On the beach On the beach

The immediate and personal catastrophe interleaves with the general and universal and ancient.

Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung

Adam Fischer leads Christian Franz, Linda Watson, Eric Halfvarson and Jochen Schmeckenbecher.

Queen of tears Queen of tears

Born on this day in 1905 actress Kay Francis.

Thaïs Thaïs

Starring Renée Fleming, Michael Schade, and Thomas Hampson, conducted by Jesús López-Cobos. From December 20, 2008.

The Cunning Little Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen

From the Vienna State Opera, 2016.

The remains of the gay The remains of the gay

This year’s earth-shaking advance in gay cinema apparently was the first inclusion of same-sex couples in “Christmas rom-coms.”

Crossing over Crossing over

Without furnishings to distract them, the cast prowled the stage with sinister energy, exchanging significant looks and deadly secrets as though fearing Nihilists behind every drapery.

A paradoxical voice A paradoxical voice

Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.

Le nozze di Figaro Le nozze di Figaro

The Met’s new “All Renée All the Time” format kicks off with a performance from November 11, 1998 starring Herself, Cecilia Bartoli, Susanne Mentzer, Dwayne Croft, and Bryn Terfel, conducted by James Levine.

Times after times Times after times

Despite the ongoing pandemic and the political upheaval, the Prototype Festival is back, and it is bigger and more accessible than ever before.

You aren’t any good to me dead You aren’t any good to me dead

The Murder of Halit Yozgat by Ben Frost and Petter Ekmann is flavorsome in its use of sound, vocal and otherwise, to explore the elements of the story, to keep you tied in, and guessing.

Electrifying Electrifying

On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.

Il Trovatore Il Trovatore

Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Stefan Kocán, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From April 30, 2011.

Siegfried Siegfried

From the Vienna State Opera: Adam Fischer conducts Christian Franz, Linda Watson, Tomasz Konieczny, Herwig Pecoraro and Jochen Schmeckenbecher.

Top of the world Top of the world

Happy 86th birthday baritone Sherrill Milnes.

Maria Stuarda Maria Stuarda

Starring Elza van den Heever, Joyce DiDonato, Matthew Polenzani, Joshua Hopkins, and Matthew Rose, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From January 19, 2013.

Jamie & Julia Jamie & Julia

As Julia Child, Jamie Barton is clearly having the time of her life.

Il Barbiere di Siviglia Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Performance from April 26, 2007. Maurizio Benini; Joyce DiDonato (Rosina), Claudia Waite (Berta), Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva), Russell Braun (Figaro), John Del Carlo (Dr. Bartolo), Samuel Ramey (Don Basilio).

Daughter of Wotan Daughter of Wotan

Happy 65th birthday soprano/mezzo-soprano Waltraud Meier.

Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci

Starring Eva-Maria Westbroek, Jane Bunnell, Marcelo Álvarez, George Gagnidze; Patricia Racette, Marcelo Álvarez, George Gagnidze, and Lucas Meachem, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From April 25, 2015.

It was a very good Lear It was a very good Lear

Born on this day in 1926 soprano Evelyn Lear.

When divas collide When divas collide

Duelling events tonight:

From Lear to eternity From Lear to eternity

Ninety-five years ago, Evelyn Lear was born on January 8 in Brooklyn, and Trove Thursday remembers the soprano with one of her earliest successes: Schreker’s Die Gezeichneten co-starring her husband Thomas Stewart, Helmut Krebs and Franz Crass.

I want them to see my soul I want them to see my soul

On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her historic Metropolitan Opera debut.