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Born on this day in 1936 designer Yves Saint-Laurent.
Let’s listen, cher public, to Siegfried, live from the Bayreuth Festival, starting at 10:00 AM.
La fille du regiment from Wiener Staatsoper with Julie Fuchs and John Tessier.
You’d think by now I’d know better than to make snap judgments about an opera or a singer—but apparently not.
On this day in 1954 TV host, composer and comedian Steve Allen married actress Jayne Meadows.
The Bayreuth Ring (and perhaps the parterre discussion?) continues at 10:00 AM.
Can a surfeit of pleasure become—in the end—unsatisfying?
Get your kicks on Siegfried-Wagner-Alee.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Kathryn the great
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.
Count your blessings
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Fast-rising Verdi baritone Ariunbaatar Ganbataar is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
One man’s Junker
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Handel’s Deidamia — and one of its current champions, soprano Sophie Junker — are the subject of this week’s 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.
Born on this day in 1887 composer Sigmund Romberg.
A first glimpse of Anna Netrebko‘s styling for her role debut as Aïda at Salzburg.
On this day in 1882 Wagner’s Parsifal premiered in Bayreuth.
“Trove Thursday” offers Gemma di Vergy with the lovely, largely now forgotten Adriana Maliponte in the title role.
Has “opera-queen culture” really burned out?
We move on to Bayreuth’s revival of Parsifal.
Happy 65th birthday soprano Carol Vaness.
Tack on a little symphonic Beethoven and some particularly zany hosting patter from Bernadette Peters, and you start to lose focus, or at least some sense of, um, what matters mostly.
Talk of the Town
Mado Robin should have made it to the Met
I like to use this recording to annoy Mariah Carey fans by proving that whistle register doesn’t count.
I like to use this recording to annoy Mariah Carey fans by proving that whistle register doesn’t count.
Maria Kanyova should make it to the Met
I’m surprised that American soprano Maria Kanyova has never performed at the Met, even though she has loads of high-profile U.S. opera credits.
I’m surprised that American soprano Maria Kanyova has never performed at the Met, even though she has loads of high-profile U.S. opera credits.
Barbara Hannigan should make it to the Met
The fact that Barbara Hannigan has never performed at The Metropolitan Opera is just plain dumb.
The fact that Barbara Hannigan has never performed at The Metropolitan Opera is just plain dumb.
Robert Rounseville should have made it to the Met
From one Mister Snow to another, I salute him.
From one Mister Snow to another, I salute him.
Denise Duval should have made it to the Met
I decided I’d take ‘never made it to the Met’ as an excuse to submit a post about why French soprano Denise Duval (1921-2015) is special to me.
I decided I’d take ‘never made it to the Met’ as an excuse to submit a post about why French soprano Denise Duval (1921-2015) is special to me.
A favorite Verdi performance from Eli Jacobson
The immortal Renata Tebaldi, just about 29 years old as Saint Joan in a RAI broadcast of Giovanna d’Arco from 1951.
The immortal Renata Tebaldi, just about 29 years old as Saint Joan in a RAI broadcast of Giovanna d’Arco from 1951.
“You see, Elaine, Dimitrij was a simple country boy, you might say a cockeyed optimist…”
Overhearing preparations for the Salzburg Aïda.
Skirting the leafy, patrician Berkshires of Western Mass, and flush with wine coolers and white people, pastoral Tanglewood doesn’t much resemble the dark Nibelung settings of Norse myth.
Happy 50th birthday soprano Anne Schwanewilms.
Today’s conversation piece from Bayreuth: a revival of Tristan und Isolde with Stephen Gould and Petra Lang conducted by Christian Thielemann.
The cher public are invited to hear and comment upon the opening performance of the 2017 Bayreuth Festspiele, featuring a new production of Meistersinger directed by Barrie Kosky. Broadcasts from various sources begin between 9:45 and 10:00 AM EDT. (These daytime Bayreuth listening parties continue into next week.)
Born on this day in 1894 soprano Yvonne Printemps.
Placido Domingo, who, in 20 years of trying, has never yet got either the words or the rhythms right in the role of Siegmund, has been announced to conduct Die Walküre at Bayreuth next season.
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