Recent Stories
Starring Leontyne Price, Giuseppe Giacomini, Leo Nucci, and Bonaldo Giaiotti, conducted by James Levine. Production by John Dexter. From March 24, 1984.
Giacomo Sagripanti conducts a production by Simon Stone featuring Pretty Yende, Juan Diego Flórez and Igor Golovatenko.
Born on this day in 1875 composer, pianist and conductor Maurice Ravel.
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.
The first segment of San Francisco Opera’s Ring cycle featuring Greer Grimsley and Jamie Barton.
Happy 77th birthday soprano Kiri Te Kanawa.
Starring Patricia Racette, Anthony Dean Griffey, and Anthony Michaels-Moore, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. Production by John Doyle. From March 15, 2008.
Born on this day in 1922 actor, director and screenwriter Pier Paolo Pasolini.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Otherwise occupied
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
Northern star
Parterre Box previews an upcoming performance of Hercules with Ann Hallenberg in some very unique Baroque repertoire.
Parterre Box previews an upcoming performance of Hercules with Ann Hallenberg in some very unique Baroque repertoire.
Tra voi belle
Following the announcement that she’ll make her Met debut next season, Grand Tier Grab Bag brings Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi to your attention with a duet from Manon Lescaut.
Following the announcement that she’ll make her Met debut next season, Grand Tier Grab Bag brings Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi to your attention with a duet from Manon Lescaut.
León in winter
Ahead of his performance in Les pêcheurs de perles with Washington Concert Opera, Parterre Box features the unusually elegant Anthony León performing Mozart.
Ahead of his performance in Les pêcheurs de perles with Washington Concert Opera, Parterre Box features the unusually elegant Anthony León performing Mozart.
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.
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.
Born on this day in 1888 actress Rafaela Ottiano.
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.
Christian Thielemann conducts Soile Isokoski, Johan Botha, Peter Mati?, Jochen Schmeckenbecher, Sophie Koch, Daniela Fally.
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.
On this day in 1970 mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Adalgisa.
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.
Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from Michael Anthonio
As a (former) bass singer myself, I’ve always been captivated by this aria.
As a (former) bass singer myself, I’ve always been captivated by this aria.
A favorite performance from Margarete Cum Klose
Pure class. Kurt Moll really knew his own voice inside out.
Pure class. Kurt Moll really knew his own voice inside out.
A favorite bass performance from Christopher Corwin
As we reach the end of “Bass Month” I’d like to call attention to the superb American Gregory Reinhart who particularly shone in music by Jean-Philippe Rameau.
As we reach the end of “Bass Month” I’d like to call attention to the superb American Gregory Reinhart who particularly shone in music by Jean-Philippe Rameau.
A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva
The greatest bass performance I ever experienced was actually four – four performances in four roles.
The greatest bass performance I ever experienced was actually four – four performances in four roles.
A favorite bass performance from William Guanbo Su
This performance was introduced to me by Norman Treigle’s granddaughter —very fine mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle; while I was preparing the role of Olin Blitch, and it completely changed my understanding of the character.
This performance was introduced to me by Norman Treigle’s granddaughter —very fine mezzo-soprano Emily Treigle; while I was preparing the role of Olin Blitch, and it completely changed my understanding of the character.
A favorite bass performance from H_Badger
The Met in HD proved to be a major gateway drug for me, showing me my first Don Carlo in 2010.
The Met in HD proved to be a major gateway drug for me, showing me my first Don Carlo in 2010.
Born on this day in 1900 composer Kurt Weill.
Starring Beverly Sills, Alfredo Kraus, Håkan Hagegård, and Gabriel Bacquier, conducted by Nicola Rescigno. Production by John Dexter. From January 11, 1979.
February was a month for diva admiration on parterre box.
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.
Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From October 3, 2015.
Happy 73rd birthday to Broadway diva Bernadette Peters.
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by David Alden. From December 8, 2012.
Now, through the auspices of the Metropolitan Opera, we have Sonya Yoncheva—and if anything, the diva-dom has been kicked up a notch!