Recent Stories
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.
“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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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).
Talk of the Town
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To heck with Bayreuth and Salzburg, Glimmerglass and Santa Fe as Rosa Feola sang Mozart at Lincoln Center Friday night and I wouldn’t have been anywhere else!
Born on this day in 1911 actress and bass-baritone Lucille Ball.
Born on this day in 1890 conductor Erich Kleiber.
Happy 58th birthday soprano Deborah Voigt.
Sounds like a better Friday night than “what the composer intended.”
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