Don Carlo
Starring Marina Poplavskaya, Anna Smirnova, Roberto Alagna, Simon Keenlyside, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Eric Halfvarson, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Production by Nicholas Hytner. From December 11, 2010.
La Cieca
James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.
Aida
Leontyne Price is joined by the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry in her radio debut as the Princess Amneris. Carlo Bergonzi sings the role of Radamès and Robert Merrill is Amonasro. Thomas Schippers conducts.
Rigoletto
Starring Christiane Eda-Pierre, Isola Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis Quilico, and Ara Berberian, conducted by J____ L_____. Production by John Dexter. From December 15, 1981.
Idomeneo
Starring Elza van den Heever, Nadine Sierra, Alice Coote, Matthew Polenzani, and Alan Opie, conducted by James Levine. Production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. From March 25, 2017.
La Traviata
Starring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Willy Decker. From April 14, 2012.
Die Walküre
Starring Christine Goerke, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jamie Barton, Stuart Skelton, Greer Grimsley, and Günther Groissböck, conducted by Philippe Jordan. Production by Robert Lepage. From March 30, 2019.
It ain’t necessary
Born on this day in 1894 composer and arranger/orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett.
Così fan tutte
Starring Amanda Majeski, Serena Malfi, Kelli O’Hara, Ben Bliss, Adam Plachetka, and Christopher Maltman, conducted by David Robertson. Production by Phelim McDermott. From March 31, 2018.
La fanciulla del West
From the Staatsoper Berlin: Anja Kampe, Marcelo Álvarez and Michael Volle, conducted by Antonio Pappano.
Macbeth
From the Vienna State Opera, Luca Salsi, Anna Netrebko, Roberto Tagliavini and Freddi De Tommaso, conducted by Philippe Jordan.
The Tempest
Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies, Alek Shrader, Alan Oke, William Burden, Toby Spence, and Simon Keenlyside, conducted by Thomas Adès. Production by Robert Lepage. From November 10, 2012.
Miss Show Business
Born on this day in 1922 entertainer Judy Garland.
Rigoletto
Starring Diana Damrau, Oksana Volkova, Piotr Beczala, Zeljko Lucic, and Stefan Kocan, conducted by Michele Mariotti. Production by Michael Mayer. From February 16, 2013.
Macbeth
Starring Anna Netrebko, Joseph Calleja, Zeljko Lucic, and René Pape, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Adrian Noble. From October 11, 2014.
Billy Budd
Performance from March 8, 1997.
Steuart Bedford; Philip Langridge (Captain Vere), Dwayne Croft (Billy Budd), James Morris (Claggart), Victor Braun (Mr. Redburn), Julien Robbins (Lt. Ratcliffe), James Courtney (Mr. Flint), Paul Plishka (Dansker)
Porgy and Bess
Starring Angel Blue, Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Eric Owens, Alfred Walker, and Donovan Singletary, conducted by David Robertson. Production by James Robinson. From February 1, 2020.
“Did you get her innuendo?”
Born on this day in 1907 actress Rosalind Russell.
La Fille du Régiment
Starring Pretty Yende, Stephanie Blythe, Kathleen Turner, Javier Camarena, and Maurizio Muraro, conducted by Enrique Mazzola. Production by Laurent Pelly. From March 2, 2019.
Carmen
Starring Aleksandra Kurzak, Clémentine Margaine, Roberto Alagna, and Alexander Vinogradov, conducted by Louis Langrée. Production by Sir Richard Eyre. From February 2, 2019.
All about that Wagner
In May, everyone wanted to hear those Wagnerians, shown here singing Strauss.
Samson et Dalila
Starring Elina Garanca, Roberto Alagna, Laurent Naouri, Elchin Azizov, and Dmitry Belosselskiy, conducted by Sir Mark Elder. Production by Darko Tresnjak. From October 20, 2018.
Turandot
Starring Christine Goerke, Eleonora Buratto, Yusif Eyvazov and James Morris, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 12, 2019.
Le Comte Ory
Starring Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Susanne Resmark, Juan Diego Flórez, Stéphane Degout, and Michele Pertusi, conducted by Maurizio Benini. Production by Bartlett Sher. From April 9, 2011.
Capriccio
Starring Renée Fleming, Sarah Connolly, Joseph Kaiser, Russell Braun, Morten Frank Larsen, and Peter Rose, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. Production by John Cox. From April 23, 2011.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
