Purple hearts
Composer Gregory Spears is a unique example of this maxim that one must be “deeply rooted in tradition in order to innovate with integrity.”
Recent Stories
Broadcast: Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci
Dual Alagna excitement beginning at 12:30 PM!
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).
Tales of the glass ceiling
On this day in 1976 conductor Sarah Caldwell made history with her Metropolitan Opera debut.
That’s entertainment!
The cher public are invited to nominate non-comic operas suitable for a gala performance according to the conditions specified above.
A little Proust
Though the novel’s structure and texture are often compared to musical forms such as Wagnerian music-drama, who would attempt to turn Proust’s A la Recherche de Temps Perdu into opera?
There’s no business like shoe business
On this day in 1912 Pietro Mascagni’s Lodoletta had its United States premiere at the Metropolitan with Geraldine Farrar and Enrico Caruso in the leading roles.
A shortcut to Rovno Gubernya
In Candide this spring, the old lady will be Patricia Racette. She will sing the role of the Old Lady.
A midwinter day’s cast change
Jennifer Rowley will sing the role of Leonora in all performances of Il Trovatore this season replacing Maria Agresta, who is ill.
“The most significant dramatic creation since Les Huguenots”
Awaiting the return of Parsifal to the Met, “Trove Thursday” hops to the other end of Wagner’s oeuvre with a recent Rienzi der letzte der Tribunen.
Seligstes Weib!
On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
I’m a bad, bad man
Happy 83rd birthday to baritone Sherrill Milnes.
Double jeopardy
Headlining the Met’s current revival of both Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, Roberto Alagna was operating on all cylinders Monday evening.
Punch drunk
Breaking: Pasolini estate to sue Rupert Christiansen for libel.
“Opera has no business making money”
Born on this day in 1902 impresario and opera manager Rudolf Bing.
Broadcast: Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci
It’s double the veracity tonight when Roberto Alagna stars in both parts of opera’s most familiar double bill.
O dolce mano
“Briefly, the character of the heroine is a crazy bothersome hysterical bitch.”
BASTA: Evan can wait
Weekends at Aura Bar on 53rd and Ninth are typically big money makers for the morons who run the place. Jonjon and Yoni.
“I like melody!”
Born on this day in 1926 soprano Evelyn Lear.
Su, profetessa!
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her historic Metropolitan Opera debut.
Broadcast: Hansel and Gretel
This afternoon’s Met broadcast starts at 1:00 PM.
Mit leichtem Herz und leichten Händen
Der Rosenkavalier (on Blu-ray and DVD) is from the Met HD broadcast which also happened to be the final performance of the run, becoming a true souvenir of the farewells of its two leading ladies.
“I was born to do this”
Born on this day in 1412 martyr and saint Jeanne d’Arc.
Bringing up Bondy
The more ignorant segments of the public and the critical establishment continue to shout praise to David McVicar‘s torpid Tosca as the greatest triumph of the reactionary since the Bourbon Restoration.