Recent Stories
“Just as every downtown shopping street in every major American city now features the same familiar retailers’ names, New York City Opera has no particular artistic identity different from, say, Opera Carolina.”
Happy 40h birthday mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca.
“Paul Appleby will sing the role of Don Ottavio in this season’s September and October performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, replacing Rolando Villazón, who has withdrawn due to illness.”
Happy 71st birthday soprano Jessye Norman.
“International opera superstar Anna Netrebko comes to The Greene Space for an exclusive interview and performance.”
In the October 2016 issue of Cosmopolitan, lissome Laverne Cox pays tribute to some of her personal idols , including Tina Turner, Josephine Baker and, in a particularly breathtaking bit of visual transformation, the first African-American prima donna of the Metropolitan Opera.
On this day in 1954 Britten’s Turn of the Screw premiered in Venice.
Born on this day in 1922 “The Peruvian Songbird,” Yma Sumac.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Goodnight, Irene
Grand Tier Grab Bag features the American Zwischenfach mezzo Irene Roberts ahead of an eclectic season of Wagner.
Grand Tier Grab Bag features the American Zwischenfach mezzo Irene Roberts ahead of an eclectic season of Wagner.
Poetic license
Parterre Box shines a light on Liparit Avetisyan, who made his Met debut as Alfredo earlier this spring.
Parterre Box shines a light on Liparit Avetisyan, who made his Met debut as Alfredo earlier this spring.
Frau Miina-Liisa will es werde Nacht
Parterre Box features soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä, making her title role debut in Die Walküre in Munich next week, in a performance of Tristan und Isolde from 2021.
Parterre Box features soprano Miina-Liisa Värelä, making her title role debut in Die Walküre in Munich next week, in a performance of Tristan und Isolde from 2021.
Lux aeterna luceat eis
Grand Tier Grab Bag this week honors the late Limmie Pulliam with a bit of his Verdi Requiem.
Grand Tier Grab Bag this week honors the late Limmie Pulliam with a bit of his Verdi Requiem.
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.
La Cieca is delighted to note that the Royal Opera, Covent Garden has decided to follow the successful lead of so many American opera companies.
Just 85 years ago, four of Italy’s greatest opera stars gathered at Teatro all Scala for an historic event: the first-ever recording of Arrigo Boito’s sole complete opera, Mefistofele.
La Cieca has been informed LoftOpera is relocating its next production, Così fan tutte—opening on September 16, with performances until September 25—to 101 Varick Avenue, a massive warehouse space in East Williamsburg.
On this day in 1910 the premiere performance of Gustav Mahler‘s Symphony No. 8 in Munich featured a chorus of 852 singers and an orchestra of 171 players.
On this day in 1850 “Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind gave her first United States concert.
David Lang is, per The New Yorker, a “postminimalist enfant terrible.”
You may wonder what Rachmaninoff’s Aleko and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci have in common.
On this day in 1868 Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de perles premiered in Paris.
Talk of the Town
Rafael Kubelik was a great opera conductor
Opera conductors … my favorite subject!
Opera conductors … my favorite subject!
Herbert von Karajan was a great opera conductor
He has conducted some of my favorite opera recordings.
He has conducted some of my favorite opera recordings.
Ernest Ansermet was a great opera conductor
Although Ernest Ansermet is most often associated with orchestral music, his 1964 recording of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande is still my favorite.
Although Ernest Ansermet is most often associated with orchestral music, his 1964 recording of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande is still my favorite.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a great opera conductor
Historically, conductors were often viewed as rigid, authoritarian figures. Yannick Nézet-Séguin completely subverts this stereotype.
Historically, conductors were often viewed as rigid, authoritarian figures. Yannick Nézet-Séguin completely subverts this stereotype.
Patrizia Ciofi should have made it to the Met
The artist who I feel should have made it to the Met is Patrizia Ciofi.
The artist who I feel should have made it to the Met is Patrizia Ciofi.
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never made it to the Met
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never sang at the Met.
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never sang at the Met.
With the performance of Dessì we move onto a different plane than the other singers.
Born on this day in 1828 writer Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy.
Born on this day in 1932 singer Patsy Cline.
The dramatic tenor died this morning in Vienna.
Born on this day in 1900 soprano Joan Cross.
Happy birthday critic and lecturer Mark Berry.
Among the highlights were concert performances of Jules Massenet’s Thaïs and Otto Nicolai’s Il templario.
Happy Labor/Labour Day US and Canadian Paterrians!
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