Can we still be friends?
As soon as James Clutton, the new Opera Holland Park director, stepped on stage to welcome the audience, we all knew that we were not at the typical English summer opera festival.
Recent Stories
After showers
Born on this day in 1909 actress Vivian Vance.
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).
Un Ballo in Maschera
The final presentation of the Met’s Nightly Opera Streams features Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by David Alden. From December 8, 2012.
Der Fliegende Holländer
Live from the 2021 Bayreuth Festival, featuring Asmik Grigorian and John Lundgren, conducted by Oksana Lyniv.
Why is the sequel never the equal?
Born on this day in 1935 actress Barbara Harris.
Il Trovatore
Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by David McVicar. From October 3, 2015.
Idomeneo
With Matthew Polenzani, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Olga Kulchynska, Emily D’Angelo and Martin Mitterrutzner.
The stars burned brightly
Born on this day in 1921 tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano.
La Fille du Régiment
Starring Natalie Dessay, Felicity Palmer, Juan Diego Flórez, and Alessandro Corbelli, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Laurent Pelly. From April 26, 2008.
O caresses de flamme!
Happy 61st birthday mezzo-soprano Susan Graham.
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Starring Erin Morley, Hibla Gerzmava, Kate Lindsey, Christine Rice, V______ G______, and Thomas Hampson, conducted by Yves Abel. Production by Bartlett Sher. From January 31, 2015.
Sworded lives
Trove Thursday previews Bard Summerscape’s upcoming production of Ernest Chausson’s Le Roi Arthus with a recent Paris broadcast conducted by Philippe Jordan featuring the doomed love triangle portrayed by Sophie Koch, Roberto Alagna and Thomas Hampson.
It’s either for fun or it’s for money
Happy 83rd birthday actor Terence Stamp.
Les Pêcheurs de Perles
Starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Nicolas Testé, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Production by Penny Woolcock. From January 16, 2016.
Sisters are doing it for themselves
Pauline Viardot‘s Cendrillon hews closer to the Perrault original than either Rossini or Massenet’s more familiar retellings and is dainty in conception as a salon opera for her students.
Oh that does suit madam
Born on this day in 1922 actress Mollie Sugden.
Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci
Starring Tatiana Troyanos, Jean Kraft, P______ D______, and Vern Shinall; Teresa Stratas, P______ D______, Sherrill Milnes, and Allan Monk, conducted by J____ L_____. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From April 5, 1978.
Your mother should know
Born on this day in 1938 actress Diana Rigg.
Le nozze di Figaro
Starring Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Susanne Mentzer, Dwayne Croft, and Bryn Terfel, conducted by J____ L_____. Production by Jonathan Miller. From November 11, 1998.
War! What is it good for?
The crown jewel of this year’s Munich Festival is undoubtedly Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which opened the Festival on June 29 and will close the Festival with an “Opera for All” screening on July 31.
Like a bird
Born on this day in 1868 socialite and soprano Florence Foster Jenkins.
Turandot
Starring Nina Stemme, Anita Hartig, Marco Berti, and Alexander Tsymbalyuk, conducted by Paolo Carignani. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From January 30, 2016.
Semiramide
In tribute to the late Graham Vick, a full-scale production of Rossini’s opera seria from the 2019 Pesaro Festival.