Recent Stories
Happy 73rd birthday mezzo-soprano Hanna Schwarz.
Born on this day in 1904 baritone and teacher Martial Singher.
Florence Foster Jenkins, a new film directed by Stephen Frears, celebrates a true amateur.
On this day in 1876 the Bayreuth Festspielhaus opens with the first complete performance of the Ring.
Happy 89th birthday conductor Raymond Leppard.
“Trove Thursday” offers a Der Fliegende Holländer from New York City Opera featuring the underrated American soprano Johanna Meier.
The soprano, famed for her status youngest performer to make a debut at the Met as well as her flamboyant style and personality, died last Thursday after suffering a stroke.
An aging eccentric—who has for decades occupied a dubious place on the fringes of New York’s musical life—today saw a lifelong dream fulfilled.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Goodnight, Irene
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Poetic license
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Frau Miina-Liisa will es werde Nacht
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Lux aeterna luceat eis
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Kathryn the great
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Count your blessings
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 hears that Stefan Herheim’s Met Meistersinger (scheduled for 2019-2020) may not be his New York debut after all.
Now this is a piece of (imaginary) casting so obvious you have to wonder if it hasn’t already happened and we missed it.
On this day in 1930 Betty Boop made her film debut in Dizzy Dishes, created by Max Fleischer.
The current iteration of that altogether necessary resource the Met Future Wiki currently lists a repertoire of 32(!) programs intended for the Met’s 2017-2018 season, which clearly is absurd.
The Richard Tucker Music Foundation’s annual gala promises (note, promises) a particularly glittery roster this year.
It will be no surprise that your alte Jungfer (pictured) is particularly fond of the music of Richard Strauss.
On this day in 1876 Thomas Edison (not pictured) patented the mimeograph.
Born on this day in 1876 dancer and spy Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” Zelle MacLeod aka Mata Hari (not pictured).
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
Rafael Kubelik was a great opera conductor
Rafael Kubelik was a great opera conductor
Opera conductors … my favorite subject!
Opera conductors … my favorite subject!
The Talk of the Town
Herbert von Karajan was a great opera conductor
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.
The Talk of the Town
Ernest Ansermet was a great opera conductor
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.
The Talk of the Town
Yannick Nézet-Séguin is a great opera conductor
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.
The Talk of the Town
Patrizia Ciofi should have made it to the Met
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.
The Talk of the Town
Giannina Arangi-Lombardi never made it to the Met
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.
Born on this day in 1911 actress and producer Lucille Ball.
On this day in 1924 the New York Daily News debuted the comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray.
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with an unexpected heroine: the electrifying Julia Varady, seduced and abandoned by the suavely ardent Giacomo Aragall.
Legends of a certain age Jessye Norman and Madame (pictured, left to right) announce a new joint venture.
Happy 55th birthday President Barack Obama.
On this day in 1943 Martin Vale‘s melodrama The Two Mrs. Carrolls opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre.
Opera at Caramoor rallied Sunday afternoon with an admirable if erratic performance of Fidelio which was especially memorable for South African soprano Elza van den Heever’s thrilling first-ever Leonore.
Happy 79th birthday soprano Gundula Janowitz.
×
Sign up for Parterre’s free newsletter.
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.