Don Giovanni
Starring Renée Fleming, Solveig Kringelborn, Hei-Kyung Hong, Paul Groves, Bryn Terfel, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Sergei Koptchak, conducted by James Levine. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 14, 2000.
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.
Götterdämmerung
Tenor Daniel Brenna reprises his portrayal of Siegfried opposite a luminous Iréne Theorin as Brünnhilde and alongside bass-baritone Greer Grimsley, bass Andrea Silvestrelli, soprano Melissa Citro, baritone Brian Mulligan, and bass-baritone Falk Struckmann.
Idomeneo
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Ileana Cotrubas, Frederica von Stade, Luciano Pavarotti, and John Alexander, conducted by James Levine. Production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. From November 6, 1982.
Elektra
Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud Meier, and Eric Owens, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. Production by Patrice Chéreau. From April 30, 2016.
Iphigénie en Tauride
Starring Susan Graham, Plácido Domingo, Paul Groves, and Gordon Hawkins, conducted by Patrick Summers. Production by Stephen Wadsworth. From February 26, 2011.
Ariane et Barbe-Bleue
The Paul Dukas rarity, performed by the Opéra de Lyon.
La Damnation de Faust
Starring Susan Graham, Marcello Giordani, and John Relyea, conducted by James Levine. Production by Robert Lepage. From November 22, 2008.
Orfeo ed Euridice
Starring Danielle de Niese, Heidi Grant Murphy, and Stephanie Blythe, conducted by James Levine. Production by Mark Morris. From January 24, 2009.
Agrippina
Starring Brenda Rae, Joyce DiDonato, Kate Lindsey, Iestyn Davies, Duncan Rock, and Matthew Rose, conducted by Harry Bicket. Production by Sir David McVicar. From February 29, 2020.
Curtain! Fast music! Light!
Born on this day in 1867 impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
Der Rosenkavalier
From the Bayerische Staatsoper, Vladimir Jurowski conducts a new production by Barrie Kosky.
Eugene Onegin
Starring Renée Fleming, Ramón Vargas, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Valery Gergiev. Production by Robert Carsen. From February 24, 2007.
Siegfried
Francesca Zambello directs and Sir Donald Runnicles conducts the all-star cast including Daniel Brenna, Greer Grimsley, Iréne Theorin, Ronnita Miller and David Cangelosi.
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Starring Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Flórez, Peter Mattei, John Del Carlo, and John Relyea, conducted by Maurizio Benini. Production by Bartlett Sher. From March 24, 2007.
Scheme a little scheme
Happy 74th birthday to actress Glenn Close.
Akhnaten
Starring Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, Richard Bernstein, and Zachary James, conducted by Karen Kamensek. Production by Phelim McDermott. From November 23, 2019.
The skills to pay the bills
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra has accepted a deal to receive bridge pay in return for returning to the bargaining table.
Anna Bolena
Starring Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova, Tamara Mumford, Stephen Costello, and Ildar Abdrazakov, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From October 15, 2011.
James Levine 1943-2021
The conductor and former music director of the Metropolitan Opera died on March 9.
Rigoletto
From the Vienna State Opera: Evelino Pidò leads Carlos Álvarez, Juan Diego Flórez and Olga Peretyatko.
Souffles de dieu!
On this day in 1894 Massenet’s Thaïs premiered in Paris.
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Starring Anna Netrebko, Kathleen Kim, Ekaterina Gubanova, Kate Lindsey, Joseph Calleja, and Alan Held, conducted by James Levine. Production by Bartlett Sher. From December 19, 2009.
Aida
Elena Guseva, Gregory Kunde and Ekaterina Gubanova star in this performance from the Vienna State Opera.
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).
