Christian Ocier

Christian Ocier emerged fully formed one eros-filled evening from the nocturnal thrum of Tristan und Isolde’s Liebesnacht. During the Tag half of his life’s equation, he doubles as a pâtissier and a nanophotonic materials science Ph.D. student, a degree which he will soon complete at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Christian’s serious love for opera was sparked during his mid-teens after listening to Carlo Maria Giulini’s 5-Act Don Carlo. Eventually, his tastes gravitated to the dramas of Wagner, Strauss, Bartok, Janacek and Berg. To him few things make Nacht more transcendent than great performances of Tristan, Die Frau Ohne Schatten or Lulu—the trifecta of operas he adores the most. His tortes, entremets, and entrées honoring great musicians include La Stemme Divine (Nina Stemme), Le Grande Lise (Lise Davidsen), and Ravioli all’Ambrogio Maestri.


The journey is the destination The journey is the destination

In this recital, the Polish bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny and his pianist Lech Napierala present the world premiere recording of Stanislaw Baranczak‘s Podróz Zimowa (Winter’s Journey), which weds the poet’s meticulously crafted poetry to the music of Franz Schubert.

on July 23, 2019 at 9:49 AM
It’s the Minnesinger not the song It’s the Minnesinger not the song

Tannhäuser pales beside the other great Wagnerian operas in the degree to which it has innovated the Regisseur’s vocabulary for set design and dramaturgy.

on July 16, 2019 at 10:24 AM
Putting it together Putting it together

Riccardo Muti’s vision of Aida’s score largely emerged as one of subtlety, musicality, and restraint.

on June 25, 2019 at 11:13 AM
What we do in the shadows What we do in the shadows

The Wiener Staatsoper commemorated its 150th anniversary with a musically sensational presentation of Richard Strauss’ Die Frau Ohne Schatten.

on June 04, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Upon arrival Upon arrival

Lise Davidsen, the young Norwegian soprano who won the Operalia competition in 2015, makes her debut as a recording artist with the Decca label in a new recital of Wagner and Strauss arias and orchestral songs.

on June 02, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Revolution blues Revolution blues

The opera proved somewhat puzzling—the score representing more a collage of fragmented and incidental musical ideas, and the libretto a turgid, slow-moving mass of purple prose.

on May 30, 2019 at 2:03 PM
Something With a ‘Ring’ to It Something With a ‘Ring’ to It

Cycle II represented an embarrassment of musical riches.

on May 06, 2019 at 6:24 PM
Der Meisterdirigent Der Meisterdirigent

Christian Thielemann is widely regarded as our time’s preeminent master of the Austro-German symphonic ensemble.

on April 15, 2019 at 1:36 PM
Meaty content Meaty content

I’d like to create a pasta dish in honor of Ambrogio Maestri’s art.

on April 01, 2019 at 9:24 AM
Get in the ‘Ring’ Get in the ‘Ring’

Wagner’s Ring is an artistic masterpiece that is peerless in its ability to continually reveal layers of musical, theatrical, and philosophical insight

on March 18, 2019 at 4:09 PM
After the Fach After the Fach

I thought it would be a great exercise for commenters to organize something of a Parterre Fachbuch.

on February 25, 2019 at 10:00 AM
General Elektra General Elektra

Nina Stemme’s Elektra is familiar to me in three different incarnations.

on February 11, 2019 at 5:05 PM
The octogenarian muse The octogenarian muse

Helga Dernesch is the singer whom I largely credit for rekindling my love for opera.

on February 04, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Love of the earth Love of the earth

Claudio Abbado passed away on the 20th of January five years ago, just months before I began my Ph.D.

on January 21, 2019 at 9:40 AM
To the extreme To the extreme

No other singer of Die Amme approaches the towering standard set by the German mezzo Tanja Ariane Baumgartner.

on January 14, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Brute force Brute force

Alban Berg’s compact yet potent oeuvre has long played an outsized role in shaping my understanding of music’s aesthetic evolution.

on January 01, 2019 at 1:35 PM
Hello young lovers, wherever you are Hello young lovers, wherever you are

Fill in the leads for Manon Lescaut, La Rondine and Edgar.

on December 24, 2018 at 11:07 AM
Are you ready for some Fantasy Football? Are you ready for some Fantasy Football?

Assembling casts for three works: Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde for Karita Mattila, Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, and Aribert Reimann’s Troades.

on December 17, 2018 at 4:14 PM
Overview: Riccardo Chailly Overview: Riccardo Chailly

Riccardo Chailly’s appointment as La Scala’s new music director was news that I greeted with enthusiasm when first announced in 2013.  

on December 03, 2018 at 11:06 AM
Burning woman Burning woman

I count myself as privileged to have witnessed Götterdämmerungat the Royal Opera House during this season’s revival of Keith Warner’s Ring.

on October 05, 2018 at 12:49 PM
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