Going ‘South’
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.
Recent Stories
A whiter shade of grail
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.
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).
“A not unnatural desire to display her versatility”
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.”
In trousers
On this day in 1972 soprano Anja Silja made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Fidelio.
A four-star quartet
On this day in 1976 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Bellini’s I puritani.
So a fool returns to his Philly
Updating opera settings is, of course, expected; I’d wager in most houses more often than not it’s now the norm. Still, few in my experience have the specificity and local immediacy of Don Pasquale at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
Guys who sing high (and others)
A stack of noteworthy recent baroque vocal CDs on my desk has been staring at me for weeks, so I’m tackling them on Handel’s birthday before the Met roars back into action beginning this weekend.
Comme une impératrice
Born on this day in 1927 soprano Régine Crespin.
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2023-2024 season announcment
Six contemporary operas, including four Metropolitan premieres, headline the company’s upcoming season, which was announced today at noon.
On a small scale
On this day in 1926, the youthful soprano Marion Talley sang Lucia di Lammermoor at the Metropolitan Opera.
Making the trivial triumphant
On this day in 1978, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Donizetti’s La favorita.
A musical orgasm
On this day in 1989 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Salome.
The final strangeness
What’s the status of the American Dream nowadays? Did it ever really exist? If it’s dead, why isn’t it gone?
Hört der Mutter Schwur!
On this day in 1967 the Marc Chagall production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte was unveiled at the Met, featuring the debut of soprano Lucia Popp as the Queen of the Night.
Don Carlo
A live recording of the four-act version of Verdi’s opera from the fall.
The old work of genius
On this day in 1918 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Bellini’s I puritani featuring soprano Maria Barrientos.
Comedy tonight
On this day in 1972 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment.
Skiff, I loved you
On this day in 2015 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of Rossini’s La donna del lago.
Purcell takes the stage
On Saturday at Alice Tully Hall, Julliard 415, the school’s top-flight period-instrument ensemble, was joined by students from the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts and Juilliard Drama for a rare semi-staging of King Arthur.
Let it bleed
On this day in 2013 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Wagner’s Parsifal.
One more verse
Happy 64th birthday soprano Renée Fleming!