A year ago just a year ago the Kennedy Center in Washington DC was a world-class centre for the performing arts. It had a resident opera company, respected artistic teams, and a run of the acclaimed musical Hamilton to look forward to. It had a bipartisan board that upheld the dignity of an organisation that, since it was conceived of in the mid-20th century, had been treated with courtesy and supported by governments of both stripes.
Originally, the two-hour shows mixed big names from major ballet companies with young hopefuls performing classical and contemporary pieces, each number preceded by a useful little spiel by Devernay-Laurence in the role of compere and each half of the evening opened with a piano piece played by Ballet Nights' resident pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel. However, as the name indicates, musical performance formed a large chunk of the New Year's Day Concert, and two operatic voices were among the highlights of a slightly up-and-down show.
Officers responded to a 911 call on Monday night reporting an assault in progress at the residence in Santa Monica, according to a statement from the Santa Monica police department. They found Sykes inside with critical stab wounds. Paramedics arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. Sykes' son Micah was at the home and taken into custody without incident, police said.
Next is the ability to attach files in the new search bar for AI to translate, summarize, or explain. This includes support for PDFs and images. To attach a file, open the Ask AI interface, tap the "+" icon, and select a document or photo from your Android device. You can also click a picture with the device's camera and upload it directly.
From Opera San Jose's new take on an old classic to a world premiere drawn from an ancient fable to a Contemporary Christian superstar and a festival of silent films in Orinda, there is a lot see and hear in the Bay Area this weekend. Here is a partial rundown. Classical picks: 'Madama Butterfly,' in San Jose; Jeremy Denks in Berkeley Opera, solo piano, or orchestral works; this weekend makes it hard to choose.
Construction has kicked off on what might be Southeast Asia's most jaw-dropping cultural project-the Isola della Musica, a striking opera house designed by the legendary Renzo Piano that will literally float on Hanoi's West Lake when it opens in 2027. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more dramatic setting for world-class performances. The name means "Island of Music" in Italian, which feels fitting given Piano's heritage and the venue's extraordinary location on the Quang An Peninsula,
Last night's revival at Glyndebourne of Sir Peter Hall's classic 1981 Festival production of Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream' was dreamlike and fantastical. Tonight I'm at the Coliseum for English National Opera's new semi-staged Albert Herring', Britten's lacerating chamber opera satirising English small-town mores. The ENO have had some success with their semi-staged productions including Gloriana', Duke Bluebeard's Castle' and Suor Angelica' and I'm fascinated to see if Albert Herring', directed and designed by multi-awardwinning Antony McDonald, will suit this pared back approach.
English National Opera opens its 2025-26 season with a new production of Rossini's sparkling comedy La Cenerentola (Cinderella). With conductor, director, and both leads all making their ENO debuts, the feel is fresh and fun in a production set in a contemporary world but with moments of magic plus white mice, a pumpkin, a ghost and even a glass slipper, even if Rossini's version of the story involves matching bracelets.
"At 18, when your sights are set on 42nd Street and then you're getting called to 65th Street, it was weirdly a letdown," he recalled. "But after a few hours I kind of slapped myself and said 'Miles, pull yourself together.'"
This autumn, the Magic Flute returns to the Royal Opera House stage in a revival of David McVicar's acclaimed production. Running from 10 October to 3 November 2025, the Royal Opera House celebrates the 400th performance of Mozart's The Magic Flute, one of the most popular operas ever written. Mozart's coming-of-age story about true love and the search for wisdom is a repertoire staple of The Royal Opera and is always a crowd-pleaser.
After a summer of institutional mishaps to raise the pulse of the most hardened spin doctor, the Royal Ballet and Opera's new season was audible far beyond the venue. Shame on you, chanted protesters over a powerful PA system outside. Some, standing amid yellow and blue flags, simply held placards. Art is not neutral, read one. And indeed it isn't, though opera's entanglements in international geopolitics are rarely as visible as at Covent Garden in recent months.
Ambriz died Aug. 28. The official cause of her death was not immediately known, but local media reported it was due to cancer. Ambriz was the singing voice for the 1991 Spanish version of the "Beauty and the Beast". She was a key figure in Mexican opera and was known for her extensive repertoire that included opera, oratorio, chamber music, renaissance, and contemporary music.
