This just in:
The fall season will open with Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in the Carsen production as predicted yesterday. The (pleasant) surprise is that Gordon Bintner will sing the title role. Joyce El-Khoury sings Tatiana and Joseph Kaiser is Lensky. Johannes Debus conducts.
It will be paired as expected with Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian. The COC is really headlining this one with Tom Hampson in the title role, Karita Mattila as Trajan’s wife, Isiah Bell as Antinous and Ambur Braid as Mrs. Hadrian. Apparently there’s a cameo for Ben Heppner too. Johannes Debus conducts so he’s going to be a busy boy. The creative team is the same one that did Louis Riel led by Peter Hinton.
After Christmas it’s revival time. Christine Goerke will star in Strauss’ Elektra. Not a big surprise but excellent news. Erin Wall sings Chrysothemis, Susan Bullock is Klytämnestra with German bass Wilhelm Schwinghammer as Orest. Aegisth will be Michael Schade. That’s an interesting choice but having seen his Tito, I think a good one. It’s the 2007 production revived by James Robinson. Let’s hope he makes more of this than he did of L’elisir. And, guess what, Johannes Debus conducts!
The second revival is Atom Egoyan’s Così fan tutte, which will cause some grumbling but I’m OK with it. The sisters will be sung by Kirsten MacKinnon as Fiordiligi Emily D’Angelo as Dorabella. American tenor Ben Bliss and German baritone Johannes Kammler make their COC debuts as Ferrando and Guglielmo, respectively. Tracy Dahl reprises her Despina and Russell Braun is an intriguing choice as Don Alfonso. Bernard Labadie conducts.
Come spring it’s the predictable, and predicted, return of Puccini’s La Bohème. Predictably it’s double cast. Angel Blue makes her COC debut as the doomed Mimì, sharing the role with Miriam Khalil (and isn’t it about time we saw Miriam in a major role?). Brazilian tenor Atalla Ayan and American tenor Joshua Guerrero share Rodolfo. Canadian sopranos Andriana Chuchman and Danika Lorèn (also yay!) divvy up Musetta while Lucas Meachem and Andrzej Filończyk alternate as Marcello. Brandon Cedel and Önay Köse share the role of the philosopher, Colline. Paolo Carignani conducts. I think I’m going to have to see both casts.
Finally, one I didn’t guess, Verdi’s Otello in a David Alden production set in the early 20th century and previously seen at English National Opera, Royal Swedish Opera and Teatro Real Madrid. Russell Thomas takes the immense title role and I reckon he has the chops for it. Iago is Gerry Finley and Desdemona is Tamara Wilson. It’s a strong cast indeed; probably the strongest of the season. Johannes Debus conducts.
So not too bad in the prediction stakes and, given the known constraints, a pretty decent season.
The full press release is here.
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