O mio pompino caro O mio pompino caro

If you already know the answer to this one, keep it under your hat!

An opalescent wonder An opalescent wonder

In a lovingly curated program of art songs, Ying Fang and the pianist Myra Huang presented pieces hailing from four different national traditions.

The first time I saw Paris The first time I saw Paris

On this day in 1981 “the Zeffirelli Bohème” opened at the Metropolitan Opera.

Witch side are you on? Witch side are you on?

A main theme in Becky Nurse of Salem is how history is distorted by those who get to tell it.

Razor-sharp Razor-sharp

On this day in 1979 mezzo Agnes Baltsa made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Octavian.

All quirk and no play All quirk and no play

Perhaps the quirkiest of Mahler’s nine symphonies, the Fourth fits nicely with Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s somewhat idiosyncratic style.

Manon of the gowns Manon of the gowns

A double bill (with a choral intermezzo) that just finished four nights’ run at the Manhattan School of Music is a delight, musically whimsical and reminiscent, wittily and colorfully staged.

“An ascending progression of sonority” “An ascending progression of sonority”

On this day in 1920 Ravel’s La Valse premiered in Paris.

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

A live performance from the Vienna State Opera featuring Michael Volle, Georg Zeppenfeld, Wolfgang Koch, David Butt Philip and Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, conducted by Philippe Jordan.

Queen of the B’s Queen of the B’s

Born on this day in 1919 actress Marie Windsor.

The Hours The Hours

The opening of the Metropolitan Opera Saturday Broadcast season.

Poker night Poker night

On this day in 1910 Puccini’s La fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera.

Freaky ‘Freitag’ Freaky ‘Freitag’

Monday November 14th’s performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Freitag aus Licht by the contemporary music ensemble Le Balcon began in complete chaos.

Wagnerienne Wagnerienne

Diva November meets Wagner December when Chris’s Cache this week offers Régine Crespin as both Elisabeth in Tannhäuser and Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer via a pair of American pirates from the 1960s.

Behind the veil Behind the veil

On this day in 1905 Richard Strauss‘s Salome premiered in Dresden.

“That might be a wisecrack, but I doubt it” “That might be a wisecrack, but I doubt it”

On this day in 1925 the George S. Kaufman / Irving Berlin musical The Cocoanuts opened at the Lyric Theatre starring The Marx Brothers.

Louis Louis Louis Louis

For those who relish 17th and 18th century vocal music, the annual visits to the Morgan Library by the singers and instrumentalists of the Boston Early Music Festival invariably guarantee delight

Almost paradise Almost paradise

Born on this day in 1864 soprano Sibyl Sanderson.

So far away So far away

As the focal point of the The Far Country, Eric Yang anchors the production with a cool steadiness that only occasionally betrays a sense of urgency beneath his patient countenance.

“Pseudo-Greek” “Pseudo-Greek”

On this day in 1960 soprano Eileen Farrell made her Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of a new production of Gluck’s Alceste.

Triste madre Triste madre

On this day in 1960, Galina Vishnevskaya made a guest appearance with the Metropolitan Opera, singing Madama Butterfly in Russian.

“A soprano from the antipodes” “A soprano from the antipodes”

On this day in 1935 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Die Walküre featuring the company debut of soprano Marjorie Lawrence as Brünnhilde.

Alone in the world Alone in the world

Step aside, Texas: “Everything is bigger at Aida” is the motto of the Met’s second attempt at retiring Sonja Frisell’s colossal production.

Lohengrin Lohengrin

Premiere of a new production from the Bayreische Staatsoper.