Recent Stories
This evening’s performance of Iolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle has been cancelled.
On this day in 1833 Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia premiered in Milan.
Today’s program documents the only time Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti performed La traviata together at the Met.-
A Countertenor Cabaret, starred no fewer than 14 of these once-rare songbirds, in the cabaret space of the Duplex on Sheridan Square.
Manon Lescaut was Giacomo Puccini’s first big international success. His publisher, Giulio Ricordi, tried to put him off the project by citing Jules Massenet’s very successful adaptation just nine years previously. Puccini was intent on making the story his own, insisting, “A woman like Manon can have more than one lover… I shall feel it…
“Conservatives cherished it for being small and inconvenient…”
On this day in 1533 Henry VIII of England secretly married his second wife Anne Boleyn.
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.
Not only are our friends at Opera Depot burning up the internet with a one-day sale on their entire collection at 60% off, they’re also offering a free download of 15 different versions of the complete Immolation Scene from Götterdämmerung.
On this day in 41 AD Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated by his disgruntled Praetorian Guards, who then proclaimed Caligula’s uncle Claudius as Emperor.
Happy 82nd birthday to American actress, singer, and dancer Chita Rivera.
“The board of the bankrupt New York City Opera says it wants to sell its name and other assets to the bidder whose offer is lower than the competing bid.”
On this day in 1521 Emperor Charles V opened the Diet of Worms.
I expected something lovely, but what I beheld was nothing short of magnificent.
On this day in 1904 Leos Janacek‘s Jenufa premiered in Brno.
On this day in 1949 J. Edgar Hoover gave Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen.
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.
Contrary to previous reports, Jonas Kaufmann says he is not dating Madonna.
Our good friends (and advertisers) at Maestro Artist Management have been wondering just how much you, the cher public, know about Ildar Abdrazakov.
As a preview of sorts of the Next Big Thing at the Met, here’s a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta featuring Piotr Beczala from 2002.
On this day in 1829 Johann von Goethe‘s Faust, der Tragödie erster Teil received its premiere performance.
Your doyenne is no good at housewifely duties.
The first two installments of Coloraturafan‘s interview series are now live.
On this day in 1944, the Metropolitan Opera House hosted a jazz concert for the first time.
What does it mean anyway to get to know a diva, and why exactly would we wish to do such a thing?
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