Reviews
A consideration of Anika Kildegaard’s extraordinary recital in Philadelphia—and the oddity of recitals themselves.
Though perhaps showing its age, a storied production of La bohème nonetheless makes a welcome return to the Los Angeles Opera
Tamara Wilson and Stanislas de Barbeyrac are the standouts in Calixto Bieito’s underwhelming Die Walküre in Paris
MasterVoices presents a strongly-cast Sweet Smell of Success—but the merits of this noir musical are hardly black or white.
Barbara Strozzi links two sensuous programs by L’Arpeggiata and Catapult Opera.
Are today’s stars enough to sustain Andrea Chénier?
The Monkey King at San Francisco Opera combines spectacle and sentiment.
As Messiah season begins, Christopher Corwin reports on two of Handel’s forays into the Old Testament.
Washington National Opera presented a well-sung and humorous Marriage of Figaro, buoyed by clever direction and a strong cast, particularly Rosa Feola’s Countess and Joélle Harvey’s Susanna.
Carl Orff’s cantata tries its fortunes at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
A new recording of La fiamma from Deutsche Oper Berlin sets Respighi’s score ablaze.
Austin Opera’s 40th anniversary gala celebrated the present while gesturing boldly towards the future.
Pittsburgh Opera’s Fellow Travelers delivers a timely story with detail and care.
Jeanine Tesori’s Blue is an ambitious and worthy opera that deserves a better presentation than it got at Lincoln Center on Saturday.
“Protect the dolls, they say, but who really cares for them?” This question, posed by performer Mara Snip during the postlude of Neuköllner Oper’s 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, had a clear answer: Aliens.
Michael Thalmeier‘s Tristan und Isolde in Berlin asks, how much minimalism is too much minimalism?
As my friend and I Ubered out to the luxurious Cobb Energy Centre for Atlanta Opera’s La traviata, I had trains on the mind.
Only the singers, led by Benjamin Bernheim, can salvage a dismal La Damnation de Faust at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées.
Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci at Lyric Opera of Chicago are hysterical in all the wrong ways.
Pacific Opera Project’s high-spirited revival of Fra Diavolo is both therapy and an escape.
Second casts in Don Giovanni and Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera offer mixed blessings.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra offered a rending reading of Britten‘s massive War Requiem with an eclectic trio of soloists.
A brief concert at the Frick Collection teases the multifaceted artistry of Davóne Tines
The women were the highlights of Washington National Opera’s militaristic Aïda
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.
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.
Get our free newsletter
Opera's top reads delivered to your email weekly…ish.
Join over 100k readers.
The best opera magazine on the web.
Reviews, breaking news, critical essays, and brainrot commentary on opera from those demented enough to love it.
Essentials
Copyright © 2026 Parterre Box.
All rights reserved.
Registration or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy.