Ana Karneža has won the 2024 Lotte Lenya Competition The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music in New York, with Christian Mark Gibbs and Jason Zacher each being awarded second prizes.

Artemisia Gentileschi on the opera stage: Dr Self Susannah Self’s new opera Artemisia will be premiered by North Sea Opera in North Norfolk at Hindringham Village Hall on June 12, with further performances on June 13 (Burnham Overy) and June 16 (Wells-Next-the-Sea).

Covent Garden has announced that King Charles III will continue to serve as patron of the ⁦Royal Opera House⁩ and ⁦The Royal Opera⁩, and has also accepted patronage of ⁦The Royal Ballet⁩, taking over that patronage from his late mother.

The great Lilian Baylis – manager of the ⁦The Old Vic⁩ and ⁦Sadler's Wells⁩, and progenitor of ⁦English National Opera⁩, ⁦National Theatre⁩ and ⁦The Royal Ballet⁩ – was born in London 150 years ago today!

Wishing Anne Sofie von Otter a very happy birthday!

A very happy birthday to the mezzo Linda Finnie!

1812 overture: La scala di seta, Rossini’s early farsa comica, loved especially for its overture, was premiered in Venice #OTD in 1812.

Clean cuts: Giovanni Paisiello, composer of the first Barbiere di Siviglia and around 90 other operas, was born on this day in 1740.

Happy #EuropeDay everyone, and especially to all members and followers of ⁦Opera Europa⁩!

Palm Beach Opera ⁦Palm Beach Opera⁩ has appointed James Barbato as its new General Director.

Don’t miss North Norfolk Chamber Opera North Norfolk Chamber Opera’s production of Handel’s Semele. St Margaret’s Church, Cley-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk, NR25 7TT. Thursday 30 May, Friday 31 May, Saturday 1 June 2024, starts at 7pm. Buy tickets here eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-norfol…
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Gentleman tenor: Carlo Cossutta was born in Trieste (into a Slovene family, as Karlo Košuta) #OTD in 1932.

Wishing Felicity Lott the happiest of birthdays!

Born #OTD in 1901: the great Hungarian bass Mihály Székely, celebrated for a wide repertoire and who worked closely with Bartók on Bluebeard, a role he recorded twice. Hungaroton__Official

Show us the Money-Coutts: based on a libretto by Francis Money-Coutts, Albéniz's opera Henry Clifford was premiered in Barcelona ⁦Gran Teatre del Liceu⁩ #OTD in 1895.

If Opera: the ⁦If Opera⁩ season (Aug 23-31) at Belcombe Court, Bradford on Avon, has been announced. ifopera.com/2024-coming-so…

The 2024-5 season at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen ⁦Opera Ballet Vlaanderen⁩ has been announced: operaballet.be/en/season-24-25
(Pic: Donar Reiskoffer)

Opéra d’Europe: the 2024-5 season at Opéra National du Rhin ⁦Opéra national du Rhin⁩ has been announced. operanationaldurhin.eu/fr/spectacles/…
(Pic: Aloïs Peiffer)

Sad news of the death of the Icelandic tenor Jón Þorsteinsson, for many years a stalwart of the Dutch opera scene, in Iceland at the age of 73.

The summer 2025 season at ⁦Glyndebourne⁩ has been announced, and will include new productions of Parsifal (for the first time ever at the festival) and Le nozze di Figaro, plus revivals of Il barbiere di Siviglia, Saul, Falstaff and Katya Kabanová.