Don Giovanni
Starring Hibla Gerzmava, Malin Byström, Serena Malfi, Paul Appleby, Simon Keenlyside, Adam Plachetka, Matthew Rose and Kwangchul Youn, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From October 22, 2016.
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Unashamedly dark
It was a meaty program. But both singers had the chops for it.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
Sparkle, Lisette, sparkle!
Opera Philadelphia Channel invites viewers to revisit a 2015 production of La Traviata, captured on the Academy of Music stage, that’s notable for Lisette Oropesa’s debut as Violetta Valéry.
Room at the top
Born on this day in 1963 tenor Marcello Giordani.
Die Walküre
Starring Deborah Voigt, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Stephanie Blythe, Jonas Kaufmann, Bryn Terfel, and Hans-Peter König, conducted by James Levine. From May 14, 2011.
Outsider
Born on this day in 76 AD Roman Emperor Hadrian.
Manon
Starring Lisette Oropesa, Michael Fabiano, Carlo Bosi, Artur Rucinski, Brett Polegato and Kwangchul Youn, conducted by Maurizio Benini. From October 26, 2019.
One little soldier
Take it as a high compliment to the harrowing, riveting Soldier Songs that I was grateful it lasted only one hour. My nerves couldn’t have handled more.
Piotr Beczala and Sondra Radvanovsky Live in Concert
“High notes and high drama will be in abundance when this world-famous soprano-tenor pairing comes together for a thrilling performance broadcast live from Germany’s Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal.”
Un sogno gentile di pace e d’amor
Happy 91st birthday soprano Teresa Zylis-Gara.
Tosca
From the Met’s “greed is good” period, a Franco Zeffirelli production starring Hildegard Behrens, Plácido Domingo and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli. From March 27, 1985.
Why let the goblins upset you?
Born on this day in 1909 actress Ann Sothern.
Nabucco
From the Vienna State Opera: Marco Armiliato conducts Plácido Domingo, Freddie De Tommaso, Riccardo Zanellato and Anna Pirozzi.
La Traviata
Starring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. From April 14, 2012.
Idol gossip
During the 70s, Kiri Te Kanawa, particularly singing Mozart, became one of my favorite singers.
Chest one of those things
Born on this day in 1926 bodybuilder and actor Steve Reeves.
Norma
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja, and Matthew Rose, conducted by Carlo Rizzi. From October 7, 2017.
Terracotta puppets of the gods
Dancing sheep! Flying sheep! Flying sheep who dance!
“Poetry is never dangerous”
Born on this day in 1920 screenwriter and director Federico Fellini.
Lucia di Lammermoor
Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Ildar Abdrazakov, conducted by Marco Armiliato. From February 7, 2009.
Titon et l’Aurore
Jean-Joseph de Mondonville‘s 1753 pastorale héroïque, performed live at the Opéra Comique.
Hitchcock blonde
Born on this day in 1930 actress and activist ‘Tippi’ Hedren.