Recent Stories
Born on this day in 1879 “The First Lady of the American Theatre,” Ethel Barrymore.
“And as I thought about it, I couldn’t help wondering: when did Alex Ross become Carrie Bradshaw?”
Live from the Glyndebourne Festival starting at 1:30 this afternoon: a telecast of that campest of all camp operas, Vanessa.
“Los in den Club, wir haben uns gerade getrennt. Ich zieh jetzt mein eigenes kleines Ding durch.”
Happy 58th birthdays to soprano Cecilia Gasdia and actress/singer Sarah Brightman.
Of all Handel’s oratorios, Semele begs most to be staged.
Congratulations to baritone Jarrett Ott and artistic administrator Adam Franklin, wedded Saturday by none other than Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Happy 70th birthday soprano Kathleen Battle.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
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.
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.
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.
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
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.
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.
“Fleming does not have the acting skills to convince as a hearty clam-shack proprietress…”
Happy 83rd birthday Opernregisseur Harry Kupfer.
A chilling opera for a scorching afternoon: Rubinstein’s Demon starring Egils Silins as The Demon and Asmik Grigorian as Tamara.
Born on this day in 1891 actress and performer Helen Broderick.
Awe-inspiring Anna Netrebko unveils yet another new Verdi aria.
I was overjoyed by the coincidence that Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival would be presenting Façade.
Renowned mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly may have been dropped from the Met’s Ring production, but today she has announced she has invented an entirely new role for herself in the work.
The theme was “Lyrics by Shakespeare.”
Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Tildy Diva
A well-known Met Aïda with a starry cast from 1967 is TildyDiva’s Favorite Verdi Performance
A well-known Met Aïda with a starry cast from 1967 is TildyDiva’s Favorite Verdi Performance
A favorite Verdi performance from Arrigo
My favorite Verdi performance is Claudio Abbado Don Carlo opening of the Scala.
My favorite Verdi performance is Claudio Abbado Don Carlo opening of the Scala.
A favorite Verdi performance from Peter Russell
The purely musical performance preserved here is thrilling, ratcheted to a higher intensity than the Deutsche Grammophon studio recording
The purely musical performance preserved here is thrilling, ratcheted to a higher intensity than the Deutsche Grammophon studio recording
A favorite Verdi performance from TC
Victoria de los Ángeles has always been my Violetta of choice, a portrayal that never ceases to move me.
Victoria de los Ángeles has always been my Violetta of choice, a portrayal that never ceases to move me.
A favorite Verdi performance from Anna Netrebko
I feel that the best years of Maria Callas’s vocalità, when we hear such a unique freedom and generosity in her singing, were captured in her early recordings.
I feel that the best years of Maria Callas’s vocalità, when we hear such a unique freedom and generosity in her singing, were captured in her early recordings.
A favorite Verdi performance from Armerjacquino
Before the screams of horror begin, it says ‘favorite’, not best.
Before the screams of horror begin, it says ‘favorite’, not best.
I love the comments that really seem to think they balanced the positive with the negative.
Happy 66th birthday soprano Ashley Putnam.
Michaela Schuster will sing Waltraute in all performances of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, replacing Sarah Connolly.
Last weekend marked the opening night for West Edge Opera: Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.
This past weekend was a busy one for operas in San Francisco (and Bay Area).
Armide with a superbly grand Francophone heroine in Karina Gauvin and conducted by the always excellent Ivor Bolton.
Happy 59th birthday soprano Maria Guleghina.
Born on this day in 1755 castrato and composer Luigi Marchesi.
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