Tomasz Konieczny’s Baltic Opera Festival – 2 to 7 July 2026

Tomasz Konieczny’s vision and drive propel the Baltic Opera Festival

Tomasz Konieczny in Der fliegende Holländer at Baltic Opera Festival 2024 © Krzysztof Mystkowski KFP

In late March, Tomasz Konieczny was a busy man. The Polish bass-baritone was nearing the end of a run of Tristan und Isolde at the Metropolitan Opera, performing alongside Lise Davidsen and Michael Spyres in a new staging directed by Yuval Sharon. His buoyant, hearty Kurwenal was hailed by all, with The New Yorker deeming him ‘a born Wagner singer’. It was the hottest ticket in town, and the Met responded to the demand by adding a performance.

Konieczny is also a man on a mission, and Met performances were not the only thing on his agenda. On one of the first fine spring days in New York, he took time to discuss the Baltic Opera Festival (BOF) at a busy diner a few blocks from the Met. We met just days before the American Friends of the Baltic Opera Festival (AFBOF) was to be launched at The Kościuszko Foundation.

Read more

Masterclasses extraordinaire with Joyce DiDonato at Carnegie Hall

United StatesUnited States ‘Joyce DiDonato Master Classes: Joyce DiDonato with Ronnie Enoch (soprano), Natalie Corrigan (mezzo-soprano), Fangzhen Wang (mezzo-soprano), June Young ‘Will’ Kim (baritone), Joel Harder and Bin Yu Sanford (piano). Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing, New York, 19-21.4.2026. (RP)

Fangzhen Wang (mezzo-soprano) with Joyce DiDonato © Chris Lee

Read more

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s ‘Parisian Voices’ was as fine as a spring day

United StatesUnited States ‘Parisian Voices’ – Various: Erika Baikoff (soprano), Ken Noda, Orion Weiss (piano), Lun Li (violin), Matthew Lipman (viola), David Requiro (cello), Sooyun Kim (flute), Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Alice Tully Hall, New York, 12.4.2026. (RP)

Erika Baikoff (soprano), Sooyun Kim (flute) and Ken Noda (piano) in Ravel’s ‘La flûte enchantée’ © Paul Mardy

Read more

Emotions soar as Andris Nelsons and the BSO return to Carnegie Hall

United StatesUnited States ‘United in Sound: America at 250’ [4] – Adams, Dvořák: Renée Fleming (soprano), Thomas Hampson (baritone), Tanglewood Festival Chorus (director: Lisa Wong), Boston Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons (conductor). Carnegie Hall, New York, 9.4.2026. (RP)

Thomas Hampson (Nixon) in Nixon in China © Chris Lee

Read more