A favorite Wagner performance from grimoaldo2 A favorite Wagner performance from grimoaldo2

I suppose Der fliegende Holländer is my favorite Wagner opera — a riveting masterpiece from start to finish, dramatically and musically.

Ice ice baby Ice ice baby

A recent review of Olga Maslova as Aïda is as good a reason as any to share a clip of her fascinating Turandot

Maria Stuarda Maria Stuarda

Lisette Oropesa and Kate Lindsey star in a live video broadcast from Salzburg

A lion in winter A lion in winter

Sherrill Milnes sits down with Brendan Latimer to talk about his life, career, and what he hopes to pass along to the next generation

A favorite Wagner performance from Peter A favorite Wagner performance from Peter

Eleanor Steber and Wolfgang Windgassen in the Act III bridal chamber scene of Lohengrin.

Lohengrin Lohengrin

A performance recorded earlier today at the Bayreuth Festival

Robert Wilson 1941-2025 Robert Wilson 1941-2025

The groundbreaking director and designer of works like Einstein on the Beach died earlier today at his home in Water Mill, New York

Golden shower Golden shower

Claus Guth mines urgent and contemporary commentary from Die Liebe der Danae in Munich.

He plays the violin He plays the violin

This Bard production, led by Leon Botstein, makes the strongest possible case musically, dramatically and visually for Smetana’s opera Dalibor.

Let me change your mind about Mady Mesplé Let me change your mind about Mady Mesplé

Mady Mesplé’s voice has, sadly, become an acquired taste.

Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung

The final installment of the 2025 Ring from Bayreuth

Robber barons Robber barons

A revival of the furious I masnadieri at the Bayerische Staatsoper falls short of perfection – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Gilda! mia Gilda!…È morta! Gilda! mia Gilda!…È morta!

Mexican soprano Gilda Cruz-Romo died on 28 June at the age of 85 and Chris’s Cache remembers her with live recordings of a frequent role and a rather rare one: a last-minute Met Tosca plus perhaps her only stab at the Cherubini Medea.

Parsifal Parsifal

A performance recorded earlier today at the Bayreuth Festival

Change my mind about Anja Silja Change my mind about Anja Silja

I never got to hear Silja in person, and I suspect I should have for me to even begin to appreciate her.

Old wife’s tale Old wife’s tale

Pénélope at the Bayerische Staatsoper’s summer festival spotlights the crossroads between the nostalgic and the progressive.

Sing of happy, not sad Sing of happy, not sad

Matthias Davids‘s reactionary new production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg might be fun, but no one comes to Bayreuth for fun.

Change my mind about Jerome Hines Change my mind about Jerome Hines

This clip is a strong case for leaving non-operatic music alone.

Siegfried Siegfried

The third installment of the 2025 Ring from Bayreuth

Cask in the glory Cask in the glory

A North American debut of a respectable French Baroque ensemble, an ebullient presentation of La fille du régiment, and an afternoon soiree in Wine Country proved to be the hottest (yet affordable!) tickets around here this Summer.

La bohème La bohème

A performance recorded at The Santa Fe Opera earlier this summer

The Critic: Friend, Foe, or Finished? The Critic: Friend, Foe, or Finished?

Parterre Box critics Emma Hoffman and Max Keller and friend of the Box Emery Kerekes talk what’s next for classical music criticism with Ben Gambuzza of The Best is Noise

Thane and suffering Thane and suffering

In the 1847 version of Macbeth, the forces of Teatro Nuovo lacked the thunderous punch this music can pack, but provided a pleasant ride

Die Walküre Die Walküre

A slightly delayed broadcast of the second installment of this year’s Ring from Bayreuth