Guts and Gorr
Born on this day in 1926 mezzo-soprano Rita Gorr
Born on this day in 1926 mezzo-soprano Rita Gorr
A broadcast from fall 2023 featuring Charles Castronovo, Angela Meade, Quinn Kelsey, Liv Redpath, and Olesya Petrova conducted by Carlo Rizzi
On this day in 1904 Puccini’s Madama Butterfly had its disastrous premiere in Milan
It is a measure of Verdi’s genius that throughout the four rambling acts, his musical invention in the service of creating characters never failed him.
The parterre team is glad to make available a professionally produced recording of the February 3rd memorial held in honor of parterre box founder James Jorden
Happy 86th birthday composer John Corigliano
The new Opera News section of OPERA magazine already seems to be getting smaller, but the March issue features a long interview with Carol Vaness about Donna Anna.
Happy 77th birthday composer John Adams
Taylor Mac isn’t known for being short-winded.
Happy 65th birthday soprano Renée Fleming
We may all be armchair Handelians, but some of us are more used to it than others.
Happy 55th birthday mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato
Real estate is hot along the Acela corridor right now: as proof, Judith will have toured at least three castles in New York and Boston between this spring and last.
Following the composition of Un ballo in maschera, Verdi had gone into a self-imposed retirement, at least musically; he had not composed a note in four years.
Born on this day in 1923 director and designer Franco Zeffirelli
Louis Langrée conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Stéphane Degout, Jodie Devos, Renée Tatum, and Raymond Aceto in a broadcast of Ambroise Thomas’s opera from last fall
A broadcast from last month of the much-discussed London production featuring Ausrine Stundyte, Sara Jakubiak, Karita Mattina, Charles Workman, and Lukasz Golinski conducted by Antonio Pappano
A valentine from New York
Daniele Rustioni conducts Tamara Wilson in her Einspringerin debut in the title role alongside Brian Jagde, Clémentine Margaine, Maurizio Muraro, and Misha Kiria in a performance recorded last year in Paris
Happy 97th birthday soprano Leontyne Price
I’ve argued with myself for many years as to which was my favorite opera by Giuseppe Verdi, La forza del destino or Don Carlos. The latter finally won out especially after studying it in depth, but in the long run, it is the music of Forza that I love the most.
On this day in 1974 soprano Kiri Te Kanawa made an “emergency” Met debut as Desdemona and her broadcast debut
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