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.

Die Walküre Die Walküre

Adam Fischer leads Christopher Ventris, Ain Anger, Waltraud Meier, Linda Watson and Tomasz Konieczny.

Les Pêcheurs de Perles Les Pêcheurs de Perles

Starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Nicolas Testé, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. From January 16, 2016.

Rusalka Rusalka

Tomás Hanus conducts Piotr Beczala, Olga Bezsmertna, Jongmin Park, Elena Zhidkova and Monika Bohinec.

Out of frame Out of frame

In the past when I’ve read through the scads of year-end best lists, there have always been a few titles that I just didn’t “get” but there were more than usual in 2020.

Second to nun Second to nun

Born on this day in 1913 actress Loretta Young.

La donna del lago La donna del lago

Starring Joyce DiDonato, Daniela Barcellona, Juan Diego Flórez, John Osborn and Oren Gradus, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From March 14, 2015.

Champagne o’clock Champagne o’clock

Happy New Year, dear readers, from me, Callum, and Christine Goerke’s headband-tiara!