Old Friends, New Friends

I see from the 2012-13 season announcements that James Fulljames's production of Street Scene is making its way to Barcelona, where it will be presented at the Liceu. The Liceu has also announced a new production of Tales of Hoffmann directed by Laurent Pelly, with Natalie Dessay and Vittorio Grigolo, interesting to see Grigolo moving into heavier territory already.

Over in Paris, Laurent Pelly's much travelled production of La Fille du Regiment makes its appearance at the Opera de Paris (with Dessay and Florez of course). Emma Bell is doing the Countess in a revival of Le Nozze di Figaro (with Camilla Tilling, Anna Grevelius and Marie McLaughlin), good to see that with all the Wagner work she's been doing that Mozart is still firmly in the frame as well. Violetta Urmana is appearing in Pier Luigi Pizzi's new production of La Gioconda in May 2013, now that certainly sounds like something worth travelling to Paris for. Also in May, Laurent Pelly's production of Giulio Cesare returns with Christophe Dumaux and Lawrence Zazzo.  And there's a complete Ring Cycle in June!

Further ahead, Opera Magazine reports that we can look forward to a new Don Giovanni in 2014. Sarah Connolly is doing Agrippina at the Liceu in November 2013. And in October, Jacques Imbrailo sings his first Pelleas in Essen, definitely worth travelling to Essen for.