parterre box

Lyric Opera of Chicago 2025-26 Lyric Opera of Chicago 2025-26

Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced its 2025-26 season, its first complete one under its new General Director, President & CEO John Mangum.

on March 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Moby-Dick Moby-Dick

A live broadcast from New York

on March 11, 2025 at 9:00 AM
More people should listen to Suzanne Adams More people should listen to Suzanne Adams

Such clean, beautifully poised technique, rich timbre, gorgeous agility…the anti-Melba

on March 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM
More people should listen to Chelsea Lehnea More people should listen to Chelsea Lehnea

A currently active dramatic coloratura who has the voice and technique for Odabella! how often do we see that?

on March 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM
More people should listen to Maureen O’Flynn More people should listen to Maureen O’Flynn

I first saw her perform with Portland Opera in Lucia. I subsequently saw her in Traviata, also in Portland. Later, I saw her as both Gilda and Juliette as the Met.

on March 09, 2025 at 6:00 AM
La bohème La bohème

A live broadcast from New York

on March 08, 2025 at 9:00 AM
More people should listen to Licia Albanese More people should listen to Licia Albanese

Not sure if she’s under-appreciated per se, but hers is my favorite Manon Lescaut with Jussi Björling.

on March 08, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Macbeth Macbeth

A live performance from the Atlanta Opera.

on March 07, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Giovanna d’Arco Giovanna d’Arco

A performance recorded earlier this year at the Teatro Regio di Parma.

on March 07, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Roundheads heard ’round the world Roundheads heard ’round the world

parterre box is titillated (in the most prudishly puritanical way possible) to share a clip from the Paris Opera’s recent production of I Puritani starring Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee

on March 07, 2025 at 9:00 AM
More people should listen to Ninon Vallin More people should listen to Ninon Vallin

The assumption is that singers, singing in their own language, will be more expressive and idiomatic. The reality is that it often seldom makes a difference.

on March 07, 2025 at 6:00 AM
More people should listen to Diana Soviero More people should listen to Diana Soviero

Diana Soviero, America’s standard-setter in Puccini and verismo — an artist whose vocalism was luminous, and whose inner conviction achieved the ultimate in shattering, profoundly moving emotional intensity.

on March 06, 2025 at 6:00 AM
More people should listen to Patrizia Ciofi More people should listen to Patrizia Ciofi

I first heard Patrizia Ciofi in a production of La traviata from Venice. It was a very modern production set in present day, but still she shown through her performance was just incredible.

on March 05, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Fidelio Fidelio

A live broadcast from New York

on March 04, 2025 at 9:00 AM
More people should listen to Hanne-Lore Kuhse More people should listen to Hanne-Lore Kuhse

East Germany’s Hochdramatische icon, Berlin’s local Nachtigall.

on March 04, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Sea glass Sea glass

“Baritone Thomas Glass will sing the role of Starbuck in tonight’s performance of Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick, replacing Peter Mattei, who has withdrawn due to illness.”

on March 03, 2025 at 4:09 PM
More people should listen to Barbara Haveman More people should listen to Barbara Haveman

Unfortunately, Barbara Haveman does not perform very much anymore and she did not leave many recordings.

on March 03, 2025 at 6:00 AM
More people should listen to Isabelle Poulenard More people should listen to Isabelle Poulenard

My parents- heroes that they were- used to drive me to Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus (RIP, to both the store and while we’re here, to my parents) after dinner on my birthday, to take advantage of the fact that it was open until midnight.

on March 02, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Carmen Carmen

A 2010 broadcast documenting Yannick Nézet-Séguin‘s Metropolitan Opera debut performances

on March 01, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Jenufa Jenufa

Corinne Winters and Karita Mattila lead a performance recorded last month in London

on March 01, 2025 at 9:00 AM
More people should listen to Benita Valente More people should listen to Benita Valente

Many of us of a certain age had the good luck to see Benita Valente frequently at the Met. My memory is that she was treated rather like a house singer at first, and only later was appreciated for her extraordinary gifts.

on March 01, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Pick a little, talk a little Pick a little, talk a little

Following the successful launch of the new regular feature The Talk of the Town in January, the team at the box is inviting contributions for a new quarter of operatic potpourri.

on March 01, 2025 at 6:00 AM
It has become that time of evening It has become that time of evening

Ahead of Natalie Dessay‘s adieu to classical music and upcoming American turn, parterre box offers a sample of her in Gounod‘s “Jewel Song” recorded just last year.

on February 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM
The Met should revive Khovanshchina The Met should revive Khovanshchina

Mussorgsky‘s Khovanshchina is one of the most gripping operatic political dramas ever written, with lots of gorgeous melodies and superb choral writing.

on February 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM