Gabrielle Ferrari

Gabrielle Ferrari is a PhD student at Columbia University researching gender and sexuality in British music, twentieth-century opera, and classical music and popular culture. She has degrees in music and English literature from Southern Methodist University and her Masters in Historical Musicology from Columbia University. If she isn't watching opera, writing about an opera, or reading about an opera, she's probably singing opera. When she's feeling a little bit wild, she dabbles in oratorio and musical theater.

Crazy business this Crazy business this

Despite a star-studded cast, last night’s Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall ultimately failed to take flight.

Turandot doesn’t exist Turandot doesn’t exist

It’s back to business as usual at the Met, for better and for worse.

The sonic clash never resolves itself The sonic clash never resolves itself

The cabaret at Saint Ann’s Warehouse delivered frothy fun and a dollop of pathos with Anthony Roth Costanzo and Justin Vivian Bond in Only an Octave Apart.

Playing with ‘Fire’ Playing with ‘Fire’

With composer Terence Blanchard and librettist Kasi Lemmons‘ incendiary Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the Met makes long overdue history and Will Liverman ascends to superstardom.

When a Met loves a woman When a Met loves a woman

The Met recently submitted another eye-roll inducing entry for the Woke Olympics with their Women’s History Month slate.

Don’t you forget about me Don’t you forget about me

HERE’s new radio opera marks itself out by leaning into the dramatic affordances of the audio-only format in No One is Forgotten, an adaptation of a play by Winter Miller with new music by Paola Prestini and Sxip Shirey.

The ties that bind The ties that bind

Like everyone reading this, I imagine, I’ve missed going to see and hear something in person more than I thought possible.

Champagne o’clock Champagne o’clock

Happy New Year, dear readers, from me, Callum, and Christine Goerke’s headband-tiara!

Hear those magic reindeer click Hear those magic reindeer click

Jonas Kaufmann would like you know it’s Christmas. Well, not unlike a broken clock, he is right, at least for one day a year.

No Grinches allowed No Grinches allowed

Grab a fuzzy robe, a hot toddy, and a Wales guidebook, then sink blissfully into your couch for Bryn Terfel’s Christmas concert for the Met’s Live in Concert Series.

A couple of misfits A couple of misfits

Diana Damrau and Joseph Calleja presented an uneven program in a lavish setting this weekend in the most recent entry in the Met’s concert series.

Dish honored Dish honored

Lise Davidsen turned in a fine performance Saturday, cementing her up-and-coming star status in an eclectic program given from the Oscarshall Palace in Oslo.

Quantum leap Quantum leap

By a margin of more than two to one, the cher public has chosen “O Scarpia, avanti a Dio!” as the greatest of all opera curtain lines.

The last word: final round The last word: final round

It’s come down to this: the two finalists in the Best Opera Curtain Line competition.

The last word: semifinals The last word: semifinals

We move now to the semi-finals of the Best Opera Curtain Line competition.

The last word The last word

And now, with your cooperation, cher public, we are about to decide which is the best opera curtain line of all opera curtain lines.

Best Curtain Line Best Curtain Line

With thanks to commenter Krunoslav for the suggestion, we will kick off our new game with the theme “Best Curtain Line.”

parterre boxing parterre boxing

A new series where we pit Zerbinetta against Zerlina, Caballé against Callas, Berg against Bellini in the ultimate operatic showdown.

‘Lady’ Willpower ‘Lady’ Willpower

Lady M, an Online Fantasia on Verdi’s Macbeth, Heartbeat Opera’s creative and thought-provoking foray into the Zoom opera scene, left me feeling alternately pensive, hopeful and somewhat uneasy, in a good way.

The three faces of Lisette The three faces of Lisette

The season’s second cast delivered a satisfying, if not transcendent, La Traviata at the Met last night as they struggled to emerge from piles of jewel tone brocade and gold filigree.

Another version of the sleuth Another version of the sleuth

Opera for families may not generally be my thing, but I loved feeling like I was a tiny part of shaping a new opera.

The perfect match The perfect match

If only she’d been able to sing more than 10 minutes of Bjork’s music!

Speak loudly Speak loudly

Do we do what we have to do? Or do we have to do what we do?

Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and Gabrielle Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and Gabrielle

I watched Greta Gerwig’s heartbreaking, gorgeous, joy-filled explosion of an adaptation of Little Women in about the best way one can, sniffling in the dark with my best friend, the closest person I have to a sister.