Falstaff
Starring Lisette Oropesa, Angela Meade, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Paolo Fanale, Ambrogio Maestri and Franco Vassallo, conducted by James Levine. From December 14, 2013.
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.
Don Carlo
Starring Marina Poplavskaya, Anna Smirnova, Roberto Alagna, Simon Keenlyside, Ferruccio Furlanetto and Eric Halfvarson, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. From December 11, 2010.
The end of Columbia Artists
La Cieca has heard that Columbia Artists Management Inc. will cease operations on Monday, August 31.
Lise Davidsen in Oslo
“A program of the soaring arias and songs that have rocketed her to stardom around the world: selections from Wagner’s Tannhäser, Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, and Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, as well as Scandinavian songs by Sibelius and Grieg.”
La traviata
Starring Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Flórez and Quinn Kelsey, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin (not pictured). From December 15, 2018.
Il corsaro
Michael Fabiano in one of his specialties as the dashing hero of Il corsaro torn between Tamara Wilson and Nicole Cabell.
Un ballo in maschera
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From December 8, 2012.
I masnadieri
A recent I Masnadieri with risen stars Lisette Oropesa and Russell Thomas.
Luisa Miller
Starring Sonya Yoncheva, Olesya Petrova, Piotr Beczala, Plácido Domingo, Alexander Vinogradov and Dmitry Belosselskiy, conducted by Bertrand de Billy. From April 14, 2018.
Attila
Today’s offering is an electric performance of Verdi’s early potboiler Attila conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli with Nicolai Ghiaurov, Piero Cappuccilli and the weirdly exciting (or is it the other way around?) Mara Zampieri.
Il trovatore
Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From October 3, 2015.
Giovanna d’Arco
Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco in a rare NYC concert performance with Margaret Price, Carlo Bergonzi and Sherrill Milnes.
Rigoletto
Starring Diana Damrau, Oksana Volkova, Piotr Beczala, Zeljko Lucic and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From February 16, 2013.
I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata
To vary and expand the Met’s “rerun” week of telecasts of Verdi operas, our own Christopher Corwin has selected a group of earlier and lesser-known works by that composer from the vast “Trove Thursday” collection for afternoon listening.
Hansel and Gretel
Starring Judith Blegen, Frederica von Stade, Jean Kraft, Rosalind Elias and Michael Devlin, conducted by Thomas Fulton. From December 25, 1982.
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Starring Kathleen Battle, Rockwell Blake, Leo Nucci, Enzo Dara and Ferruccio Furlanetto, conducted by Ralf Weikert. From December 3, 1988.
Simon Boccanegra
Starring Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, Plácido Domingo and James Morris, conducted by James Levine. From February 6, 2010.
“You know a lot when you’re 16”
Born on this day in 1896 soprano, newspaper columnist, voice teacher and novelist Queena Mario.
Un ballo in maschera
Starring Aprile Millo, Harolyn Blackwell, Florence Quivar, Luciano Pavarotti and Leo Nucci, conducted by James Levine. From January 26, 1991.
Eugene Onegin
Starring Anna Netrebko, Elena Maximova, Alexey Dolgov, Peter Mattei and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Robin Ticciati. From April 22, 2017.
Francesca da Rimini
Starring Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by James Levine. From April 7, 1984.
Tosca
Starring Patricia Racette, Roberto Alagna, and George Gagnidze conducted by Riccardo Frizza. From November 9, 2013.
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).