Recent Stories
La Favorita is my favorita. Whether it’s Favorita or Favorite, I love them both.
Opera Philadelphia announced today its 50th Anniversary 2025-2026 season, the second under the leadership of Anthony Roth Costanzo, but the first to bear his distinctive imprint.
IN Series concluded its exploration of the works of Claudio Monteverdi with a production of the composer’s final opera, L’incoronazione di Poppea, performed with the addition of Indian music and dance.
Pascal Dusapin‘s dynamic and demanding traversal of Dante‘s Commedia arrives at the Paris Opera
Fiorenza Cossotto in her prime had few equals, particularly in the Italian repertoire
Audacious star performances elevate safe direction in Richard II and The Seagull on London’s West End
A live broadcast from Venice’s Teatro la Fenice
A new opera company in Hell’s Kitchen is preparing for its first performances of Tosca – and it’s putting the experience of chronic illness front and center.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Nailin’ the coughin’
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Landing the plane
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Le galant tireur
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
My 600 performance life
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
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.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Donizetti wrote so much great music, it’s hard to single out a favorite opera, or even a preferred aria!
A live broadcast from New York
After her Mimìs in the springtime Bohème, she will perhaps be less under the radar here.
Ida Miccolis (1920-2005), Brazilian soprano, never or rarely sang outside Brazil.
Florian Leopold Gassmann‘s rare comedy live from Milan
One of the great Rossini sopranos of the 1980s and sadly under-recorded in that rep.
One might be surprised to not see the blusteringly charismatic Saioa Hernández mentioned amidst the litany of favorite under-appreciated sopranos. Then one hears what she’s been up to lately.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Armerjacquino
A favorite art song performance from Armerjacquino
“Du bist die ruh” was one of the first art songs I ever knew.
“Du bist die ruh” was one of the first art songs I ever knew.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Emma Hoffman
A favorite art song performance from Emma Hoffman
Respighi‘s liriche can be as colorful, poetic, and downright lovely as any selection from other art song traditions. Case in point: Rosa Feola‘s recording of the first song from Quattro rispetti toscani.
Respighi‘s liriche can be as colorful, poetic, and downright lovely as any selection from other art song traditions. Case in point: Rosa Feola‘s recording of the first song from Quattro rispetti toscani.
The Talk of the Town
Two favorite art song performances from Julia Bullock
Two favorite art song performances from Julia Bullock
This task feels near impossible, as I listen to a LOT of art song singers on repeat, across decades and continents (from piano to orchestral works) — mostly for pleasure, but also for study.
This task feels near impossible, as I listen to a LOT of art song singers on repeat, across decades and continents (from piano to orchestral works) — mostly for pleasure, but also for study.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from CKurwenal
A favorite art song performance from CKurwenal
I listen to about as much art song as I do opera and could have filled every day of April with favorite selections.
I listen to about as much art song as I do opera and could have filled every day of April with favorite selections.
Look, for one of the most-staged operas in the repertoire, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte seems awfully difficult to stage.
A live broadcast from New York
Reading Dorothy Kirsten‘s autobiography twice last year made me revisit her work anew.
Back to Rameau again this week with Samson at the Opéra Comique, my third Rameau production in as little as three months, after Les Fêtes d’Hébé in the same house, and Castor et Pollux at the Palais Garnier.
I discovered this magical soprano when I was a teenager, and came across a mixed program RCA Victor LP recital.
This week, Chris’s Cache highlights Bernarda Fink and Inga Kalna in an opera by Johann Gottlieb Naumann
Maria Caniglia sings with unabashed commitment and honesty. She sings as if the music was born with her.
All disciples of the box are reminded one final time to furnish operatic discussion material for the next quarter of The Talk of the Town