Arabella
A live broadcast of a most Viennese opera from Vienna itself
Parterre Box
A favorite Donizetti performance from Belle Raggio
Late Callas singing Maria from “Figlia del Reggimento” a role she wisely never attempted on stage.
By Belle Raggio
55 comments
Dies magna et amara valde
parterre box offers a Good Friday pick-me-up: elusive chanteuse Juliana Grigoryan in perhaps her most canceled role, the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem
A favorite Donizetti performance from Peter Russell
Who knew that rehearing a performance you believed had become nothing more than a cherished memory would have such healing properties during a time of bereavement?
By Peter Russell
43 comments
Lucia di Lammermoor
Jessica Pratt sings the title role in a live broadcast from Trieste
A favorite Donizetti performance from rapt
The ham in this pandemic-era let’s-put-on-a-show Elisir duet (from the Met at Home broadcast) may make the performance more sooey than sui generis. But I find it irresistible.
By rapt
25 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from Armerjacquino
Well, it’s a clip from Mary Zimmermann‘s production of Lucia di Lammermoor… wait, wait, come back!
By Armerjacquino
91 comments
Peter Seiffert 1954-2025
The German Heldentenor died yesterday at his home in Austria.
A favorite Donizetti performance from Parpignol
Does anyone remember Beverly Sills as the three Donizetti queens at NYCO? This made a huge impression on me.
By Parpignol
161 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from H_Badger
The Met’s 2022 Lucia was divisive, to say the least, but it was the first time Lucia truly resonated with me.
By H_Badger
72 comments
Salome
A live broadcast from Florence starring Lidia Fridman in the title role
A favorite Donizetti performance from Krunoslav
In terms of elegance and beauty of execution, Renato Bruson is in a class by himself among Donizetti baritones.
By Krunoslav
64 comments
Macbeth
Domen Krizaj and Tamara Wilson lead a performance of Verdi’s opera recorded in Frankfurt in December
A favorite Donizetti performance from Flamand
Walking out of this Lucia performance from October 2010, my companion said to me, “No mystery who Seattle Opera’s Artist of the Year is going to be.” Aleksandra Kurzak did end up getting that award, to no one’s surprise!
By Flamand
15 comments
Fathered in
Ahead of his only New York appearances this season later this month, parterre box looks forward to the return of estimable baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat by sharing a clip featuring starry company.
A favorite Donizetti performance from Camille
My favorite scene in my favourite Donizetti opera. Even if she does go ahead and sing that damnable cabaletta, it’s Mariella Devia and she can do little RONG.
By Camille
202 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
I’m convinced that someone else will claim this Donizetti opera before I do, but Maria Stuarda is definitely my very favorite Donizetti opera.
By Leyla Gender-Bender
133 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from Ivy Lin
Kind of self-explanatory, but Maria Callas‘s mad scene in Anna Bolena has truly ruined this music for me.
By Ivy Lin
130 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from Harry Rose
A friend who frequents these pages recently turned me on to a Donizetti cantata that I had never heard of: his setting of the speech of Dante‘s Conte Ugolino.
By Harry Rose
66 comments
A favorite Donizetti performance from Ortrud Jones
Leyla Gencer cussing out Shirley Verrett’s Elisabetta so convincingly the audience spontaneously breaks out in applause and bravas.
By Ortrud Jones
182 comments
Iolanta
A live video broadcast from Vienna of Tchaikovsky‘s opera
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).