Belt register Belt register

Kristine Opolais has withdrawn from the role of Elsa in The Royal Opera’s forthcoming new production of Lohengrin, to ensure her full recovery from a routine abdominal medical procedure.

Thirtysomething Thirtysomething

Happy birthdays to countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and tenor Michael Fabiano.

Pretty little lyres Pretty little lyres

While one sympathized with Matthew Aucoin’s urge to add his voice to the Orpheus canon it was difficult to figure out how his work complemented Gluck’s.

Prodigy Prodigy

Maria Callas’s most outstanding Adalgisa, out of all she partnered with, was Fiorenza Cossotto.

Virgin territory Virgin territory

When Arthur Sullivan (not yet Sir Arthur) composed his “dramatic oratorio” The Martyr of Antioch in 1880, he had just completed The Pirates of Penzance.

Give me some music Give me some music

On this day a year ago the Metropolitan Opera celebrated 50 years at Lincoln Center.

Medium, cool Medium, cool

Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht’s Mahagonny Singspiel, and Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium—are not only combined, but configured to overlap in sometimes revealing, occasionally confounding ways.

Sondra castle Sondra castle

By the end of the first act, it was clear to me that I was experiencing an artist performing at her absolute peak.

Champagne dreams Champagne dreams

Happy 87th birthday mezzo-soprano Jane Berbié. 

Sneak preview! Sneak preview!

Join us for a sneak preview immediately following today’s Met broadcast!  

Broadcast: Roméo et Juliette Broadcast: Roméo et Juliette

The final Met Saturday afternoon broadcast of the season begins at 1:00.

Enlightened Enlightened

Born on this day in 1919 bass-baritone George London. 

Spring break Spring break

Jennifer Rowley will sing the title role in tonight’s performance of Puccini’s Tosca, replacing Anna Netrebko who is ill.

BASTA: Ballet up to the bar BASTA: Ballet up to the bar

Doomed Lucia di Lammermoor was only halfway through her Mad Scene at the time of the incident. 

Don Pasquale di Correzione Don Pasquale di Correzione

Norman Lebrecht reveals himself once more to be no observer at all.

Overnight Overnight

Born on this day in 1930 soprano Roberta Peters.

Climb every diva Climb every diva

So Anna Netrebko met Julie Andrews yesterday afternoon at an event for the American Austrian Foundation, but that’s just the beginning!

Merci beaucoup, Dr. Pédagogie! Merci beaucoup, Dr. Pédagogie!

Baritones: is there anything they don’t know?

Come what May Come what May

At “Trove Thursday” it’s May Night, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s 1880 comic opera, in a recent broadcast from Moscow led by pianist-conductor Mikhail Pletnev.

Twist of fate Twist of fate

The Verdi Chorus celebrated their 35th anniversary with their spring concert weekend entitled The Force of Destiny last Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

In lichter Waffen Scheine ein Ritter nahte da In lichter Waffen Scheine ein Ritter nahte da

On this day in 2006, Klaus Florian Vogt made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Lohengrin.

Broadcast: Lucia di Lammermoor Broadcast: Lucia di Lammermoor

The final weeknight livestream of the Met season.

It’s easy to remember It’s easy to remember

Born on this day in 1895 lyricist Lorenz Hart.

Manca la diva Manca la diva

With Sonya Yoncheva canceling the Philadelphia Orchestra’s performances of Tosca, who do you, the cher public, think will take her place?