American soprano Renée Fleming is to make rare operatic appearances as Pat Nixon in a new production of John Adams' “Nixon in China” at the Paris Opera next season.
The opera is to be given eight performances at the Bastille from March 25 to April 16, 2023, the company said Wednesday. Music director Gustavo Dudamel will conduct a cast that includes baritone Thomas Hampson as Nixon and soprano Kathleen Kim as Madame Mao. Valentina Carrasco directs.
Fleming, 63, stopped singing central repertory roles in 2017 but has continued concerts and contemporary works, and she received a Tony Award nomination in 2018 for her portrayal of Nettie Fowler in Rodgers and Hammerstein's “Carousel.” Fleming returns to New York's Metropolitan Opera for the staged premiere of Kevin Puts' “The Hours," which opens Nov. 22 in the first of eight performances through Dec. 15.
The Paris Opera season includes new stagings of Strauss’ “Salome” (opening Oct. 15 at the Bastille), Britten's “Peter Grimes (Jan. 26 at the Palais Garnier), Thomas' ”Hamlet" (March 11 at the Bastille), Handel's “Ariodate” (April 20 at the Palais Garnier) and Gounod's “Roméo et Juliette” (June 17 at the Bastille).
Soprano Anna Netrebko, dropped by the Metropolitan Opera for failing to repudiate Russian President Vladimir Putin, is to sing Leonora in a revival of Verdi's “La Forza del Destino” on Dec. 12 and 21 at the Bastille.
