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“Soprano Diana Damrau and tenor Joseph Calleja, both longtime Met stars known for holding nothing back onstage, are sure to pull out all the stops for this performance.”
Happy 41st birthday to visionary Yuval Sharon.
Starring Mirella Freni, Barbara Bonney, Marilyn Horne, Bruno Pola and Paul Plishka, conducted by James Levine. From October 10, 1992.
The long-awaited solution to the Fiordiligi Quiz!
Born on this day in 1931 actress Diana Dors.
Starring Cecilia Bartoli, Ramón Vargas, Simone Alaimo and Alessandro Corbelli, conducted by James Levine. From October 27, 1997.
The worldwide “Beethoven 250” celebration hasn’t exactly come off as planned, so Trove Thursday steps up to offer the composer’s rarely-heard oratorio Christus am Ölberge with Jonas Kaufmann typecast in the title role, revered by Luba Orgonásova and Hanno Müller-Brachmann, plus a fleet HIP broadcast of the Choral Fantasy from earlier this year.
Born on this day in 1844 actress supreme Sarah Bernhardt.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
One man’s Junker
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Don’t cry because it’s over
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Rizzin’ to the occasion
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
When they go low
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Landing the plane
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
Starring Amanda Majeski, Serena Malfi, Kelli O’Hara, Ben Bliss, Adam Plachetka and Christopher Maltman, conducted by David Robertson. From March 31, 2018.
On this day in 1964 the film My Fair Lady opened at the Criterion Theater in New York City.
Sacre bleu! Renée Fleming eez ze reechest weedow in all ze Paree!
Beatrice Page is a wonderful fit for Ginger Rogers, who plays it with brassy charm and a laudable sense of humor, since the character seems not to notice that she has aged out of her 20s by a couple of decades.
Born on this day in 1882 actor Bela Lugosi.
Starring Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Flórez, Peter Mattei, John Del Carlo and John Relyea, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From March 24, 2007.
On this day in 1943 Paul Robeson opened in the title role of Othello at the Shubert Theatre opposite Uta Hagen and José Ferrer. The revival ran 296 performances.
Jonas Kaufmann was ready to jump into a concert performance at La Scala for the ailing Francesco Meli, but then the performance was canceled.
Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Krunoslav
Much as I love the Abbado Deutsche Grammophon studio set, this 1980 San Francisco Opera live Simon Boccanegra under Lamberto Gardelli has an emotional punch.
Much as I love the Abbado Deutsche Grammophon studio set, this 1980 San Francisco Opera live Simon Boccanegra under Lamberto Gardelli has an emotional punch.
A favorite Verdi performance from Michael M. Landman-Karny
Nadine Sierra‘s Gilda at the Metropolitan Opera had that rare quality of sounding both immaculate and spontaneous, as if Verdi’s lines were being discovered in the moment rather than executed.
Nadine Sierra‘s Gilda at the Metropolitan Opera had that rare quality of sounding both immaculate and spontaneous, as if Verdi’s lines were being discovered in the moment rather than executed.
A favorite Verdi performance from Moe Rear
Tito Gobbi‘s performance of Rigoletto’s “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” offers the most musically and dramatically complete portrait of Verdi’s tortured court jester that I have ever heard.
Tito Gobbi‘s performance of Rigoletto’s “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” offers the most musically and dramatically complete portrait of Verdi’s tortured court jester that I have ever heard.
A favorite Verdi performance from Quinn Kelsey
I’ve looked to Sherrill Milnes many a time for insight and guidance whenever I’ve added a new Verdi role to my repertoire.
I’ve looked to Sherrill Milnes many a time for insight and guidance whenever I’ve added a new Verdi role to my repertoire.
A favorite Verdi performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
Stiffelio has always been the dark horse of early Verdi operas.
Stiffelio has always been the dark horse of early Verdi operas.
Starring Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien and John Del Carlo; conducted by James Levine. From November 13, 2010.
From San Francisco Opera.
Born on this day in 1902 actress Miriam Hopkins.
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Elina Garanca, Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From April 16, 2016.
On this day in 1991 soprano Deborah Voigt made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amelia.
Starring Elza van den Heever, Joyce DiDonato, Matthew Polenzani, Joshua Hopkins and Matthew Rose, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From January 19, 2013.
Born on this day in 1962 baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
Starring Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova, Tamara Mumford, Stephen Costello and Ildar Abdrazakov, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From October 15, 2011.
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