Parterre Box

Change my mind about <em>The Last Savage</em> Change my mind about <em>The Last Savage</em>

Despite having endured premiers at the Santa Fe Opera, including Cold Mountain, Oscar, and The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, all of which were disappointing on every level, Santa Fe Opera’s 2011 production of Menotti‘s The Last Savage is an opera I never care to see or listen to again.

Louise Louise

A performance of Gustave Charpentier‘s opera recorded last week at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

La Calisto La Calisto

A performance of Cavalli‘s opera recorded last week at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

Change my mind about Joan Sutherland’s Norma Change my mind about Joan Sutherland’s Norma

Joan Sutherland as Norma is something I’ve never been able to get.

Les contes d’Hoffmann Les contes d’Hoffmann

A live video broadcast from Zurich starring Saimir Pirgu in the title role

Don Giovanni Don Giovanni

A live broadcast from the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

America runs on Duncan America runs on Duncan

The opening of Teatro Nuovo’s Macbeth next week is the first of two opportunities this year to hear the opera in its original 1847 Version

Change my mind about booing singers Change my mind about booing singers

I don’t understand the booing of singers, whether it’s booing bad characters, or booing singers who don’t live up to the booer’s expectations.

Change my mind about performing operetta in English Change my mind about performing operetta in English

I so don’t get why any company in the Anglophone world ever bothers to perform Continental operetta in English.

Take it or Liv it Take it or Liv it

The opening of the Santa Fe Opera’s season is the perfect occasion to highlight its Susanna, American soprano Liv Redpath

Change my mind about Joyce DiDonato Change my mind about Joyce DiDonato

When I first encountered Joyce DiDonato in the early 2000s, I found her to be the case of an extraordinary technique and intelligent artistry supporting a rather ordinary voice.

Faust Faust

A performance recorded this spring in London

Der Rosenkavalier Der Rosenkavalier

A performance recorded last month and reviewed here featuring Véronique Gens, Niamh O’Sullivan, Regula Mühlemann, and Peter Rose

Change my mind about what makes a legendary artist Change my mind about what makes a legendary artist

My contention here is more general than just a critique of an opera, a composer, or a singer. I argue that one cannot be a truly legendary artist unless one sings NEW MUSIC.

Talk it out Talk it out

Mere days remain to make your voice heard for this summer’s The Talk of the Town!

Votre liberté ne sera pas ravie! Votre liberté ne sera pas ravie!

What better a way to honor Independence Day than with a bit of French-American partnering?

Change my mind about <em>Parsifal</em> Change my mind about <em>Parsifal</em>

Parsifal just gives me the creeps – a muddy maundery concoction that wallows in faux religiosity, a creepy view of sin, and naïve redemption.

Prêtre a manger Prêtre a manger

parterre box serves up an amuse-bouche of Natalie Dessay as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd in Strasbourg!

Change my mind about Mario Lanza Change my mind about Mario Lanza

I just don’t get why anyone takes Mario Lanza seriously as “the tenor of the century” and so forth.

This summer I’m reading <em>The Reign of Patti</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The Reign of Patti</em>

The ultimate in Diva worship – where she can do no wrong.

Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci

Daniele Rustioni leads a verismo double bill recorded in Munich last month

Stiffelio Stiffelio

A performance recorded earlier this month in Dortmund with Angelo Villari and Pretty Yende

This summer I’m reading <em>I promessi sposi</em> This summer I’m reading <em>I promessi sposi</em>

Nothing helped me understand Verdi better than Alessandro Manzoni‘s I promessi sposi.

Don Giovanni Don Giovanni

Konstantin Krimmel plays the title role in a live broadcast from Munich