Questo e Quello
Anna Netrebko’s Instagram meets Metro.
On this day in 1926 the US premiere and first Metropolitan Opera performance of Puccini’s Turandot.
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Our friends at Opera Depot…
Two of today’s most compelling divas tackle a hair-raising early 20th century German masterpiece for “Trove Thursday.”
This program honored the singer, composer and theorist Giulio Caccini, “Giulio da Romano,” on the 400th anniversary of his death.
On this day in 1918 soprano Rosa Ponselle gave her first opera performance anywhere.
At 7:30 this PM, join the parterrians to hear and to discuss the Met’s broadcast of this gorgeous Bizet score.
Which superstar performer whose recent career has been as calm as a dove is about to send ticket sales crashing by making perhaps the most fateful cancellation of his life?
Lohengrin descended upon the Wiener Staatsoper this month like American college students to Oktoberfest: loudly, spastically, not especially coherent, and in full lederhosen and dirndls.
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Leonie Rysanek.
On this day in 1937 the National Broadcasting Company formed a full-sized symphony orchestra.
“Her showboating performance on October 29, while certainly not lacking in spectacular moments, came as a sad disappointment after her ‘gripping and insightful’ Norma last season.”
Born on this day in 1939 soprano Lucia Popp.
On this day in 1993 Dvorak’s Rusalka finally appeared at the Met. Gabriela Benacková does the honors.
There are shows with iconic characters, and there are shows with iconic characters playing iconic characters.
On this day in 1970 the Richard Rodgers–Martin Charnin musical Two by Two (with Danny Kaye as Noah) opened at the Imperial Theatre, to run 351 performances.
Director David Pountney and his splendid designers have brought Lyric Opera of Chicago a visually spectacular Siegfried full of daring ideas.
In the Academy of Vocal Arts’s (AVA) clever pairing of two Puccini works, there was every reason to expect the fix was in.
Too bad, then, that this season’s tossed flower was a bit of a wilted one.
Happy 53rd birthday bass-baritone Bryn Terfel.
Boito returns to the Met for your listening and discussion tonight at 7:30.
The whole performance reminded me of what Butterfly as I have never known it, but often herad about it, can be.
Just over a month ago the great Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé died at age 85.
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.
