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“What emerges from this handsome but sentimental film is a portrait of the artist in decline, cocooning herself in defensive victimhood.
America’s longest-standing theatrical lightning rod, Robert Wilson premiered his ethereal, time-collapsing production of Le trouvère.
Puccini’s Girl closes out the 20th century and gallops into the 21st.
On this day in 1966 Die Frau Ohne Schatten was first heard at the Met, featuring baritone Walter Berry making his debut as Barak.
A live telecast of Die Tote Stadt from the Berlin Komische Oper!
Come back to Kohl Mountain with Anita Rachvelishvili as well as the aforementioned Anna Netrebko in a live web broadcast of Aida from the Met Tuesday night at 7:25.
On Thursday, Puccini’s seventh opera, the California Gold Rush romance La fanciulla del West, returns to its birthplace for its first Met performances since 2011.
The Met’s new production of Samson et Dalila (not pictured) grabbed the most attention last month.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Landing the plane
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Le galant tireur
Le galant tireur
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
My 600 performance life
My 600 performance life
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Otherwise occupied
Otherwise occupied
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
Parterre Box features a performance from two belcantisti who would rather you not think about their political affiliations.
“Are we Team Guelf or Team Ghibelline?”
On this day in 2011 tenor Javier Camarena made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count Almaviva.
On this day in 1963 the musical The Student Gypsy, or, The Prince of Liederkranz opened at the 54th Street Theatre.
Our Own JJ (not pictured) is a feeling a bit tuckered by the whirlwind of the Met’s opening week, so “parterre saturday afternoon” is pre-empted today.
Opera Philadelphia’s O18 Festival continues through the weekend, but Friday represented a finale of sorts with the last two premieres.
On this day in 1965 soprano Mirella Freni and tenor Gianni Raimondi made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in La bohème.
La Cieca has just heard that Kristian Benedikt is singing the role of Samson at the Met this evening.
On this day in 1968 tenor Placido Domingo made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Maurizio.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Peter
A favorite art song performance from Peter
A very haunting Hugo Wolf song sung exquisitely here by Arleen Auger.
A very haunting Hugo Wolf song sung exquisitely here by Arleen Auger.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from TildyDiva
A favorite art song performance from TildyDiva
I had heard the renowned Dutch soprano on recordings and was an admirer of hers. I was unprepared, however, for such a truly memorable evening.
I had heard the renowned Dutch soprano on recordings and was an admirer of hers. I was unprepared, however, for such a truly memorable evening.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Lou Ann Darras
A favorite art song performance from Lou Ann Darras
Thanks to Elly Ameling, I made it through college.
Thanks to Elly Ameling, I made it through college.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance by Harry Rose
A favorite art song performance by Harry Rose
What a shaded and elegant delivery William Mattteuzzi brings to this lilting setting of D’Annunzio‘s “O falce di luna calante”!
What a shaded and elegant delivery William Mattteuzzi brings to this lilting setting of D’Annunzio‘s “O falce di luna calante”!
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from David Phillips
A favorite art song performance from David Phillips
Does this count as an art song?
Does this count as an art song?
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Mr. Portafiori
A favorite art song performance from Mr. Portafiori
I have always loved this recording of Canteloube‘s Chants d’Auvergne sung by Dawn Upshaw and conducted by Kent Nagano.
I have always loved this recording of Canteloube‘s Chants d’Auvergne sung by Dawn Upshaw and conducted by Kent Nagano.
“Trove Thursday” features a great composer who had little success on the stage—Franz Schubert.
Hunger was the note of the night, a sentiment shared between the audience and Proving Up, a lean and hungry one-act telling a story of drought and desperation on the post-Civil War Western frontier.
Anna Netrebko is the greatest performing artist singing opera today. Nobody else comes close; she makes me love her in a way that verges on the erotic.
Happy 61st birthday opera director Peter Sellars.
How Glucky can you get?
I braved the alarming and majestically colorful wall-graffiti-art of Bushwick to attend Bullfight Boylesque, which runs to October 28.
On Tuesday we got one of the Met’s inveterate classics, which meant yet another opportunity to gaze upon the old accessories: Donkey cart! Teal shawl! Fugly plaid slacks!
“Fricka is on fucking vacation.”