parterre box

Semele Semele

Handel‘s scintillating oratorio in a live video broadcast from Atlanta Opera

on June 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Dear in headlights Dear in headlights

Two women singing an operatic love duet is virtually an everyday occurrence, but two men? Not so much.

on June 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>The Operas of Verdi</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The Operas of Verdi</em>

Julian Budden‘s masterful, three-volume analysis of the entire Verdi oeuvre is fascinating reading.

on June 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Divas and Scholars</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Divas and Scholars</em>

Although presented as an overview of the performance of Italian opera from the first half of the 19th century, Divas and Scholars is really an impassioned defense of musicology as a discipline and of Italian opera as a subject worthy of scholarly attention.

on June 12, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven</em>

If you love the astonishing vocal works of J. S. Bach, John Eliott Gardiner’s 2013 book is a deeply rewarding read.

on June 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Eleanor Steber: An Autobiography</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Eleanor Steber: An Autobiography</em>

A fascinating autobiography that delivers both on the diva anecdotes and on intelligent artistic observations about the singer’s life.

on June 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>The Operetta Empire: Music Theater in Early 20th C. Vienna</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The Operetta Empire: Music Theater in Early 20th C. Vienna</em>

Fascinating account of the role of musical theater in an uneasy context of art emerging from the conflict and resolutions of high culture and popular sentimentality in an era where elites were challenged by political instability.

on June 09, 2025 at 6:00 AM
The Queen of Spades The Queen of Spades

The final Saturday Matinee Broadcast of the 2024-25 season, live from New York

on June 07, 2025 at 9:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Scènes de la vie de Bohème</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Scènes de la vie de Bohème</em>

Man, I tried so hard to get this commissioned as a radio drama, because I want everyone to know what a ride this book is.

on June 07, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Masc et femme fatale Masc et femme fatale

parterre box celebrates the beginning of Pride Month with a throwback to one of the queerer events in recent operatic memory: a bit of Carmen starring Jamie Barton and Stephanie Blythe!

on June 06, 2025 at 10:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>How Sondheim Can Change Your Life</em> This summer I’m reading <em>How Sondheim Can Change Your Life</em>

Not about opera per se, Sweeney Todd notwithstanding, but I’m looking forward to reading the poignant and touching ode to Sondheim’s oeuvre by Richard Schoch.

on June 06, 2025 at 6:00 AM
L’italiana in Algeri L’italiana in Algeri

A live broadcast from Rome

on June 05, 2025 at 9:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>The Uncle from Rome</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The Uncle from Rome</em>

Joseph Caldwell produced this charming tale from a year spent in Italy on the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

on June 05, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading poetry by Muriel Rukeyser This summer I’m reading poetry by Muriel Rukeyser

I think most of us have come around to recognizing John Adams‘s Doctor Atomic the masterpiece that it is.

on June 04, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Antony and Cleopatra Antony and Cleopatra

The final live weeknight broadcast of the 2024-25 season from New York

on June 03, 2025 at 9:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Dom Carlos</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Dom Carlos</em>

A bleak and somber version of the familiar story by Saint-Réal, mixing facts with fiction, making it even more tragical than the Verdi opera.

on June 03, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>The White Hotel</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The White Hotel</em>

Because D.M. Thomas‘s book was a famous book back in its day — I read it in the mid-eighties, yet have forgotten 90% of what it’s all about.

on June 02, 2025 at 6:00 AM
This summer I’m reading <em>Fifty Five Years in Five Acts</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Fifty Five Years in Five Acts</em>

Astrid Varnay‘s autobiography. Entertaining, cogent. Shows wit and character. Much more than “I sang, I got applause, and everyone loved me.”

on June 01, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Did somebody say something? Did somebody say something?

Act now to join the starry ranks of The Talk of the Town contributors for a new quarter of à propos chitter chatter!

on May 31, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Il barbiere di Siviglia Il barbiere di Siviglia

A live broadcast from New York

on May 31, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Werther Werther

Benjamin Bernheim sings the title role opposite Marina Viotti in a performance from Paris recorded last month

on May 31, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Armerjacquino says you <em>must</em> watch <em>The White Lotus</em> Armerjacquino says you <em>must</em> watch <em>The White Lotus</em>

I’m bending the rules a little here, and not only substituting TV for film, but turning the category on its head by doing Movies At The Opera rather than the other way round.

on May 31, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Il fascino immortale Il fascino immortale

Corinne Winters is back at the Met and back in the pages of parterre box, which inclines us to share a bit of Winters in Jenufa

on May 30, 2025 at 9:00 AM

A live performance streamed from the Wiener Staatsoper.

on May 30, 2025 at 9:00 AM