Jonas Kaufmann News

Decca Classics has signed an exclusive recording contract with the young Polish soprano, Aleksandra Kurzak, who, as one of the most exciting young singers on the international opera stage, has been thrilling press and public alike with performances in Europe and the US.

It is a season of momentous anniversaries for the Metropolitan Opera Guild: the Guild began the season-long celebration of its 75th anniversary this fall; as publisher of Opera News, the Guild celebrates the magazine's own diamond anniversary in 2011; and the January issue of Opera News marks the 40th anniversary of James Levine's Metropolitan Opera debut (which was June 5, 1971, conducting Tosca). The cover feature sees Scott Rose take on the difficult task of choosing 40 highlights from Levine's 40 storied years at the Met.

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 80th season of Saturday Afternoon Radio Broadcasts-the longest-running classical music series in American broadcast history-with a 22-week season featuring many of the world's greatest operatic artists, beginning December 18.

The Metropolitan Opera Guild's season-long celebration of its 75th anniversary reaches a high point on December 7 when stars and fans of opera, as well as an array of New York's society, business and civic leaders, assemble in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf=Astoria for the Guild's annual luncheon.

The Metropolitan Opera Guild's season-long celebration of its 75th anniversary reaches a high point on December 7 when stars and fans of opera, as well as an array of New York's society, business and civic leaders, assemble in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf=Astoria for the Guild's annual luncheon.

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 80th season of Saturday Afternoon Radio Broadcasts-the longest-running classical music series in American broadcast history-with a 22-week season featuring many of the world's greatest operatic artists, beginning December 18.

The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series of live performance transmissions into movie theaters around the world, will expand in its fifth season to 1500 theaters (an increase of 300 theaters), while adding Egypt, Portugal, and Spain to its network of now 46 participating countries.

After a wildly successful season that included a critically acclaimed company debut with the Los Angeles Opera in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, after which the Los Angeles Times exclaimed that she 'stole a show that was hard to steal', and her role debut as Elena in La donna del lago with the Paris Opera, which the Financial Times hailed as 'simply the best singing...heard in years,' mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato ends her 2009-10 season on a high note: nominated for a 2010 Gramophone 'Artist of the Year' Award and winning a 2010 ECHO Klassik Award in the category of female 'Singer of the Year' (tenor Jonas Kaufmann won the male equivalent).

Deutsche Grammophon & Decca are proud to present the best in new classical music recordings for the remainder of 2010. The mission of both labels is to record the best artists performing great music in superior quality recordings. The roster for this fall and winter includes music from Monteverdi up to the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winning Violin Concerto by Jennifer Higdon (as performed by Hilary Hahn).

London's Wigmore Hall celebrates its 110th Anniversary during the 2010-2011 Season. For one hundred ten years, the Hall has served the global musical community, of extending a 550-seat venue's reach across oceans and continents, launching careers of the next generation of musicians, presenting a familiar and beloved stage for familiar and beloved artists, and offering repertory not often heard on other stages.

Kate Aldrich will sing the title role of Carmen on April 28 and May 1, replacing Angela Gheorghiu who has withdrawn from those performances. Gheorghiu issued the following statement: 'To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically. Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.'

Dwayne Croft will make his Met role debut as Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen on Saturday, May 1 at 8:30 p.m., replacing Mariusz Kwiecien, who is ill.

Kate Aldrich will sing the title role of Carmen on April 28 and May 1, replacing Angela Gheorghiu who has withdrawn from those performances. Gheorghiu issued the following statement: 'To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically. Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.'

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

James Levine has withdrawn from the four performances of Tosca and three performances of Lulu he was scheduled to conduct in April and May. He is to undergo corrective surgery for an ongoing lower back problem. Fabio Luisi will replace Levine for both Tosca (April 14, 17, 20, and 24 mat.) and Lulu (May 8, 12, 15 mat.).

Patricia Racette will sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca on April 14, 17, 20, and 24 matinee, replacing Karita Mattila, who is ill. These will be Racette's first performances of Tosca at the Met, although she had already been invited to sing the role at the Met in a future season.

Seven new productions, including two company premieres and the first two parts of a new Ring cycle, featuring many of the world's greatest singers and conductors, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2010-11 season.

Kate Aldrich will sing the title role of Carmen on April 28 and May 1, replacing Angela Gheorghiu who has withdrawn from those performances. Gheorghiu issued the following statement: 'To make so important a debut as Carmen, I want to be as prepared dramatically as I am musically. Therefore, I will postpone my role debut until a later date when I can work intensely with the Richard Eyre production.'

A new production of Bizet's Carmen, directed by Richard Eyre and starring El?na Garan?a in the title role and Roberto Alagna as Don José, premieres at a New Year's Eve gala performance. Garan?a makes her Met role debut as the gypsy femme fatale, reuniting with Alagna following their recent success in these parts at London's Royal Opera, Covent Garden.