Grand Tier Grab Bag

Stimulating morsels from here, there, and everywhere around the opera world.

Tabled for now Tabled for now

Ahead of the return of Louise to the Opéra National de Lyon, Parterre Box features Elsa Dreisig in a much more famous French opera.

My heart belongs to daddy My heart belongs to daddy

This week, Parterre Box shares Quinn Kelsey and Jennifer Rowley in a duet from a Verdi opera rumored to be returning to New York this time next season.

Mediterranean crossings Mediterranean crossings

Grand Tier Grab Bag anticipates Elina Garanca‘s upcoming Zwischenfach pivot by sharing her in some other not-quite-mezzo repertoire opposite Brian Jagde.

Ritorna un’altra volta Ritorna un’altra volta

Parterre Box anticipates Ailyn Peréz‘s upcoming New York performances of Madama Butterfly with the Puccini role most closely associated with her

My sister’s keeper My sister’s keeper

Grand Tier Grab Bag highlights La Scala’s opening night prima donna Sara Jakubiak with an excerpt of her Chrysothemis recorded last year.

Lightning strikes twice Lightning strikes twice

New York audiences got a taste of Ben Bliss in Mozart this fall, but this week Grand Tier Grab Bag offers snippets of the tenor trying his hand at Handel earlier this year.

Oceanic feeling Oceanic feeling

Grand Tier Grab Bag features a complete performance of Ernest Chausson‘s Poème de l’amour et de la mer ahead of a particular year for both its soloist and conductor.

Closer to fine Closer to fine

Grand Tier Grab Bag looks forward to a big week for Umberto Giordano by sharing Sondra Radvanovsky and Gregory Kunde performing the final duet from Andrea Chénier.

On the chase On the chase

Grand Tier Grab Bag marks the Metropolitan Opera return of Daniele Rustioni with a zippy performance of the Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens recorded in 2022 in Munich.

Step-mothers and sons Step-mothers and sons

Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Stephen Costello make their returns to the Met later this month and Grand Tier Grab Bag anticipates their performances by sharing them in the Act II duet from Don Carlo recorded in Munich this spring as well as a taste of Willis-Sørensen’s Liebestod

Polar opposites Polar opposites

Grand Tier Grab Bag offers a face off of two Polish divas from Aleksandra Kurzak‘s debut performances as Aïda in Verona this summer.

Six appeal Six appeal

Grand Tier Grab Bag highlights two “Final Trios” from Der Rosenkavalier recorded just two days apart from one another.

Anna goes to the ball Anna goes to the ball

Anna Netrebko managed to debut a new role in Naples earlier this month — Amelia in Un ballo in maschera — and this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag features her in the complete second Act of her first performance.

Rock ‘n’ Tyrol Rock ‘n’ Tyrol

Parterre Box features an exclusive sample of Lawrence Brownlee‘s jump-in performance in La sonnambula from this weekend

Mommy and me Mommy and me

Today’s Grand Tier Grab Bag features Chiara Isotton and Joyce El-Khoury as two murderous mommies in the final scene of Cherubini‘s Medea (and Medée)

Folle ebbrezza! Folle ebbrezza!

Today’s Grand Tier Grab Bag features a snippet from Carolina López Moreno and Antonio Pappano‘s recent Rondine in London.

Polish and poise Polish and poise

Today’s Grand Tier Grab Bag offers Raehann Bryce-Davis in Marina’s aria from a broadcast of Boris conducted by Vasily Petrenko.

Sings like a god Sings like a god

Anticipating a busy season for both, Parterre Box features married couple Angela Meade and John Matthew Myers trading soaring Strauss lines in a duet from Die Liebe der Danae.

Good trouble Good trouble

Nobody emotes like Joyce DiDonato, and this week Parterre Box spotlights her new recording of Dido and Aeneas with a look at a recent live performance in the part.

Vengo a salvarti! Vengo a salvarti!

This week, Parterre Box features summer Einspringerin Marigona Qerkezi in some different Verdi fare.

What becomes the legends most? What becomes the legends most?

Wagner month at Parterre Box concludes in grand and explosive style: octogenarian Hanna Schwarz and sexagenarian Karita Mattila in crucial moments from Das Rheingold and Lohengrin.

Love the sinner Love the sinner

Surprised that none of our favorite Wagner performances happen to come from Tannhaüser, Parterre Box turns to Russell Thomas to fill the gap

Harping on it Harping on it

The start of the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro provides a perfect opportunity to enjoy a bit of the breathtaking Vasilisa Berzhanskaya recorded there last summer

Back to the gypsy that I was Back to the gypsy that I was

In the midst of an eventful summer for the Arena di Verona, one important happening has flown under the radar: the return of Anita Rachvelishvili to her signature role of Carmen, of which Parterre Box features a sample of today