Faust Faust

A performance recorded this spring in London

Der Rosenkavalier Der Rosenkavalier

A performance recorded last month and reviewed here featuring Véronique Gens, Niamh O’Sullivan, Regula Mühlemann, and Peter Rose

Change my mind about what makes a legendary artist Change my mind about what makes a legendary artist

My contention here is more general than just a critique of an opera, a composer, or a singer. I argue that one cannot be a truly legendary artist unless one sings NEW MUSIC.

Talk it out Talk it out

Mere days remain to make your voice heard for this summer’s The Talk of the Town!

Votre liberté ne sera pas ravie! Votre liberté ne sera pas ravie!

What better a way to honor Independence Day than with a bit of French-American partnering?

Sing out strong Sing out strong

Pride weekend events at San Francisco Opera and Festival Opera are fabulous starts to the Bay Area summer

Pride before the fall Pride before the fall

Opera Parallèle’s Harvey Milk Reimagined offers a fragmented portrait lacking the depth or coherence needed to honor Milk’s legacy

Change my mind about <em>Parsifal</em> Change my mind about <em>Parsifal</em>

Parsifal just gives me the creeps – a muddy maundery concoction that wallows in faux religiosity, a creepy view of sin, and naïve redemption.

An old-fashioned girl An old-fashioned girl

Perhaps it was the heatwave or the contentment of just having been able to hear her live again, but I went a bit overboard for this week’s Chris’s Cache in assembling an extravagant bouquet of Emőke Baráth, a favorite baroque diva.

Prêtre a manger Prêtre a manger

parterre box serves up an amuse-bouche of Natalie Dessay as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd in Strasbourg!

Change my mind about Mario Lanza Change my mind about Mario Lanza

I just don’t get why anyone takes Mario Lanza seriously as “the tenor of the century” and so forth.

The turning point The turning point

The Comet/Poppea at this summer’s Running AMOC* festival at Lincoln Center is a thrilling, startling, deeply moving experience

This summer I’m reading <em>The Reign of Patti</em> This summer I’m reading <em>The Reign of Patti</em>

The ultimate in Diva worship – where she can do no wrong.

Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci

Daniele Rustioni leads a verismo double bill recorded in Munich last month

Stiffelio Stiffelio

A performance recorded earlier this month in Dortmund with Angelo Villari and Pretty Yende

This summer I’m reading <em>I promessi sposi</em> This summer I’m reading <em>I promessi sposi</em>

Nothing helped me understand Verdi better than Alessandro Manzoni‘s I promessi sposi.

Don Giovanni Don Giovanni

Konstantin Krimmel plays the title role in a live broadcast from Munich

Konstantin companion Konstantin companion

parterre box highlights the livestreamed opening of this year’s Munich Opera Festival with a bit of tonight’s Don Giovanni, Konstantin Krimmel, in another Mozart opera

Turkish sound bath Turkish sound bath

A brilliant L’italiana in Algeri in Rome has Larry Wolff once again thinking about “singing Turks”

The Queen of Spades The Queen of Spades

A live video broadcast from Vienna starring Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov

Norma Norma

A live broadcast from Milan starring Marina Rebeka

This summer I’m reading <em>Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes</em> This summer I’m reading <em>Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes</em>

I first read Edith Hamilton‘s classic book on Greek mythology about sixty years ago.

Up an Octavia Up an Octavia

The operatic offerings of Boston Early Music FestivalKeiser‘s Octavia and Telemann‘s Pimpinone and Ino — are delectable discoveries

This summer I’m reading a juicy diva autobiography This summer I’m reading a juicy diva autobiography

What better beach read than a juicy diva autobiography?