Parterre Box un*wrapped, 2025 Parterre Box un*wrapped, 2025

The ten most-“read” stories of this truly f*cked-up year

Off the rim and off the wall Off the rim and off the wall

Ivy Lin searches for a slam dunk version of Elvira’s Mad Scene from I puritani in the latest “Perspectives on an Aria.”

O stars of wonder, stars of night O stars of wonder, stars of night

A starry (and potentially annual) Christmas gala lights up Carnegie Hall.

Happy New Year from Ettore Bastianini and Giulietta Simionato Happy New Year from Ettore Bastianini and Giulietta Simionato

I am sure many of us will post the Fledermaus gala, but it doesn’t get better than this, even in a Fledermaus gala

Juan Diego Flórez sings “Auld Lang Syne” Juan Diego Flórez sings “Auld Lang Syne”

If you’ve ever been to Juan Diego Flórez‘s recitals, you’ll know the part most of the audience is waiting for is when he takes out his guitar.

La damnation de Faust

La damnation de Faust / Théâtre des Champs Elysées

Benjamin Bernheim and Victoria Karkacheva star in a production recorded last month at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

Streamed December 27, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Handel at the Met

Handel at the Met / Metropolitan Opera

The Met celebrates 300 years of Rodelinda with a look back at over 40 years of Handel performances at the house

Streamed December 27, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Eileen Farrell sings Christmas carols Eileen Farrell sings Christmas carols

Eileen Farrell could sing in all genres. I call her the queen of crossover, especially in her bluesy albums. Eileen Farrell, like Miami, you’ve got style!

Lisette Oropesa sings “Gesù bambino” Lisette Oropesa sings “Gesù bambino”

Lovely Christmas carol by Pietro Yon, “Gesù bambino” as sung by The Greatest Thing Ever at a Christmas concert in Ravello in 2021. Beautiful!

Mediterranean crossings Mediterranean crossings

Grand Tier Grab Bag anticipates Elina Garanca‘s upcoming Zwischenfach pivot by sharing her in some other not-quite-mezzo repertoire opposite Brian Jagde.

Leontyne Price sings Christmas songs Leontyne Price sings Christmas songs

Leontyne Price in her early prime is soaring and radiant in traditional Christmas songs.

Oh that’s it, a switch! A switch!  Oh that’s it, a switch! A switch! 

Bernie Williams and Jonathan Tetelman take over Carnegie Hall for one night. You’ll be fine.

Make them die through singing Make them die through singing

Ahead of a new production opening at the Met on New Year’s Eve, director Charles Edwards and Lisette Oropesa discuss creating an I puritani that is stark and serious — and sings.

Yvonne Kenny sings “Christmas Day” Yvonne Kenny sings “Christmas Day”

An Australian Christmas where the paddocks are brown, the gullies are green, and the singing is, frankly, better behaved than most of us will be by lunchtime.

Reduce, reuse, recycle Reduce, reuse, recycle

Global warming meets the cool factor in The Seasons.

Jessye Norman sings Christmas music at the Ely Cathedral Jessye Norman sings Christmas music at the Ely Cathedral

Though there are a number of fine recording of holiday music by opera singers (Eileen Farrell!), this great performance of Jessye Norman was captured on video as well.

<em>Contes</em> stop won’t stop <em>Contes</em> stop won’t stop

Juan Diego Flórez and Damiano Michieletto concoct an absinthe-fueled fever dream in a new DVD from The Royal Ballet and Opera and Opusarte.

Luciano Pavarotti sings “O Holy Night” Luciano Pavarotti sings “O Holy Night”

A beautiful Christmas album is Pavarotti‘s ‘Oh, Holy Night” conducted by Kurt Herbert Adler.

Partenope

Partenope / Teatro San Carlo

Ennio Morricone’s only opera heard in a performance recorded last week in Naples

Streamed December 21, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Life in the Faust lane Life in the Faust lane

Théâtre de l’Athénée Louis-Jouvet mounts a raucous production of Hervé’s Le petit Faust. 

The Magic Flute

The Magic Flute / Metropolitan Opera

A performance of the beloved (and inescapable) abridged English-language version of Mozart‘s Singspiel live from New York

Streamed December 20, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Better the devil you know Better the devil you know

America’s own Faust gets a compelling operatic treatment, courtesy of DC’s IN Series

Malena Ernman sings “Jul, jul, strålande jul” Malena Ernman sings “Jul, jul, strålande jul”

This has been my favorite Christmas song since I first heard this performance, the opening track of Malena Ernman‘s first Christmas album.