“Old people are scary” “Old people are scary”

Happy 86th birthday to the sublime Dame Maggie Smith.

Falstaff Falstaff

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.

The Tales of Hoffmann The Tales of Hoffmann

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.”

I am not a myth I am not a myth

Born on this day in 1901 actress Marlene Dietrich.

The Merry Widow The Merry Widow

Starring Renée Fleming, Kelli O’Hara, Nathan Gunn, Alek Shrader, and Sir Thomas Allen, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis. From January 17, 2015.

The Magic Flute The Magic Flute

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).

No more tears No more tears

Happy 82nd birthday soprano Adriana Maliponte.

Hansel and Gretel Hansel and Gretel

Starring Christine Schäfer, Alice Coote, Rosalind Plowright, Philip Langridge, and Alan Held, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. From January 1, 2008.

Hear those magic reindeer click Hear those magic reindeer click

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.

Fire on the mountain Fire on the mountain

Happy 39th birthday soprano Sonya Yoncheva.

La bohème La bohème

Starring Teresa Stratas, Renata Scotto, José Carreras, Richard Stilwell, and James Morris, conducted by James Levine. From January 16, 1982.

Cradle song Cradle song

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).

Drawing room comedy Drawing room comedy

On this day in 1950 José Ferrer and Gloria Swanson opened a Broadway revival of Twentieth Century.

Il Barbiere di Siviglia Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Starring Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, Christopher Maltman, Maurizo Muraro, and Paata Burchuladze, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From November 22, 2014.

Cendrillon Cendrillon

“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.”

December child December child

Happy 74th birthday soprano Edita Gruberova.

Cendrillon Cendrillon

Starring Kathleen KimJoyce DiDonatoAlice Coote and Stephanie Blythe; conducted by Bertrand de Billy. Transmitted live on April 28, 2018.

La sonnambula La sonnambula

From the Vienna State Opera, Juan Diego Flórez, Daniela Fally and Luca Pisaroni; conducted by Guillermo García Calvo.

Art is a kind of illness Art is a kind of illness

Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini.

The Magic Flute The Magic Flute

Starring Ying Huang, Erika Miklósa, Matthew Polenzani, Nathan Gunn, and René Pape, conducted by James Levine. From December 30, 2006.

Das verratene Meer Das verratene Meer

Hans Werner Henze’s opera at the Vienna State Opera features Vera-Lotte Boecker, Bo Skovhus, Josh Lovell, Erik Van Heyningen, Kangmin Justin Kim, Stefan Astakhov and Martin Häßler.

I guess that’s why they call it the blues I guess that’s why they call it the blues

The first thing I noticed about Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is how it’s been slimmed down and punched up—clocking in at just 95 minutes, it hits all the marks of August Wilson’s original while smartly settling into a snappier, more focused filmic style.

We’re not meant to be perfect We’re not meant to be perfect

Happy 83rd birthday to actress, political activist and environmentalist Jane Fonda.

Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung

Starring Deborah Voigt, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Waltraud Meier, Jay Hunter Morris, Iain Paterson, Eric Owens, and Hans-Peter König, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From February 11, 2012.