The elusive quality of command
On this day in 1983 soprano Aprile Millo made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Amelia Boccanegra.
Recent Stories
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).
The real deal
Yusif Eyvazov dominated Friday’s Met premiere of Pikovaya Dama with a fearless, world-class portrayal that instantly transformed the opera into December’s must-see event.
The case of the vanishing opera
La Cieca has only just noticed that the time for the announced first presentation of the New York City’s Opera’s 2019-2020 season has come and gone.
Già la mansplain e preparata
“È tutto amore! Chi a una sola è fedele, verso l’altre è crudele; io che in me sento si esteso sentimento, vo’ bene a tutte quante; le donne poiché calcolar non sanno, il mio buon natural chiamano inganno.”
J’entends pleurer
On this day in 1962 conductor Ernest Ansermet made his in-house Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Pelléas and Mélisande.
The Queen of Spades
Tonight’s broadcast of Tchaikovsky’s ghost story begins at 7:30 PM.
Sweet 1600s
Over the past week New York City was blessed by two appealing 17th century presentations: John Blow’s Venus and Adonis from Opera Lafayette and La Storia di Orfeo courtesy of the Boston Early Music Festival.
A journey to a star
Born on this day in 1895 film choreographer and director Busby Berkeley.
Altre parole bisbigliavi
Anna Netrebko, in Milan preparing a new production of Tosca for La Scala’s opening night, fires back at an interviewer.
“A first-class second-rate composer”
Trove Thursday explores the alpha and omega of Richard Strauss.
Fill me with flaming desire
On this day in 1934 torch singer Libby Holman moaned the Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz standard “You and the Night and the Music” on the opening night of the musical Revenge with Music.
It’s now or Neva
In preparation for her much-awaited Met debut, Lise Davidsen sings the arioso from Queen of Spades.
Strange magic
We’ve had a mini-fest of director Barrie Kosky’s work this year at LA Opera.
Sweet prince
South African Jacques Imbrailo’s high-lying baritone did much to highlight the lyrical possibilities of the title role of Hamlet, originally conceived for a tenor.
Prima ballerina
On this day in 1951 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Aida, which featured the debut of African-American dancer Janet Collins.
Van Oostrum sings!
Though no recording of Sunday’s lauded performance of Lohengrin from the Bayerische Staatsoper has yet surfaced, here are a couple of excerpts from Der Freischütz sung by Johanni van Oostrum.
Opera tickets to give away
A parterre box reader has had to cancel an opera trip to Germany scheduled from November 29 – December 6 and wants if possible to share his tickets with members of the cher public.
Honor and harmony
It’s that time of year again, cher public: the 47th 15th annual announcement of the recipients of the F. Paul Driscoll Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence!
“Maybe nothing ever like it”
On this day in 1961 soprano Joan Sutherland made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Lucia.
Moods for moderns
Maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, always with a gift for gab, is ever more loquacious in concerts, often talking directly to the audience.