Canadians have a strong and steady presence at Oper Frankfurt, so it’s no surprise that their freshly announced 2021/22 season includes some of Canada’s most exciting talent.
Starting September 12, 2021, soprano Ambur Braid makes an exciting role debut, as Bellini’s Norma. Christof Loy’s production returns with Braid in the title role, opposite Stefano La Colla as Pollione, and Dshamilja Kaiser and Bianca Andrew sharing the role of Adalgisa.
From September 26 to November 5, 2021, Cimarosa’s L’italiana in Londra gets its first performances in Frankfurt. Canadian bass-baritone Gordon Bintner sings Don Polidoro in this new production by R.B. Schlather, sharing the stage with Angela Vallone as Livia, and Iurii Samoilov as Milord Arespingh.
Québec native Eric Laporte stars as Oedipus in Oper Frankfurt’s revived double-bill of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. Lydia Steier’s production returns from October 2-23, 2021, featuring Corinne Winters as Iolanta.
Ambur Braid pairs her Norma with what is fast becoming a signature role, Strauss’ Salome. Barrie Kosky’s production returns to Frankfurt from October 8 to November 7, 2021, starring Nicholas Brownlee as Jochanaan, and AJ Glueckert as Herod.
Also returning to Oper Frankfurt is Kosky’s acclaimed production of Bizet’s Carmen, with two performance runs spanning November 12, 2021 to January 13, 2022. Gordon Bintner shares the role of Escamillo along with bass-baritone Kihwan Sim; Bintner shares the stage with Zanda Švēde as Carmen, and AJ Glueckert as Don José.
In another Frankfurt premiere, Canadian baritone Iain MacNeil joins the cast of Carl Nielsen’s Maskerade, running October 31 to November 28, 2021. The 1906 opera, based on a play by Ludvig Holbert – known as the “Danish Molière” – features MacNeil as Henrik, opposite Alfred Reiter as Jeronimus and Susan Bullock as Magdelone.
And as part of Oper Frankfurt’s recital line-up, Gordon Bintner pairs up with acclaimed Canadian art song interpreter, Michael McMahon. The duo, with origins at McGill University, offer up their recital on December 21, 2021.
Ambur Braid returns to the Frankfurt stage in 2022, in the premiere of Warten auf Heute (Waiting for Today), running January 16 to February 5, 2022. The production by David Hermann combines four works by composers Arnold Schoenberg and Frank Martin: Von Heute auf Morgen (From Today to Tomorrow), Begleitmusik zu einer Lichtspielszene (Accompaniment to a Film Scene), Sechs Monologe aus “Jedermann” (Six Monologues of “Jedermann”), and Erwartung (Expectation).
After his role debut with the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio in 2015, Gordon Bintner brings his Don Alfonso to Oper Frankfurt’s Così fan tutte, running January 21 to March 6, 2022. In this production by Christoph Loy, Bintner shares his role with Domen Križaj, and joins a split cast that includes Monika Buczkowska and Florina Ilie as Fiordiligi, Kelsey Lauritano and Cecelia Hall as Dorabella, Danylo Matviienko and Iurii Samoilov as Guglielmo, and Jack Swanson as Ferrando.
From April 30 to May 28, 2022, star soprano Jane Archibald takes on Roxana in Szymanowski’s only opera, Kròl Roger (King Roger). Archibald stars in Johannes Erath’s revived production, opposite Nicholas Brownlee in the title role.
Canadian countertenor Cameron Shahbazi steps into the coveted role of Oberon for a new production of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by German mezzo-soprano Brigitte Fassbaender. In performances running May 11-25, 2022, Shahbazi joins Kateryna Kasper as Tytania, Frank Albrecht as Puck, and Barbaby Rea as Bottom.
And from June 26 to July 21, 2022, Iain MacNeil takes on Odysseus in Dallapiccola’s Ulisse, in its first performances in Frankfurt. The new production by Tatjana Gürbaca pairs MacNeil with Juanita Lascarro as Calypso/Penelope, and Sarah Aristidou as Nausikaa.
For full details of Oper Frankfurt’s 2021/22 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.
