Giovin, giocondo, sì possente, bello
On this day in 1903 tenor Enrico Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Duke of Mantua.
Recent Stories
Welcome to all the pleasures
“Trove Thursday” marks St. Cecilia’s Day with two works by Henry Purcell, the composer who often celebrated music’s patron saint.
Sound bite
Only the Sound Remains introduced Americans to the latest collaboration between dazzling Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho and hirsute metteur-en-scène Peter Sellars.
Thank you for the music
Happy Thanksgiving USA Parterrians!
Leading woman
French conductor Emmanuelle Haïm debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra this weekend, leading performances of Handel and Purcell.
But wait! There’s more!
Sunday’s sold out Carnegie Hall recital became a veritable love-fest between the Peruvian tenor and those assembled in the Hall.
Poetess without portfolio
Washington Concert Opera on the occasion of Gounod’s 200th birthday presented the American premiere of his first opera, Sapho.
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).
Dark shadows
On this day in 1967 Herbert von Karajan first appeared at the Metropolitan Opera conducting and directing Die Walküre.
Triple threat
A report from a parterrian audience member indicates that Mariusz Kwiecien canceled Les Pêcheurs de Perles after the first part yet again at the Met tonight.
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!
Dancer in the dark
Patrice Chéreau‘s Elektra brims with ideas beyond its eschewing of the opera’s standard, hysterical trappings.
Demons are forever
On this day in 1907 bass Fyodor Chaliapin made his Met debut in Boito’s Mefistofele.
‘Perles’ hearing
Alexander Birch Elliott‘ s dynamic if gauche Zurga added some pizzazz to an otherwise bland evening.
Great Chicago fire
If sheer clarion vocalism is what draws you to the opera, then hie thee to Lyric Opera of Chicago’s rousing revival Of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, the oddly plotted but musically sublime opera that opened last night in the David McVicar production, originally seen in 2006.
Stranger with candy
Saturday night I navigated the Music Center concourse, or what’s left of it with it’s seemingly eternal construction to the main plaza, wending my way to the Dorothy Chandler for the opening night of LA Opera’s Hansel and Gretel.
Beast in show
Christopher Maltman created a fun, coherent, often whimsical journey exploring the animal kingdom through a selection of animal songs.
Uphill climb
The Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho is surely the reason that Covent Garden has made a commercial release of this “Live to Cinemas” relay from March of 2017.
Bichette
On this day in 1962 soprano Régine Crespin made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Marschallin.
Vittoria!
On this day in 1974 tenor Jose Carreras made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Cavardossi.
Broadcast: Siegfried
The Ring continues from Covent Garden with Siegfried starring Stefan Vinke.
Telling the glory of God
“The heavens are telling” begins the famous chorus that ends the first section of The Creation.
Cold comfort
An image of the old, ruined Coventry Cathedral goes into closer and closer focus until the stage is dominated by a grassy stone.
Heck, I’d even play the maid
On this day in 1975 soprano Roberta Peters celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Met debut with a performance of Così fan tute.
