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Wolfgang Koch has withdrawn from the Metropolitan Opera’s fall performances of Puccini’s Tosca, due to illness.
Born on this day in 1962 baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.
“Yonghoon Lee will sing Radamès in tonight’s performance of Verdi’s Aida, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who is ill,” says the Met press office with a perfectly straight face.
This new production of the 1847 original version of Verdi’s first stab at Shakespeare features the extraordinary performances of Luca Salsi and Anna Pirozzi as the Thane of Cawdor and his merry wife.
Why do we go to the opera? Because the world needs a reminder of the power of forgiveness, particularly in these dark and gloomy times!
On this day in 1976, four Met debuts in Il trittico.
“Hadrian leans mournfully against the sarcophagus containing Antinous’s body as five male dancers in G-strings stand statuesque in the background.”
On this day in 1964 Metropolitan Opera’s opening night was a new production of Aida.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Kathryn the great
Kathryn the great
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Count your blessings
Count your blessings
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
One man’s Junker
One man’s Junker
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Don’t cry because it’s over
Don’t cry because it’s over
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Grand Tier Grab Bag hearkens back to the days when Sondra Radvanovsky — who is singing no Verdi at all next season — seemed like the Verdi soprano of reference.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Rizzin’ to the occasion
Rizzin’ to the occasion
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
Parterre Box features the Met’s current Eugene Onegin, Iurii Samoilov, in a performance of Rossini ahead of a return to Pesaro this summer.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
When they go low
When they go low
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Nostalgic for bass month, Parterre Box offers excerpts from two young basses to watch: Giorgi Manoshvili and Patrick Guetti.
Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Federation of Musicians Local #10-208 (CFM) announced today that they have reached a multi-year labor agreement extending through the 2020/21 season
Sonya Yoncheva dons the mantle of Cherubini’s Medée this afternoon at 1:05 PM.
On this day in 1965 soprano Renata Scotto made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Cio-Cio-San.
La Cieca made up her mind she really must try refute Terry Teachout‘s rant against contemporary opera at the Met.
With only a few weeks left to slice up our pumpkins and track down the perfect Luigi for our Mario, the timing seems right for a pair of Gothic operas set in a crypt.
Before the advent of Jonas Kaufmann next week, Yusif Eyvazov sings his final (scheduled) Dick Johnson of the Met season tonight,streaming live starting at 7:25.
The seventh season of STAATSOPER.TV’s free live streams begins Sunday, December 2 with Otello from the Bayerische Staatsoper featuring Jonas Kaufmann, Anja Harteros and Gerald Finley.
On this day in 1950 Irving Berlin‘s musical Call Me Madam opened on Broadway.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
Maria Kanyova should make it to the Met
Maria Kanyova should make it to the Met
I’m surprised that American soprano Maria Kanyova has never performed at the Met, even though she has loads of high-profile U.S. opera credits.
I’m surprised that American soprano Maria Kanyova has never performed at the Met, even though she has loads of high-profile U.S. opera credits.
The Talk of the Town
Barbara Hannigan should make it to the Met
Barbara Hannigan should make it to the Met
The fact that Barbara Hannigan has never performed at The Metropolitan Opera is just plain dumb.
The fact that Barbara Hannigan has never performed at The Metropolitan Opera is just plain dumb.
The Talk of the Town
Robert Rounseville should have made it to the Met
Robert Rounseville should have made it to the Met
From one Mister Snow to another, I salute him.
From one Mister Snow to another, I salute him.
The Talk of the Town
Denise Duval should have made it to the Met
Denise Duval should have made it to the Met
I decided I’d take ‘never made it to the Met’ as an excuse to submit a post about why French soprano Denise Duval (1921-2015) is special to me.
I decided I’d take ‘never made it to the Met’ as an excuse to submit a post about why French soprano Denise Duval (1921-2015) is special to me.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Eli Jacobson
A favorite Verdi performance from Eli Jacobson
The immortal Renata Tebaldi, just about 29 years old as Saint Joan in a RAI broadcast of Giovanna d’Arco from 1951.
The immortal Renata Tebaldi, just about 29 years old as Saint Joan in a RAI broadcast of Giovanna d’Arco from 1951.
“Love is love,” tweets tenor Michael Fabiano.
For the second annual edition of “Handel rarities for my birthday” three early Italian cantatas on this week’s “Trove Thursday.”
Kathleen Turner will join the cast of Donizetti’s comedy La Fille du Régiment at the Metropolitan Opera February 7–March 2.
On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera debuts of mezzo Teresa Berganza as Cherubino and baritone Tom Krause as Count Almaviva.
I mean, maybe I’ve just seen Vertigo too many times, but it really creeps me out how much Aleksandra Kurzak is styled to look like Angela Gheorghiu.
Now, if there’s one thing I know about authorial intentions, it is that Verdi totally wanted the first act of La traviata to look like a dinner dance reunion for the class of 1988.
“Due to previous commitments, the corpse of Licia Albanese has withdrawn from the jury.”
Born on this day composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813) and soprano Leyla Gencer (circa 1924).
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