Romance holiday
Russian repertoire figures very centrally in AVA’s mission.
Recent Stories
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.
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).
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.
Anna as ingenue
Anna Netrebko opens the 2007-2008 season of The Met: Live in HD in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.
“Sylvan historian, who canst thus express a flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme”
Happy 65th birthday to baritone and teacher Sanford Sylvan!
One night only, one night only, she’ll be the only one
“New York City Opera will present, in a rare New York appearance, beloved soprano Aprile Millo in concert.”
Emmanuel labor
Philadelphia is a city famous for its musical institutions—so, of course, at this time of year Messiah performances abound.
Frick show
French early music group Ensemble Correspondances offered two of the year’s very best concerts.
Netrebko talks!
An interview during rehearsals for Le nozze di Figaro at the Salzburg Festival, 2006.
Front page woman
On this day in 1959 soprano Birgit Nilsson made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Isolde.
The Price is wrong
“This guy stood up and asked the diva what it felt like getting trapped inside the stage pyramid during the Met’s premiere of Antony and Cleopatra.”
Are you ready for some Fantasy Football?
Assembling casts for three works: Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde for Karita Mattila, Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, and Aribert Reimann’s Troades.