It’s shaping up to be a bumper 2019 for Pinchgut Opera. As well as its usual mainstage offering of two operas – next year will see Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses and Vivaldi’s Farnace – the company has added two recitals to its season next year. And following this year’s coup of snagging American soprano Vivica Genaux for the upcoming Hasse premiere Artaserse, one of the recitals will feature exciting Romanian male soprano Valer Sabadus.

Artistic Director Erin Helyard. Photo courtesy of Pinchgut Opera

“Pinchgut’s just grown and grown in the last 15 years,” Artistic Director Erin Helyard enthuses. “We started off with one show per year and then added the winter one as well. I guess always in the back of my mind I’ve been inspired by Bill Christie’s Les Arts Florissants. I’ve loved the emphasis on the voice that Les Arts Florissants have and that’s at the core of what we do as well. So I thought to expand beyond the operas it would be wonderful to present things that weren’t necessarily stage works, but still spoke to our strengths and gave...