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On this day in 1808 John Jacob Astor incorporated the American Fur Company.
It could get loud. It often does, especially when the soprano is mere inches from your ears, pleading with the duke for the life of the poor boy (parentage unknown) who insulted her notorious dynasty.
As you may have heard, cher public, Joseph Calleja canceled last night’s Lucia performance at the Met after the first act. So… well, see the headline above.
Long-time parterre fave Catherine Malfitano takes the stage at Manhattan School of Music in a new role, Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, May 12-14.
Relax, enjoy a steaming cup of java and celebrate Sunday with a discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
On this day in 1971 the musical Follies opened at Winter Garden Theater in New York for 524 performances.
Musicologist, translator and above all critic Andrew Porter has died.
On this day in 1930 The Broadway Melody was named “Outstanding Picture” at the second annual Academy Awards ceremony.
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.
On this day in 1968 Stanley Kubrick‘s film 2001: A Space Odyssey was released.
Michael Fabiano will make his Met role debut as Edgardo in this evening’s performance of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, replacing Joseph Calleja, who is ill. So says the Met press department, no fooling.
Susan Graham (pictured) and Piotr Beczala are the latest additions to the roster of “WQXR Presents Metropolitan Opera Spring Highlights,” at The Greene Space on Monday, April 6 at 7:00 PM.
You think opera and advertising don’t mix? They do if it’s parterre.com!
Before this recording arrived in my mailbox, I: ( a) didn’t know there was an operatic version of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, one of my favorite plays; and (b) was unfamiliar with the works of composer Gerald Berry. After several hearings, I’m still not convinced that there is an operatic version of Earnest.…
On this day in 2015 editorial doyenne La Cieca booked premium seats for a theater party to see the waggish comedy bombshell Living on Love.
“Renée: ‘It’s a comedy, a farce, and I’ve become addicted to making people laugh’.”
On this day in 307, after divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine married Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Maximian.
Talk of the Town
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.
The Talk of the Town
Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo should have made it to the Met
Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo should have made it to the Met
This Mireille duet unites Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo and shows the timbral and stylistic qualities that made them exemplary.
This Mireille duet unites Andrée Esposito and Alain Vanzo and shows the timbral and stylistic qualities that made them exemplary.
The Talk of the Town
Ebe Stignani and Anita Cerquetti should have made it to the Met
Ebe Stignani and Anita Cerquetti should have made it to the Met
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
Subtlety is for cowards, say the blazing Anita Cerquetti and the blaring Ebe Stignani.
The Talk of the Town
Sena Jurinac should have made it to the Met
Sena Jurinac should have made it to the Met
Sena Jurinac, a celebrated Mozart and Strauss singer here as the Composer, a signature role.
Sena Jurinac, a celebrated Mozart and Strauss singer here as the Composer, a signature role.
Coming from placid, luxurious Geneva, where I am currently living, Berlin felt even more jarring than usual.
After the reception to last week’s post, no more drowned queens for you!
On this day in 1778, at the sixth performance of the play Irène, the audience crowned playwright Voltaire with a laurel wreath.
Enough with the polite formalities, cher public, and on with the weekly discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects.
On this day in 1917 Puccini’s La Rondine premiered in Monte Carlo.
On this day in 1976 the Washington DC Metro opened.
“The Met’s revival of Verdi’s Ernani Friday night was every inch a tragic opera, though without being grand in any way. Its grisliest calamity was not the one the composer devised but rather one the production’s star, Plácido Domingo, brought on himself.”
To celebrate the 90th birthday of Pierre Boulez, our friends at Opera Depot are offering a free download of excerpts from his epochal 1976 Ring cycle at Bayreuth as well as steep discounts on all other Bouleziana.
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