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On this day in 1950, the Metropolitan Opera performed their new production of Fledermaus with a cast including Patrice Munsel, Risë Stevens, Ljuba Welitsch, Set Svanholm and John Brownlee.
Starring Christiane Eda-Pierre, Isola Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis Quilico, and Ara Berberian, conducted by James Levine. From December 15, 1981.
On this day in 1954 the Harold Arlen–Truman Capote musical House of Flowers opened on Broadway.
Starring Shirley Verrett, Luciano Pavarotti, and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by James Conlon. From December 19, 1978.
Erato’s irresistible Rossini collection Amici e Rivali is hands down my favorite vocal CD of 2020, featuring the inspired bravura sparrings of Lawrence Brownlee and Michael Spyres.
Born on this day in 1936 actress Mary Tyler Moore.
Starring Renata Scotto, Maralin Niska, Luciano Pavarotti, Ingvar Wixell, and Paul Plishka, conducted by James Levine. From March 15, 1977.
Happy 86th birthday to the sublime Dame Maggie Smith.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Otherwise occupied
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Northern star
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Tra voi belle
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
León in winter
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.
Starring Lisette Oropesa, Angela Meade, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Paolo Fanale, Ambrogio Maestri, and Franco Vassallo, conducted by James Levine. From December 14, 2013.
“Barrie Kosky tells Offenbach’s fantastic story as a disturbing nightmare of an artist who increasingly loses his sense of identity. As we dive into the obsessions of a deranged mind, the title role itself is shared by three performers – including an actor – while a single soprano embodies all four female lead roles.”
Born on this day in 1901 actress Marlene Dietrich.
Starring Renée Fleming, Kelli O’Hara, Nathan Gunn, Alek Shrader, and Sir Thomas Allen, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. From January 17, 2015.
Performance from December 21, 2010: Erik Nielsen; Susanna Phillips (Pamina), Erika Miklósa (Queen of the Night), Russell Thomas (Tamino), Alan Oke (Monostatos), Nathan Gunn (Papageno), Morris Robinson (Sarastro).
Happy 82nd birthday soprano Adriana Maliponte.
Starring Christine Schäfer, Alice Coote, Rosalind Plowright, Philip Langridge, and Alan Held, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. From January 1, 2008.
Jonas Kaufmann would like you know it’s Christmas. Well, not unlike a broken clock, he is right, at least for one day a year.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Ivy Lin
A favorite art song performance from Ivy Lin
Frida Leider is a major Wagnerian soprano who does not sound like a Wagnerian soprano.
Frida Leider is a major Wagnerian soprano who does not sound like a Wagnerian soprano.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from Michael Anthonio
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite performance from Margarete Cum Klose
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from Christopher Corwin
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite bass performance from William Guanbo Su
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.
Happy 39th birthday soprano Sonya Yoncheva.
Starring Teresa Stratas, Renata Scotto, José Carreras, Richard Stilwell, and James Morris, conducted by James Levine. From January 16, 1982.
While seasonally-awkward streams of Messiah abound, Trove Thursday turns instead to Berlioz’s exquisite L’Enfance du Christ from francophone forces including Stéphanie d’ Oustrac, Bernard Richter, Edwin Crossley-Mercer and Nicolas Testé (for once, sans sa femme).
On this day in 1950 José Ferrer and Gloria Swanson opened a Broadway revival of Twentieth Century.
Starring Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, Christopher Maltman, Maurizo Muraro, and Paata Burchuladze, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From November 22, 2014.
“In his surprisingly tragic interpretation, the renowned Italian director Damiano Michieletto plays with the clichés of the ruthless ballet world and crosses the line between fairytale magic and reality.”
Happy 74th birthday soprano Edita Gruberova.
Starring Kathleen Kim, Joyce DiDonato, Alice Coote and Stephanie Blythe; conducted by Bertrand de Billy. Transmitted live on April 28, 2018.