Standing out from the wave of cancellation announcements is the reveal of the Wiener Staatsoper 2020/21 season line-up. Among the 40+ operas gracing the stage are ten productions coming to Vienna for the first time, including Calixto Bieito’s Carmen, Simon Stone’s La traviata, and Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito’s staging of Hans Werner Henze’s Das verratene Meer (The Betrayed Sea).
A handful of Canadians are also set to take centre stage with the company. Soprano Jane Archibald sings Marie in La fille du régiment (Sept. 20-30, 2020), and reprises her Zdenka in Arabella (Nov. 17-26, 2020). Tenor Josh Lovell sings Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nov. 4-13, 2020), and Noboru in Das verratene Meer (Dec. 13-21, 2020). Bass-baritone Philippe Sly takes on the title role of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Jan. 24-Feb. 5, 2021). Tenor Frédéric Antoun will sing Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore (Feb. 18-21, 2021); La traviata will feature Antoun as Alfredo on (Feb. 18-21, 2021) along with Donna Ellen as Annina. And Michèle Losier sings Nicklausse/Muse in Les contes d’Hoffmann (May 9-25, 2021) before stepping into the title role of Carmen (May 26-Jun. 9, 2021).
Go, Canada! For full details of the Wiener Staatsoper upcoming season, click here.
Jenna is the editor and co-creator of Schmopera. She also writes for The Globe and Mail and Opera Canada. She’s a pianist and vocal coach, and working with singers is how she fell in love with opera.
