We were waiting for the name of the new Aida at les Chorégies d’Orange on 2 & 5 August, young somparno Elena O’Connor replaces Sondra Radvanovsky as Aida for her debut and for the first time in France. A star is born ?

The great Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt turns 90 today… Happy Birthday Maestro !

The famous Salzburg’s Mozartwoche has named its new Artistic Director, famous tenor Rolando Villazón, whose contract runs from 2019 until 2023.

A new singer we may heard of very soon, mezzo Catriona Morison, won the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition!

The new conductor of the NDR Orchester, the orchester residing in the ElbPhilharmonie in Hambourg, has been named. It is Alan Gilbert who will take Thomas Hengelbrock’s place starting from season 2019-2020!

On June 20, mezzo Waltraud Meier has been recognized as a honorary member of the Vienna national Opera (Ehrenmitglied der Wiener Staatsoper)

An intense end of season at Teatro alla Scala de Milano in September and October with three opera productions, Humperdincks’ Hänsel und Gretel, Händel’s Tamerlano (starring Plácido Domingo) and Weber’s Der Freischütz, one ballet, Onegin (starring Roberto Bolle) and a song recital with Daniela Barcellona (on October 1st).

The Lucerne Piano Festival will be held from November 18th to 26th 2017 is an A-plus festival this season featuring Piotr Anderszewski, Leif Ove Andsnes, Martha Argerich, Kit Armstrong, and Yulianna Avdeeva but also Evgeny Kissin and Daniil Trifonov.

2017-2018 cast changes : at Wiener Staastoper Anita Hartig as Marguerite replaces Sonya Yoncheva who replaces Kristine Opolais as Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera.

A concert version of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande is performed at Sydney Opera House wuth the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit, on 23, 24 & 28 June with Michaela Selinger, Marc Barrard and Jérôme Varnier.