I want them to see my soul
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her historic Metropolitan Opera debut.
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Die Walküre
Adam Fischer leads Christopher Ventris, Ain Anger, Waltraud Meier, Linda Watson and Tomasz Konieczny.
Les Pêcheurs de Perles
Starring Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Nicolas Testé, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. From January 16, 2016.
Rusalka
Tomás Hanus conducts Piotr Beczala, Olga Bezsmertna, Jongmin Park, Elena Zhidkova and Monika Bohinec.
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
Born on this day in 1913 actress Loretta Young.
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.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
Champagne o’clock
Happy New Year, dear readers, from me, Callum, and Christine Goerke’s headband-tiara!
La Cenerentola
From the Vienna State Opera: Isabel Leonard, Maxim Mironov, Alessio Arduini and Luca Pisaroni; Jean-Christophe Spinosi conducts.
L’esprit de l’escalier
On this day in 1875 the Palais Garnier was inaugurated in Paris.
Adriana Lecouvreur
Starring Anna Netrebko, Anita Rachvelishvili, Piotr Beczala, Carlo Bosi, Ambrogio Maestri, and Maurizio Muraro, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. From January 12, 2019.
Lady drinks the booze
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: nobody hits rock bottom like Susan Hayward.
Saving Grace
Happy 84th birthday soprano/mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry.
L’elisir d’amore
Starring Kathleen Battle, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Pons, and Enzo Dara, conducted by James Levine. From November 16, 1991
You lose a part of your soul
Born on this day in 1905 actress Anna May Wong.
Semele
Nicole Chevalier leads the cast at the Komische Oper in a production directed by Barrie Kosky.
Un ballo in maschera
Starring Aprile Millo, Harolyn Blackwell, Florence Quivar, Luciano Pavarotti and Leo Nucci, conducted by James Levine. From January 26, 1991.
Satyagraha
Performance from November 19, 2011: Dante Anzolini; Rachelle Durkin (Miss Schlesen), Richard Croft (M. K. Gandhi), Kim Josephson (Mr. Kallenbach), Alfred Walker (Parsi Rustomji).
Effortless and precise
On this day in 1913 soprano Frieda Hempel sang her second performance at the Metropolitan Opera, the Queen in Les Huguenots opposite Emmy Destinn, Enrico Caruso, Dinh Gilly, Léon Rothier and Adamo Didur.
Il Trovatore
Starring Eva Marton, Dolora Zajick, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, and Jeffrey Wells, conducted by James Levine. From October 15, 1988.
Die Fledermaus
Cornelius Meister leads Camilla Nylund, Georg Nigl, Jochen Schmeckenbecher , Okka von der Damerau, Michael Laurenz, Regula Mühlemann and Peter Simonischek.
Consider yourself at home
The big news of 2020 was, obviously, that everyone (or almost everyone) stayed home.
L’ultima diva
Born on this day in 1923 actress Valentina Cortese.