The Opera House
On what would have been the last night of the 2019–20 Met season, Susan Froemke’s acclaimed 2017 documentary.
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.
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
As performed by the Finnish National Opera on 11 March 2019.
La bohème
Renata Scotto and Luciano Pavarotti star in this pioneering video from March 15, 1977.
Capriccio
Renée Fleming rocks a chin-length bob as Countess Madeleine in Richard Strauss’s final opera.
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
“Director Krzysztof Warlikowski and conductor Alain Altinoglu take on the challenge of revealing the essence of a work in which time and space are merely the remnants of a crumbled mosaic.”
L’amour de Loin
Kaija Saariaho’s modern masterpiece, as transmitted live on December 10, 2016.
Wozzeck
Krzysztof Warlikowski directs Christopher Maltman and Eva-Maria Westbroek in this production from Dutch National Opera in 2017.
Hamlet
Simon Keenlyside, Marlis Petersen, Jennifer Larmore and James Morris star in this Live in HD video from March 27, 2010.
Gloriana
Susan Bullock, Toby Spence and Kate Royal star in Benjamin Britten‘s 1953 opera.
Le nozze di Figaro
The cream of the Met’s 1990s roster join forces for a controversial* staging of Mozart’s comedy.
The Bartered Bride
Video from the January 6, 2019 performance at the Bayerische Staatsoper.
A gala day is enough for me
The discussion of the Metropolitan Opera’s “At-Home Gala” set a new record for parterre box articles, with 11,590 pageviews and 1,877 comments!
Rosalind Elias 1930-2020
The stalwart Met mezzo-soprano died earlier today.
Prince Igor
Oksana Dyka, Anita Rachvelishvili and Ildar Abdrazakov star in this Live in HD video from March 1, 2014.
Iphigénie en Tauride
Staatsoper Stuttgart continues it s#OpertrotzCorona series.
Luisa Miller
Sonya Yoncheva stars in the title role of Verdi’s stirring drama, opposite Piotr Beczala as her lover, Rodolfo.
Mitridate, Re di Ponto
“The efforts long ago of the king of Pontus to resist Roman domination of the Mediterranean remind us of recent attempts by some European leaders to change the rules of the Union.”
Aida
The legendary opera farewell of Miss Leontyne Price, as transmitted live on January 3, 1985.
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino At- Home Concert
Alexander Pereira presents Cecilia Bartoli, Vittorio Grigolo, Mikhail Petrenko, Diana Damrau, Ludovic Tézier, Francesco Meli, Lisette Oropesa, Luca Salsi, Thomas Hampson, Krassimira Stoyanova, Michele Pertusi, Eva Mei, Leo Nucci, Sonya Yoncheva, Fabio Sartori, Anna Pirozzi and Saioa Hernández performing live from their respective living rooms.
Marnie
Isabel Leonard stars as Nico Muhly‘s enigmatic heroine.
Les Troyens
With Anna Caterina Antonacci (Cassandre), Brandon Jovanovich (Enée) and Joyce DiDonato (Didon).
Roberto Devereux
Sondra Radvanovsky stars as Queen Elizabeth I, with Matthew Polenzani in the title role, Elina Garanca and Mariusz Kwiecien.
Simon Boccanegra
From the Rome Opera in 2012 conducted by Riccardo Muti.
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).