Recent Stories
Part-time Lover
Tenor Stephen Costello will sing the role of Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday, December 26, replacing Juan Diego Flórez, who is ill.
I could understand a person if it’s not a person’s bag
Kristin Lewis, making her Met debut, will sing the title role in Verdi’s Aida, replacing Sondra Radvanovsky, who has withdrawn for personal reasons.
Hello young lovers, wherever you are
Fill in the leads for Manon Lescaut, La Rondine and Edgar.
On the street where you die
(The Board threatened to beat Peter Gelb to death with their lorgnettes or something.)
Are you a real king?
On this night in 1951 Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors premiered on television.
Every little thing she does is tragic
In 2011, Anna Netrebko headlined new productions of Anna Bolena in Vienna and New York.
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).
Königin par excellence!
Happy 72nd birthday soprano Edita Gruberova.
Girl of the golden past
The Met falls back to October for a pre-recorded broadcast of La fanciulla del West this afternoon at 1:00 PM.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
Romance holiday
Russian repertoire figures very centrally in AVA’s mission.
Anna Einspringerin
After a blizzard strands Renée Fleming in New York City, Anna Netrebko jumps in as star attraction at the Dresden Semperoper’s New Year’s Eve concert in 2010.
This is a place of tears
Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini.
This is a job for Captain Obvious
“We’ve realized that, actually, the status quo is not an option if we want to survive, let alone thrive.”
Next to Norman
In addition to Jessye Norman, this event paid homage to the shamefully obscure soprano Sissieretta Jones—once billed as “The Black Patti.”
C’est une chanson d’amour
Anna trills herself to death in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, 2009.
Remember, somewhere the sun is shining
On this day in 1920 Jerome Kern‘s Sally, produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre to run 561 performances.
Just add magic
Heretofore I’d avoided the Met’s abridged, English-language holiday presentations.
The kids are alright
Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel in an unusual broadcast conducted by Herbert von Karajan featuring Sena Jurinac and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as the mischievous pair—performing in Italian!
Snow maiden
A scene from a 2008 film of La bohéme, starring Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón.
Borne back ceaselessly into the past
On this day in 1999 John Harbison‘s The Great Gatsby premiered at the Met.
Broadcast: The Magic Flute
Hear and discuss the condensed-for-kids version tonight at 7:30.
May contain nuts
Mark Morris’ saucy, psychedelic The Hard Nut has returned to the Brooklyn Academy of Music yet again this week for its 27th Christmas since the ballet premiered in Brussels.
