Ben Miller
Ben Miller is a writer, researcher, and opera queen based in Berlin. His essays, criticism, journalism, and fiction have been published in The New York Times, VAN Magazine, Jacobin, Slate, Tin House, SAND Journal, and more. His favorite opera is Jenufa, and his personal diva is Karita Mattila, who was the Eva in his first live opera: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, at the MET, in 2001. www.benwritesthings.com.
Fausto Cleva, in this glorious Fanciulla from the old Met, demonstrates all the great skills of opera conducting
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
The dictionary definition of Kuntenserven.
The one, the only Fyodor Chaliapin, singing Massenet’s “Elegie” (with, I believe, a young Piatigorsky on the cello part).
Today’s listener has heard the scores of the classic Westerns that borrowed from Puccini (and Wagner!) to create the sound of the myth of the West.
Karita Mattila’s Ortrud, taut conducting, and a remarkable debut emerge from Richard Jones’s dreary Lohengrin Konzept.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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