A delicate but defined charm
On this day in 1937 soprano Bidu Sayão made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Manon.
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Salome
A live video stream of a new production of Strauss’s opera from the Vienna State Opera.
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).
Special ghost star
Ghost sex is part of the popular zeitgeist.
Emotional vitality
On this day in 1958 soprano Gloria Davy made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Aida.
Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci
A historic performance from 1970 featuring Leonard Bernstein conducting Grace Bumbry and Franco Corelli in Cavalleria Rusticana, and Fausto Cleva conducting Teresa Stratas and Richard Tucker in Pagliacci.
That ‘Girl’
On this day in 1970 Renata Tebaldi introduced her Minnie to the Metropolitan Opera.
Love for music
Happy 96th birthday soprano Leontyne Price.
Reluctant to leave
On this day in 1974 soprano Kiri Te Kanawa made an “emergency” Met debut as Desdemona and her broadcast debut.
Seamless
Baritone Will Liverman is becoming a real Renaissance man.
No minor talent
On this day in 1982 the Metropolitan Opera revisited its controversial season-opener Norma.
Fully immersive
Now the opera world can have a taste of what an immersive opera looks like, as Opera Parallèle opened their spectacular world premiere of Everest: An Immersive Experience .
“Assuredly not a sensation”
On this day in 1928 soprano Grace Moore made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimi.
Here comes the judgement
Chris’s Cache offers a pride of short early English works: John Blow’s Venus and Adonis (1683); Purcell’s King Arthur (1691) and The Indian Queen (1695); John Eccles’s The Judgement of Paris (1700); William Boyce’s Solomon (1743); and John Stanley’s Arcadia (1762).
Wide-eyed mania
There is a moment about 75% of the way through the Rome Narrative where you can almost literally hear Tannhäuser’s stomach turn.
A delicate balance
For anyone who thought that Downton Abbey, with its plot lines divided between the gentry and their faithful (or not-so) servants was somehow unique, that particular tale, and lo its many variations, has been told in one form or another since Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais put quill to paper in 1778 with La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro.
Rather disarming
On this day in 1968 mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amneris.
The most exciting artist
On this day in 1959, soprano Leonie Rysanek made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lady Macbeth.
Hunger games
Director Richard Jones’ well-traveled and visually arresting production of Humperdinck’s 1893 opera Hansel and Gretel has returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago after a 10-year absence.
Macbeth
In this historic Met broadcast from 50 years ago, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli leads Sherrill Milnes and Martina Arroyo.
Sexy package
On this day in 2006 tenor Jonas Kaufmann made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Alfredo.
Miss Nilsson did all the right things
On this day in 1965 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Salome.
Giulio Cesare
Emmanuelle Haïm and Calixto Bieito collaborate on a new production of Handel’s opera seria from the Dutch National Opera.
She is legend
Happy 86th birthday soprano Martina Arroyo.