Bleak house
Karita Mattila’s Ortrud, taut conducting, and a remarkable debut emerge from Richard Jones’s dreary Lohengrin Konzept.
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Singing through
A near-full house attended the Jessye Norman Memorial Celebration at the Met on Sunday afternoon, the auditorium packed with family, friends, colleagues, and fans of the late soprano, who passed away on September 30 of this year.
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).
Maid love
The Berta (mezzo-soprano Emily Damasco) runs away with the show.
An opening for a princess
On this day in 1959 Once Upon a Mattress transfered to the Alvin Theatre. The show, by composer Mary Rodgers, ran 450 performances and made a star of Carol Burnett.
This daughter of Wotan
httpvh://youtu.be/Lkqirt1qjsc Born on this day in 1848 soprano Lilli Lehmann. On this day in 1938 tenor Jussi Bjoerling made his Met debut as Rodolfo. Mafalda Favero also made her debut as Mimi. httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OajZ9SCQO8 httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXY3IoMWPfw
Wozzeck
Alban Berg‘s masterpiece launches the Bayerische Staatsoper’s 2019/2020 STAATSOPER.TV season.
Popular success
On this day in 1903 Enrico Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Duke of Mantua.
Revelation
Beg. Borrow. Steal. Bargain. Cajole. Seduce. Threaten. Extort.
Outside the box
So here’s my question: if Tadzio is 27 years old and consciously flaunting his wang, is it still Death in Venice?
Thanks a million
“The Met acted quickly to cast her as Leonore in Fidelio, Chrysothemis in Elektra, Ariadne in Ariadne auf Naxos, Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.”
“It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful”
Born on this day in 1913 composer Benjamin Britten.
La bohème
That bohemian opera returns to the airwaves tonight at 7:25 PM.
I’m a believer
For its gala 200th (!) edition Trove Thursday presents an all-star performance of Mussorgsky’s “other” great masterpiece Khovanshchina with Christa Ludwig, Martti Talvela, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Bernd Weikl and Wieslaw Ochman.
Dark victory
On this day in 1967 conductor Herbert von Karajan bowed at the Metropolitan Opera conducting and directing Die Walküre.
Even the orchestra is beautiful
On this day in 1966 the landmark concept musical Cabaret opened at the Broadhurst Theatre to run 1,165 performances.
Grimm and proper
Bring your family: This show is special! Such perfect opera is hard to find!
Darkness on the edge of town
Lyric Opera of Chicago’as Don Giovanni lands smack dab in the middle of our current debate about wanted or unwanted sexual advances and outright sexual abuse.
Nothing but the truth
On a new Opus Arte video, Ermonela Jaho is at the absolute peak of her powers both vocally and interpretively.
One night only
Christine Goerke‘s distracted, tentative Isolde turned out to be the least potent feature of what was an otherwise exciting and effective second act of Tristan.
The way she was
On this day in 1962 soprano Régine Crespin made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin.
Reform follows function
Love in Hate Nation is a little musical that could and can… and I sure as hell hope it does!
“Non son più Ye, son dio”
“A flawed leader with visions of grandeur who becomes mentally unstable is a plot line that [Kanye] West might relate to.”
Let your love flow
Saturday afternoon’s performance of Le Nozze di Figaro at the Met was awash with contradictions.