Next season I’m excited for King Roger
Evgeny Titov, locally infamous for his production of Salome where the titular heroine wears a paper mask for the entire performance, returns with Szymanowski’s shimmering King Roger.
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.
Some filth or dementia from Ben Miller
They should sell pay-per-view tickets to this like WWE.
Fausto Cleva was a great opera conductor
Fausto Cleva, in this glorious Fanciulla from the old Met, demonstrates all the great skills of opera conducting
Ebe Stignani and Anita Cerquetti should have made it to the Met
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
A favorite Verdi performance from Ben Miller
The dictionary definition of Kuntenserven.
A favorite bass performance from Ben Miller
The one, the only Fyodor Chaliapin, singing Massenet’s “Elegie” (with, I believe, a young Piatigorsky on the cello part).
Headless “Girl” in a topless bar
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.
Bleak house
Karita Mattila’s Ortrud, taut conducting, and a remarkable debut emerge from Richard Jones’s dreary Lohengrin Konzept.
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).
