the presence of Jérémie Rhorer in the pit, who should guarantee a high degree of stylistic awareness while leading the Regio forces.  The production is the work of Jacopo Spirei who gave us a deeply insightful Butterfly at the São Carlos last year, alongside a less successful Lucie de Lammermoor in Bergamo. 

Giulio Cesare, Gran Teatre del Liceu.  May – June, 2025

I unfortunately missed Calixto Bieito’s staging of Giulio Cesare when it was premiered in Amsterdam and I’m delighted to have this opportunity to see it at the Liceu next year.  Bieito will be reunited with the lovely Julie Fuchs, who was a memorable Poppea for him in Zurich a few years ago, alongside local hero Xavier Sabata in the title role.  The noted Italian contralto, Teresa Iervolino, takes on the role of Cornelia, with some promising singers, including another local favourite, Jan Antem, as Curio.  With the legendary William Christie in the pit leading the house orchestra, this really is a very promising cast.

Der Rosenkavalier, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.  May – June 2025.

I’m always slightly reticent to include shows in the French Republic in these lists, given the risk of strikes and urban unrest that are a feature of life in the Hexagon.  That said, this new production of Der Rosenkavalier promises to be absolutely fascinating, since it’ll be directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski, an audacious choice for this of all works.  The theatre has cast the work from strength, with experienced Marschallin, Marlis Petersen, with Marina Viotti making her role debut as Octavian, and Regula Mühlemann rounding out the trio as Sophie.  The similarly experienced Peter Rose takes on Ochs, while Henrik Nánási conducts the Orchestre National de France.  One thing is certain: this will be unlike any Rosenkavalier we’ve seen.

Roberto Devereux, Palau de les Arts, València.  June 2025.

This cycle of the Donizetti Tudor trilogy, which closes here with Roberto Devereux, has been notable for confirming the status of Eleonora Buratto as the finest Italian soprano before the public today.  There’s something exceptionally precious in her singing, that sheer understanding of the idiom, the connection between word and line, that just cannot be taught.  One can see in Buratto’s artistry a link to a centuries-old tradition that she continues and represents.  Her partners through the course of this trilogy have been local mezzo Silvia Tro Santafé and Ismael Jordi.  They’ll be joined here by Lodovico Filippo Ravizza as Nottingham.  Jetske Mijnssen’s productions throughout the trilogy have provided something to look at, while Francesco Lanzillotta takes over conducting duties.

And there you have my tips for the upcoming season.  What are you looking forward to?