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Piotr Beczala, Soile Isokoski and Kwangchul Youn star in this 2009 performance of Faust from the Wiener Staatsoper, idiomatically conducted by Bertrand de Billy.
On this day 100 years ago, tenor Mario del Monaco was born.
There is no snow in Bayreuth. There is no rain in Oberfranken.
On this day in 1882 Richard Wagner‘s music drama Parsifal premiered at Bayreuth.
Our dear friends over at Opera Depot are slashing prices in half on all their live recordings from the Bayreuth Festival this week.
On this day in 1946 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis staged their first show as a comedy team.
You might be surprised, though, when that title turns out to be Show Boat.
On this day in 1983 a revival of Mame starring Angela Lansbury opened at the Gershwin Theater, to run only 41 performances.
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
When they go low
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.
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.
On this day in 1904 the first ice cream cone, created by Charles E. Menches, was served during the St. Louis World Fair.
Part of what makes opera seem, at least, a camp art form is that fans of the genre have such inconsistent taste.
On this day in 1933, soprano Caterina Jarboro performed the title role of Aida at the New York Hippodrome.
“The Art House in Provincetown, MA, headed by Mark Cortale, will present Metropolitan Opera Star Deborah Voigt in ‘Voigt Lessons’ created by Terrence McNally, Francesca Zambello and Deborah Voigt, for one night only on August 2 at 6:30 PM.”
The redevelopment that took place at Lincoln Center during Reynold Levy’s tenure as president of Lincoln Center represents a considerable accomplishment.
On this day in 1983 a storm cut short Diana Ross‘s free concert in Central Park.
Another month, another La Traviata release on video.
Let’s go back 45 years to a kinder, gentler Bayreuth with a 1970 performance of Der fliegende Holländer starring Donald McIntyre and Leonie Rysanek.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Niel Rishoi
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Arrigo
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Belfagor
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
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.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
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.
Born on this day in 356 BC Macedonian king Alexander the Great.
On this day in 1951 the revue Two on the Aisle opened at the Mark Hellinger Theater for 276 performances.
On this day in 1907, Florenz Ziegfeld‘s Follies of 1907, first in the impresario’s legendary series of lavish revues, premiered at the Jardin de Paris in New York City.
Just when you though it was impossible to have any less respect for Francesca Zambello…
On this day in 1762 Catherine II became tsarina of Russia upon the murder of Peter III.
Richard Strauss’s many one-act operas make excellent concert programs, both for their length (usually under two hours) and the primary place each gives the orchestration, a specialty where Strauss’s brilliance seldom deserted him.
On this day in 1782 Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail premiered in Vienna.
On this day in 1971 President Nixon announced he would visit the People’s Republic of China.
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