Metropolitan delivered
On this day in 1984 bass Samuel Ramey, conductor Mario Bernardi and director Frank Corsaro made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in Handel’s Rinaldo
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Venite adoremus
The beginning of Mary Kouyoumdjian’s Adoration is marked by silence. The young Simon, played by Sammy Ivany, lies on his stomach, scribbling in a notebook.
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).
Blood diamonds
On this day in 1907 the Metropolitan Opera premiered Puccini’s Manon Lescaut with the composer in attendance
Rondo and rondo and rondo we go
A convocation of mezzos–and a pride of tenors–produce hundreds of sixteenth notes in a bewitching Rossini showpiece
All the world loves a clown
On this day in 1960 tenor Jon Vickers made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Canio
Carmen
Daniele Rustioni conducts Angel Blue, Aigul Akhmetshina, Piotr Beczala, and Kyle Ketelsen in a live broadcast from New York
Polish rider
“The mystery of her voice gripped my soul,” Sharpless tells Pinkerton at the beginning of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. One could say the same thing of Aleksandra Kurzak’s remarkable portrayal of the title role, the main reason to catch the Met’s latest revival.
Jackie, oh
Happy 90th birthday mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne
The school for music lovers
Angel Island seemed a piece with two simultaneous goals: to musically interpret the poetry of Angel Island detainees and to educate its audience on the history of Asian and particularly Chinese immigration to America.
He has come, he has come
On this day in 1958 Samuel Barber‘s Vanessa had its world premiere at the Met
Médée
Michele Gamba conducts the opening night of Cherubini‘s opera live from Milan with Marina Rebeka, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Nahuel di Pierro, Martina Russomanno, and Ambrosine Bré
Parapetual indulgence
On this day in 1900 Puccini’s Tosca premiered in Rome
La bohème
A broadcast from New York featuring Elena Stikhina, Stephen Costello, Kristina Mkhitaryan, Adam Plachetka, and Krzysztof Baczyk conducted by Marco Armiliato
Maestro to the pit
On this day in 1976 conductor Sarah Caldwell made history (and her Metropolitan debut)
Clog dance
On this day in 1918 Pietro Mascagni and Giovacchino Forzano’s Lodoletta had its United States premiere at the Metropolitan.
Madama Butterfly
Xian Zhang conducts Aleksandra Kurzak, Elizabeth DeShong, Matthew Polenzani, and Davide Luciano live from New York
The Lehmann tetralogy
On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
Early onset dementia
Nothing says “diva” like an insane recital program.
Vincitor de’ secoli
Happy 89th birthday baritone Sherrill Milnes.
A woman scorned
Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Thomas Corneille’s Médée is a monument of the 17th century French baroque lyric tragedy.
Old masterpiece
Born on this day in 1902 impresario and opera manager Rudolf Bing
Siam giunte, F.B. Pinkerton
Before some important Madama Butterfly sopranos dominate the American scene in early 2024, Chris’s Cache offers live recordings of four vintage Cio-Cio-Sans, plus a brand new one: Renata Scotto; Galina Vishnevskaya, Anna Moffo, Gilda Cruz-Romo–and Sonya Yoncheva.
Queen Lear
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Evelyn Lear.