Christopher Corwin

Christopher Corwin began writing for parterre box in 2011 under the pen name “DeCaffarrelli.” His work has also appeared in , The New York Times, Musical America, The Observer, San Francisco Classical Voice and BAMNotes. Like many, he came to opera via the Saturday Met Opera broadcasts which he began listening to at age 11. His particular enthusiasm is 17th and 18th century opera. Since 2015 he has curated the weekly podcast Trove Thursday on parterre box presenting live recordings.

Rondo and rondo and rondo we go Rondo and rondo and rondo we go

A convocation of mezzos–and a pride of tenors–produce hundreds of sixteenth notes in a bewitching Rossini showpiece

on January 17, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Siam giunte, F.B. Pinkerton Siam giunte, F.B. Pinkerton

Before some important Madama Butterfly sopranos dominate the American scene in early 2024, Chris’s Cache offers live recordings of four vintage Cio-Cio-Sans, plus a brand new one: Renata Scotto; Galina Vishnevskaya, Anna Moffo, Gilda Cruz-Romo–and Sonya Yoncheva.

on January 08, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Mama is gonna see to it Mama is gonna see to it

Florian Leopold Gassmann’s delicious romp L’Opera Seria seems the perfect New Year’s Eve choice at Chris’s Cache

on December 28, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Field and fountain, moor and Montemezzi Field and fountain, moor and Montemezzi

Today’s Three Kings aren’t the ones who arrive in Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera usually performed this time of year

on December 21, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Les mêmes chansons, les mêmes refrains Les mêmes chansons, les mêmes refrains

Today’s collection features souvenirs of three previous Met productions of Carmen

on December 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Myth and meaning Myth and meaning

Two short theatrical works and one sacred piece from the beguiling oeuvre of the guy who didn’t write Louise

on December 08, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Christian science monitored Christian science monitored

In any case, we probably got as good a Tannhäuser cast as could be assembled these days.

on December 04, 2023 at 9:00 AM
‘Don’ or dinner party ‘Don’ or dinner party

A revival of Peter Konwitschny’s rightly legendary Don Carlos and Dmitri Tcherniakov’s confounding new Salome: both turned out to be unforgettable!

on November 30, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Jailhouse Roccos Jailhouse Roccos

Chris’s Cache wraps up November with Régine Crespin’s Chicago Leonore; two rare Met Fidelios headed by Christa Ludwig and Hildegard Behrens; and a concert performance with Birgit Nilsson led by Leonard Bernstein, plus a final twist: excerpts of Carol Vaness in Leonore.

on November 28, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Step and repeat Step and repeat

Three important daughter-stepmother pairs

on November 09, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Garden party Garden party

Two of France’s leading Early Music ensembles recently visited New York City to perform music by some of the 17th century’s leading composers.

on November 08, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Les ‘Filles’ mal gardées Les ‘Filles’ mal gardées

Two problematic 1990s Donizetti daughters

on November 02, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Portrait of a lady on fire Portrait of a lady on fire

Several opera companies across the globe are marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas with performances of operas identified with her.

on October 26, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Balls to the wall Balls to the wall

Five fatal Swedish/Bostonian love triangles

on October 17, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Special handeling Special handeling

A veritable festival of baroque vocal music featuring two of Handel’s English works, Israel in Egypt and L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, as well as Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie.

on October 10, 2023 at 9:00 AM
Michael Kaye’s Puccini Michael Kaye’s Puccini

La Cieca asked that the next installment of Chris’s Cache mark the recent passing of Michael Kaye, known to readers of this site as QuantoPainyFakor.

on September 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Se non è vero, è ben ‘Trovatore’ Se non è vero, è ben ‘Trovatore’

Chris’s Cache offers up a quintet of intriguing “forgotten” Leonora-Azucena pairings from the 1970s.

on September 05, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Bonisolli: the early years Bonisolli: the early years

Franco Bonisolli from age 28 to 33 in complete operas by Mozart, Cimarosa, Donizetti and Massenet.

on August 28, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Horne aplenty Horne aplenty

Recent discussion about the merits of Le Prophète has prompted Chris’s Cache to unearth a pirate recording of Meyerbeer’s opera with Marilyn Horne, Rita Shane and Guy Chauvet led by Charles Mackerras, along with an earlier collaboration of the mezzo and conductor: Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice in which Horne goes to hell to get back Adriana Maliponte with the help of Judith Blegen.

on August 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Dance to the music Dance to the music

I can’t say it’s precisely my idea of Handel, but I’ve watched this clip at least a half dozen times!

on August 15, 2023 at 9:49 PM
Remember my forgotten soprano Remember my forgotten soprano

This week Chris’s Cache features Maria Chiara, Elena Mauti-Nunziata, Rita Orlandi-Malaspina and Orianna Santunione in L’Amico Fritz, Mefistofele, Simon Boccanegra and La Fanciulla del West, respectively.

on August 07, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Women on the Virgil of a nervous breakdown Women on the Virgil of a nervous breakdown

Anticipating John Eliot Gardiner’s epic tour next month, Chris’s Cache savors several versions of Berlioz’s Les Troyens.

on July 28, 2023 at 12:00 PM
Herodias warst du, und was noch? Herodias warst du, und was noch?

While reading about the challenges that have faced next week’s Bayreuth opening, I realized I’m a bad Parsifal fan: while I admire the first and third acts of Wagner’s final masterpiece, I really only love the pagan second.

on July 20, 2023 at 2:16 PM
Accidentally like a martyr Accidentally like a martyr

Chris’s Cache previews Donizetti’s Poliuto, with a broadcast starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Gregory Kunde and Gabriele Viviani, along with Les Martyrs, the opera’s French grand opera revision, with Leyla Gencer, Mario di Felici and Renato Bruson.

on June 30, 2023 at 10:00 AM