Recent Stories
“Apparently, age is a touchy subject for some aging divas.”
Congratulations to Christian Ocier (not pictured) who guessed all 16 of our mystery Salomes correctly!
“Trove Thursday”’s latest folie de grandeur is an overflowing three-part explosion of post-war divas in live performances of unexpected arias always in the “wrong language.”
Born on this day in 1902 composer Richard Rodgers.
It seems everyone is raving over Calixto Bieito‘s production of L’incoronazione di Poppea at Opernhaus Zürich.
Born on this day in 1932 soprano Anna Moffo.
The Royal Opera House’s production of La bohéme (featuring Matthew Polenzani as Rodolfo) goes live on YouTube at 2:15 this afternoon.
On this day in 1911, the fifth edition of the Ziegfeld Follies opened at the Jardin de Paris.
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.
On this day in 1870 Wagner’s Die Walküre premiered in Munich.
On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera presented its first Met in the Parks performance in Crocheron Park, Bayside, Queens: Puccini’s La Boheme.
Anna Netrebko is Maria Callas in Terrence McNally‘s Master Class!
The luminous Gundula Janowitz makes a rare if not downright unique appearance as Elisabeth in Wagner’s Tannhäuser on today’s episode of parterre saturday afternoon.
Today is the 75th birthday of James Levine.
A privileged white male critic for the Wall Street Journal accomplished quite a hat trick earlier this week.
Born on this day in 1900 mezzo-soprano and teacher Jennie Tourel.
When Adonis Calls is “the story of an accomplished author struggling with writer’s block who is contacted by an eager young fan interested in both an artistic and personal correspondence.”
Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Mister Snow
Nothing prepared me for the Soviero experience
Nothing prepared me for the Soviero experience
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.
Live from Sussex, it’s Madama Butterfly!
“Trove Thursday” offfers Joseph Martin Kraus’s superb Aeneas i Cartago, eller Dido och Aeneas—in Swedish!—starring a luminous Elisabeth Söderström as the doomed Queen.
Happy 60th birthday mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore.
A challenging Salome-themed vocal identification quiz arranged by Our Own Christopher Corwin.
Born on this day in 1819 composer Jacques Offenbach.
As Brünnhilde invokes the gods of an empty Valhalla for one last time and strides confidently into a wall of flame, we pause for a moment, unsure of what will follow.
“Based on two Noh plays, the hypnotic work creates a shimmering world of supernatural encounters…”
On this day in 1970, Regina Resnik celebrated her 25th anniversary at the Met with a performance of Carmen, part of the company’s first June Festival.
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