The beautiful voice is
“This lavish new production stars Opera legend and Tony Award nominee RENÉE FLEMING.”
Recent Stories
Love walked in
Born on this day in 1904 soprano Helen Jepson.
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).
The hills are alive with the sound of muumuus
Now that you know what the costume is supposed to represent, it’s time to offer suggestions (with images if you like) as to what her outfit actually looks like.
Which pleased me most
On this day in 1843 Michael Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl premiered in London.
Fish are jumping
The ever-astonishing Cecilia Bartoli riffs on the Gershwins’ “Summertime.”
Rara avis
On this day in 1961 soprano Joan Sutherland made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Lucia di Lammermoor.
She swam the moat
On this day in 1959, the musical Once Upon a Mattress transferred uptown to Broadway.
War horses
The proceedings took the virtue of longevity too much to heart; the night stretched on interminably.
Broadcast: Hadrian
Twitter legend Karita Mattila, elegantly muumuu’d Thomas Hampson and Les Boys headline Rufus Wainwright‘s grandiose opera Hadrian.
Poesia
On this day in 1938, two Met debuts in La bohème: tenor Jussi Bjoerling and soprano Mafalda Favero.
Broadcast: Il Trittico
Plácido Domingo opens his golden anniversary season at the Met with a performance of Gianni Schicchi.
Perles, interrupted
Alexander Birch Elliott will sing Zurga in all remaining performances of Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles, replacing Mariusz Kwiecien, who has withdrawn due to illness.
Have yourself a merry little apocalypse
As such, your doyenne provides links to various departments at Amazon.com through which you may peruse possible gifts for your nearest and dearest (including, of course, yourself.)
Christmas past imperfect
Give the creators credit for producing an emotional response.
Giovin, giocondo, sì possente, bello
On this day in 1903 tenor Enrico Caruso made his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Duke of Mantua.
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.
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.