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On this day in 1928 the Metropolitan Opera presented the United States premiere of Puccini’s La rondine starring Lucrezia Bori and Beniamino GIgli.
Through a lucky coincidence of timing, I was able to catch up with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, a play I adore, in two productions playing at the same time.
On this day in 1984, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini.
On this day in 1976 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Octavian.
Born on this day in 1931 soprano Mady Mesplé.
The Vienna Philharmonic brought along no star soloist for their three-night residency at Carnegie Hall this past weekend. Their programs didn’t include any commissions or flashy new works. The repertoire choices hewed closely to the core Austro-German corpus for which they are justly famous, including multiple works they had given in their world premieres.
On this day in 1969 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Verdi’s Il trovatore.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Otherwise occupied
Otherwise occupied
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Northern star
Northern star
Parterre Box previews an upcoming performance of Hercules with Ann Hallenberg in some very unique Baroque repertoire.
Parterre Box previews an upcoming performance of Hercules with Ann Hallenberg in some very unique Baroque repertoire.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Tra voi belle
Tra voi belle
Following the announcement that she’ll make her Met debut next season, Grand Tier Grab Bag brings Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi to your attention with a duet from Manon Lescaut.
Following the announcement that she’ll make her Met debut next season, Grand Tier Grab Bag brings Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi to your attention with a duet from Manon Lescaut.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
León in winter
León in winter
Ahead of his performance in Les pêcheurs de perles with Washington Concert Opera, Parterre Box features the unusually elegant Anthony León performing Mozart.
Ahead of his performance in Les pêcheurs de perles with Washington Concert Opera, Parterre Box features the unusually elegant Anthony León performing Mozart.
Vladimir Jurowski conducts a new production by Dmitri Tcherniakov of Prokofiev’s epic. Streamed live from the Bayerische Staatsoper.
On this day in 2010 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of Shostakovich’s The Nose.
Today’s “Listeners’ Choice” is a broadcast of Donizetti’s opera from March 11, 1978.
On this day in 1922 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company debut of Catalani’s Loreley.
Non-observant Jew that I am, my recent immersion into not one by two new plays—Pictures from Home on Broadway, and The Wanderers at the Roundabout—that very much live in that world was something of a double-whammy.
On this day in 1970 mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne made her Metropolitan Opera debut in a new production of Norma.
The English Concert’s annual Handel tour brings Solomon conducted by Harry Bicket to the US beginning Sunday March 5. In anticipation, Chris’s Cache offers Solomon plus four other oratorios by the master: Belshazzar, Hercules, Saul and Jephtha, all via broadcasts for which I feel a personal connection.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva
A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva
The greatest bass performance I ever experienced was actually four – four performances in four roles.
The greatest bass performance I ever experienced was actually four – four performances in four roles.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from William Guanbo Su
A favorite bass performance from William Guanbo Su
This performance was introduced to me by Norman Treigle’s granddaughter —very fine mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle; while I was preparing the role of Olin Blitch, and it completely changed my understanding of the character.
This performance was introduced to me by Norman Treigle’s granddaughter —very fine mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle; while I was preparing the role of Olin Blitch, and it completely changed my understanding of the character.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from H_Badger
A favorite bass performance from H_Badger
The Met in HD proved to be a major gateway drug for me, showing me my first Don Carlo in 2010.
The Met in HD proved to be a major gateway drug for me, showing me my first Don Carlo in 2010.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from Eli Jacobson
A favorite bass performance from Eli Jacobson
This bass aria “Sous les pieds d’une femme” from Gounod’s La Reine du Saba used to be a concert favorite
This bass aria “Sous les pieds d’une femme” from Gounod’s La Reine du Saba used to be a concert favorite
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from La Grunowa
A favorite bass performance from La Grunowa
Tancredi Pasero is so noble in mien and rich-voiced here, a perfect complement to Caniglia’s earthy Leonora who honestly charts the movement from despair to fervent, transcendent faith in this duet.
Tancredi Pasero is so noble in mien and rich-voiced here, a perfect complement to Caniglia’s earthy Leonora who honestly charts the movement from despair to fervent, transcendent faith in this duet.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from Cornelia
A favorite bass performance from Cornelia
I don’t know if I’ll ever hear as great a performance as René Pape‘s Gurnemanz.
I don’t know if I’ll ever hear as great a performance as René Pape‘s Gurnemanz.
On this day in 1936, mezzo-soprano Bruna Castagna made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amneris.
Like all true opera queens, the parterrians live in the time to come. Thus this month’s #1 most read post!
On the train ride home I was thinking that I don’t want to see or hear Norma ever again.
On this day in 1945 the Metropolitan Opera revived Rimsky-Korsakov’s Le Coq d’Or.
On this day in 1910 prima ballerina Anna Pavlova made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Coppelia (on a double bill with Werther!)
Cotton, a world-premiere song cycle commissioned by Philadelphia’s Lyric Fest, takes its audience on a journey through Black American history that extends from the Deep South to the contemporary urban landscape.
It seems that François Girard has been watching a little too much Star Wars lately. His new production of Lohengrin, which opened at the Metropolitan Opera Sunday afternoon, reduced Wagner’s opera to a knockoff space opera, full of hackneyed sci-fi tropes and B-rated futurist apologue.
On this day in 1890 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of Bellini’s Norma as “a benefit to supplement the earnings of Lilli Lehmann.”