La Forza del Destino La Forza del Destino

Starring Leontyne Price, Giuseppe Giacomini, Leo Nucci, and Bonaldo Giaiotti, conducted by James Levine. Production by John Dexter. From March 24, 1984.

La traviata La traviata

Giacomo Sagripanti conducts a production by Simon Stone featuring Pretty Yende, Juan Diego Flórez and Igor Golovatenko.

“I begin by considering an effect” “I begin by considering an effect”

Born on this day in 1875 composer, pianist and conductor Maurice Ravel.

Rusalka Rusalka

Starring Renée Fleming, Emily Magee, Dolora Zajick, Piotr Beczala and John Relyea, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Production by Otto Schenk. From February 8, 2014.

Das Rheingold Das Rheingold

The first segment of San Francisco Opera’s Ring cycle featuring Greer Grimsley and Jamie Barton.

Bei momenti di dolcezza e di piacer Bei momenti di dolcezza e di piacer

Happy 77th birthday soprano Kiri Te Kanawa.

Peter Grimes Peter Grimes

Starring Patricia Racette, Anthony Dean Griffey, and Anthony Michaels-Moore, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. Production by John Doyle. From March 15, 2008.

“My religion was but a fragrance” “My religion was but a fragrance”

Born on this day in 1922 actor, director and screenwriter Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Die Zauberflöte Die Zauberflöte

To mark Women’s History Month, the Met presents Mozart’s seminal feminist work starring Golda Schultz, Kathryn Lewek, Charles Castronovo, Markus Werba, and René Pape, conducted by James Levine. Production by Julie Taymor. From October 14, 2017.

Kaleidoscopic maestro Kaleidoscopic maestro

Saturday marks the centenary of Julius Rudel’s birth which Trove Thursday celebrates with Le Coq d’or, Faust and Ariodante, a triple-bill showcasing his impressive versatility, featuring Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle, two of the most important artists he nurtured during his leadership of the New York City Opera.

We’ll make the whole world small! We’ll make the whole world small!

Born on this day in 1888 actress Rafaela Ottiano.

Die Walküre Die Walküre

Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris, and Kurt Moll, conducted by James Levine. Production by Otto Schenk. From April 8, 1989.

Ariadne auf Naxos Ariadne auf Naxos

Christian Thielemann conducts Soile Isokoski, Johan Botha, Peter Mati?, Jochen Schmeckenbecher, Sophie Koch, Daniela Fally.

Original ‘Sin’ Original ‘Sin’

I can safely say that this is the gay drama I’ve been waiting for: a genuinely devastating drama that doesn’t treat its characters like lambs waiting for the slaughter or overdose on weepiness, and a queer narrative that unapologetically centers the queer perspective.

In complete authority In complete authority

On this day in 1970 mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Adalgisa.

Falstaff Falstaff

Starring Mirella Freni, Barbara Bonney, Marilyn Horne, Susan Graham, Paul Plishka, Frank Lopardo, and Bruno Pola, conducted by James Levine. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 10, 1992.

Merely an obsolete art Merely an obsolete art

Born on this day in 1900 composer Kurt Weill.

Don Pasquale Don Pasquale

Starring Beverly Sills, Alfredo Kraus, Håkan Hagegård, and Gabriel Bacquier, conducted by Nicola Rescigno. Production by John Dexter. From January 11, 1979.

Expansion and ostentation Expansion and ostentation

February was a month for diva admiration on parterre box.

“Even you, Mrs. Lovett, even I!” “Even you, Mrs. Lovett, even I!”

On this day in 1979 Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler‘s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opens at the Uris Theatre, to run 557 performances.

Il Trovatore Il Trovatore

Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From October 3, 2015.

Pounding Forty-Second Street Pounding Forty-Second Street

Happy 73rd birthday to Broadway diva Bernadette Peters.

Un ballo in maschera Un ballo in maschera

Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by David Alden. From December 8, 2012.

Fascinating but frustrating Fascinating but frustrating

Now, through the auspices of the Metropolitan Opera, we have Sonya Yoncheva—and if anything, the diva-dom has been kicked up a notch!