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This is the tenth season of the Met’s HD broadcasts, not that I would know it.
For all their orchestral and vocal attractions, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s 15 operas are rarities in the West.
I guess you have spoken: “Bring us insane divas in operas we already know!”
Here you are, cher public, your ten most popular parterre box postings (by numbers of pageviews) for the week of September 27-October 3, 2015.
On this day in 1969 the first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired on BBC One.
This weekend Il Trovatore outgrossed the The Walk, a new IMAX film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley.
Born on this day in 1880 journalist and author Damon Runyon.
On this day in 1970 the musical Coco closed at the Mark Hellinger Theater after 333 performances.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
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
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.
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Landing the plane
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
Le galant tireur
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
My 600 performance life
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
“Met Music Director James Levine has decided to lighten his workload by removing the new production of Berg’s Lulu from his schedule so that he may focus his energies completely on Wagner’s epic drama Tannhäuser.”
“Roberto Aronica will sing Cavaradossi in the first five performances of Puccini’s Tosca at the Met this season—October 16, 21, 24 matinee, 29, and November 2—replacing Massimo Giordano, who is ill.”
Forget the hurricane preparations for a few hours this afternoon and enjoy the live webcast of Les Contes d’Hoffmann from the Komische Oper Berlin, starting at 12:55 PM.
“The Kaiser’s Royal Opera of Berlin, which has been a hotbed of jealous intrigue ever since the invasion of American singers began a few years ago, is agitated afresh.”
Happy 77th birthday critic and interviewer Rex Reed.
Yes, obviously it’s La traviata, but where?
Gotham Chamber Opera is ceasing operations and will be closing.
“Taylor Stayton will sing the role of Percy in this evening’s performance of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, replacing Stephen Costello, who is ill,” says the Met press office.
Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Niel Rishoi
Hans Hotter masterfully captures the poignancy of this sublime Brahms Lied.
Hans Hotter masterfully captures the poignancy of this sublime Brahms Lied.
A favorite art song performance from Arrigo
While refined, Lisa della Casa sings “Four Last Songs” deeply alert to the text and with effortless vocalization that sounds fresh and spontaneous.
While refined, Lisa della Casa sings “Four Last Songs” deeply alert to the text and with effortless vocalization that sounds fresh and spontaneous.
A favorite art song performance from Belfagor
Funnily enough, I’m not remotely a Rachmaninov fan, but this performance by Galina Vishnevskaya in her considerable prime always gives me the chills.
Funnily enough, I’m not remotely a Rachmaninov fan, but this performance by Galina Vishnevskaya in her considerable prime always gives me the chills.
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
La Cieca (pictured, in her dreams) would like to pause just a moment in her editrixing duties for a spot of housekeeping.
Leave it to the New York Times to present a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred debate on the explosive subject of race, with Anthony Tommasini and Ben Brantley boldly in agreement throughout.
Tenor Paolo Fanale rehearses the Rossini Stabat Mater with Jesús López Cobos and L’Orchestre de Paris.
Although it falls into the 18th century opera-comique tradition, Tom Jones is actually a comédie mêlée d’ariettes, a comedy mixed with brief arias.
On this day in 1907 the Plaza Hotel opened.
“This throwback to the golden age of opera—superhuman singing greeted with frenzied ovations—was a function of a perfect storm of excitement.”
The opening night of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s new production of Aïda, featuring Jonas Kaufmann in his staged role debut as Radamès, was captured informally on audio, and can be heard in full after the jump.
Does the above photo depict a) the first day of rehearsals of Mefistofele at the Bayerische Staatsoper, or, b) a Deee-Lite reunion tour?
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