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Rotten Eggs
In this vulgar world, there is no situation that can’t be limned with a power ballad.
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).
Simple gifts
On this day in 1944 the Aaron Copland/Martha Graham ballet Appalachian Spring had its premiere in Washington DC.
Backstage buzz
A word to cher public from backstage at the box
L’ora aspettate
On this day in 1956 La Divina made her Met debut as Norma
L’amore dei tre re
Pinchas Steinberg conducts Evgeny Stavinsky, Roman Burdenko, Giorgio Berrugi, Giorgio Misseri, Andrea Tanzillo, and Chiara Isotton in Italo Montemezzi‘s fairytale opera live from Milan.
Ein Ritter nahte da
On this day in 1961 tenor Sandor Konya made his Met debut as Lohengrin. Ingrid Bjoner debuts as Elsa.
Growers and showers
For Philadelphia opera lovers, October means the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition—a staple event for the Academy of Vocal Arts, and a pipeline for the public to discover some of their strongest resident artists.
Roman candle
On this day in 1958 Met opening night Tosca with Tebaldi, del Monaco and George London. (from two years earlier. . . )
Portrait of a lady on fire
Several opera companies across the globe are marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas with performances of operas identified with her.
Her memory is all that is left for you now
On this day in 1959 mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Azucena
La bohème
Carlo Rizzi conducts Federica Lombardi, Matthew Polenzani, Adam Plachetka, Olga Kulchynska, and Christian Van Horn (again) in a broadcast from New York
Lombarding along
In Handel’s Rodelinda, a usurped monarch, believed dead, returns to avenge his deposition and reclaim the woman he loves.
Mistico raggio di luci e di fior
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Galina Vishnevskaya
You’re better off without me, mein Hair
I hate to say I nearly cringe at the thought of Gioachino Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Memorable silvery luster
Happy 68th birthday soprano Cheryl Studer
Cuck and ball torture
On October 20th, a wet but warmish Friday night, the Metropolitan Opera opened this season’s revival of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera in David Alden’s 2012 production.
Magic to do
Born on this day in 1923 composer Ned Rorem
A very, very, very fine house
On this day in 1883 the Metropolitan Opera House opened with Gounod‘s Faust.
La forza del destino
Sondra Radvanovsky, Brian Jagde, Etienne Dupuis, and Vasilisa Berzhanskaya in a (surely very loud) broadcast from London conducted by Mark Elder.
Les pecheurs de chats
On this day in 2013 the Metropolitan Opera presented Nico Muhly‘s Two Boys for the first time
Un ballo in maschera
Carlo Rizzi conducts Angela Meade, Liv Redpath, Olesya Petrova, Charles Castronovo, and Quinn Kelsey in a broadcast from New York
Unfit to print
You might wonder how this slimly plotted show, which had a brief Off-Broadway run in 2007 before fading into relative obscurity, ended up occupying a piece of prime Main Stem real estate nearly two decades later. To that end, I have four words: Josh Gad. Andrew Rannells.