Questo e Quello
Born on this day 1854 composer Alfredo Catalani.
Everett Quinton’s Galas is a star at the end of her tether, and she goes nova with the best.
The opening night of a new production of Verdi’s opera (plus Lisette Oropesa‘s La Scala debut!) will be broadcast live starting at 2:00 PM.
While Luciano Pavarotti may have brought opera to the people, once he realized how lucrative it could be, there was a string of promoters who helped him turn all that adoration into cold hard cash.
In the triumphant American premiere of Orlando Generoso at the Boston Early Music Festival last week, the hippogriff was among the many stars of the show.
Happy 76th birthday soprano Eva Marton.
Elina Garanca was radiantly present at Carnegie Hall Friday night performing a ravishingly somber Rückert-Lieder with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the MET Orchestra.
Michael Fabiano is a boss. This is a fact.
Born on this day in 1818 composer Charles-François Gounod.
“How far should we give way to grief? How far dare we, without disaster?”
Born on this day in 1899 dramatic soprano Helen Traubel.
The legendary opera and film director has died. He was 96.
Happy 89th birthday stage designer and director Pier Luigi Pizzi.
“Artists must at least be tethered to some amount of demonstrable empathy lest they risk the perception of solipsism.”
On this day in 1967 soprano Elisabeth Grümmer made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Elsa in Lohengrin.
“Trove Thursday” offers a vivid live complete broadcast from the 1952 US State Department tour of Porgy and Bess with William Warfield, Cab Calloway and the 25-year-old Leontyne Price.
Born on this day in 1926 actor and comedian Paul Lynde.
Once again we got a very frustrating performance of Orlando; this time a beautiful and completely coherent production marred by some sub-optimal singing.
“Short but straight backed, with broad shoulders and a broad smile, and equipped with marble arms whose contours are visible through his tailored black shirt, he communicates flexibility and easy control.”
Born on this day in 1930 comic actor, baritone and gay icon Jim Nabors.
Born on this day in 1864 composer Richard Strauss and in 1913 mezzo-soprano Risë Stevens.
An unusually provocative program by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Bernard Labadie with soloists Lydia Teuscher and Benno Schachtner made my “return” Thursday evening an illuminating and rewarding experience at Zankel Hall.
Although stripped down, this comedy of manners was far from boring due to well-choreographed movements and actions of the characters.
Born on this day in 1922 Miss Show Business.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
