Bohemienne
On this day in 1975, Régine Crespin sang her first Met Carmen.
Questo e Quello
Never mind the six feet
Yet another surprising new project for Karita Mattila: Leticia Van Allen in Myra Breckenridge.
A past recaptured
The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players (NYGASP to its friends) is giving Sullivan’s most operatic score a dusting off (or should one say dusting-up?) at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.
Have I got a girl for you
I was floored to find that Company with a female protagonist, at least in Marianne Elliott’s West End production, is a better and more complete show than original recipe Company.
A knight’s tale
On this day in 1961 tenor Sandor Konya made his Met debut as Lohengrin.
Broadcast: Das Rheingold
The BBC’s program of live broadcasts of Wagner’s Ring starts this afternoon with Das Rheingold at 1:30 PM.
Atonement
Sondra Radvanovsky changed my opinion of her through a single performance—I’ll never think of her the same way again; the power of her singing overwhelmed my previous impressions.
Master peace
With Liber scriptus came the biggest discovery for me, the vocal talent of Elena Stikhina.
Dishonored in the breach
Uneven operas, like Verdi’s Ernani, which just recently finished its Scala run, more often work as theatre on the micro level than the macro.
Cornet and clouds
Earlier this month I got the opportunity to sample two very different Baltic operas.
Keeper of the flame
On this day in 1959 mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Azucena.
Broadcast: Tosca
Sondra Radvanovsky takes up candle-toting duties tonight at 7:25 in a live broadcast of Tosca from the Met. Discuss!
Livestream: Médée
Today at 1:30 PM, live video of Médée from the Staatsoper Berlin.
Double cross
“Trove Thursday” offers due local Lombardi: one with Renata Scotto and José Carreras, the other with Aprile Millo and Carlo Bergonzi.
A second allegation against David Daniels
“A University of Michigan student is suing the school and renowned opera singer David Daniels, also a U-M professor, alleging Daniels sexually assaulted him.”
Bland date
With a program of Schumann, Wagner, Ravel and de Falla, mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca and pianist Kevin Murphy delivered a underdone performance at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday night.
Love letters
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Galina Vishnevskaya.
Her heart will be blessed with the sound of music and she’ll sing once more
“Renée Fleming herself will sing, of course…”
Magic mike
Isn’t it nice to know a lot? And a little bit not.
Class act
Happy 63rd birthday soprano and teacher Cheryl Studer.
Whiskey tango foxtrot
I really cannot exaggerate the extent to which I truly did not know what was going on in New York City Opera’s production of Maria de Buenos Aires.
Beyond the sea
Those readers who know my musical tastes will not be shocked to find that I have a somewhat conflicted view of Mozart’s operatic works.
Fathers’ day
How do we celebrate a long career in opera, particularly one as illustrious as Plácido Domingo‘s?
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).