Melody and more
The arrival of a new recording of Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello into the catalogue, to say nothing of a new tenor capable of singing Otello, is generally cause for hosannas all around in operatic circles.
Recent Stories
Broadcast: Il trovatore
This afternoon’s Met broadcast is Il trovatore, a revival that has already been widely discussed, and surely will be spoken of further when it begins at 1:00 PM.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
A masterpiece may be unwelcome but it is never dull
Born on this day in 1887 writer and librettist Gertrude Stein.
Don’t bother me, I can’t Copley
So it turns out the spin from all of Good Old Uncle John’s chums is not quite accurate after all.
Carriage trade
A particularly elegant bevy of sponsors grace the pixels of parterre this month: Carnegie Hall, the New York City Opera and the New York Philharmonic.
King song
While Farinelli and the King isn’t the only Broadway play to have explored castration (Sweet Bird of Youth, anyone?) it’s likely the first to concern a legendary 18th century opera star.
Bronze goddess
Happy 81st birthday soprano Martina Arroyo!
Peak performance
“Trove Thursday” ushers in February with Catalani’s La Wally with a mountain-top cast of Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Mario del Monaco, Giangiacomo Guelfi and Giorgio Tozzi conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.
The progress of a Roxie begins
“Oh yes we both reached for the gun!”
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 new
On this day in 1896, the premiere in Turin of Puccini’s La bohème; on this day in 1922, the birth of one of this work’s greatest interpreters, Renata Tebaldi.
Babylon unvisited
The Metropolitan Opera has fired octogenarian stage director John Copley after receiving a complaint about “inappropriate behavior in the rehearsal room.”
Barihunks without causes
La Cieca regrets to say it’s time to step back from the gratuitous display of bare skin in opera.
Stairway to heaven
On this day in 1974 Verdi”s I vespri siciliani was first staged at the Metropolitan Opera.
The joyous season
Finally an announcement to get the heart pumping: the Paris Opera’s 2018-2019 season offers no fewer than 11 new productions!
I woke up like this
On this day in 1957 soprano Martha Mödl made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Siegfried Brunnhilde.
Broadcast: Cav and Pag
Tonight’s broadcast and the discussion begin at 7:25 PM.
BASTA: Call me by your game
It was already nearly two o’clock in the morning, late for a work night, and Nixon Ben Mahmoud was ashamed to find himself crying real tears.
Jest the way you are
On this day in 1973 baritone Ingvar Wixell made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Rigoletto.
Safe passage
A Met HD cinema broadcast of Puccini’s Tosca on Saturday, 27 January, concluded the first run of a production marked by upheaval in the ten months between its announcement and its New Year’s Eve premiere.
El Amor y la muerte
On this day in 1916 Granados’ Goyescas premiered at the Met.
Okay by me in America
Mariachi bands travel the world, make appearances in Hollywood, and moonlight on Linda Ronstadt albums.
That time of year
One of the greats of classical music, Franz Joseph Haydn was a bit of an “also-ran” as an opera composer.
