Recent Stories
This week, our peek into the Mike Richter collection reveals a long listen for those lengthy midwinter nights: Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
Vintage issue #33
Mary Garden goes back to Paris to-morrow.
Each year, Leon Botstein leads the American Symphony Orchestra in a concert opera or two.
Our Own Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin has concocted something to keep you warm on those long winter nights: a complete performance of Les Troyens from 1974!
“La parole humaine est comme un chaudron fêlé où nous battons des mélodies à faire danser les ours, quand on voudrait attendrir les étoiles.”
A snowy day in MYC offers a perfect excuse to stay home, cozy and warm, and enjoy the hospitality of La Casa della Cieca during this afternoon’s broadcast of Falstaff starting at 1:00 PM.
Daniela Sindram will sing the role of Octavian and Rúni Brattaberg will sing the role of Baron Ochs in this evening’s performance of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier.
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.
“Is Parsifal, then, a religious artwork, or is it a work ‘about’ religion?”
In honor of Giacomo Meyerbeer, the unjustly or (depending on how you look at it) justly neglected 19th century opera composer, a selection from Mike Richter‘s “Meyerbeer Operas” CD-ROM.
How, then, to explain the perplexing performance last Friday night of Falstaff, Mr. Levine’s first new production since his return?
Also unimpressed was Franco Zeffirelli…
In Vintage Issue #32: How that opening night of Lohengrin might have gone; La Cieca on La Gran Scena…
“I am Fabio Luisi – a professional musician and conductor in international concert halls and opera houses, involved in many aspects of music and art. For many years I have also had a secret passion for another art which I have studied and practiced to bring to you today: perfumery.” [FL Parfums]
“Miss Mary Garden, the prima donna, has some definite ideas about American customs laws which would make her an ardent tariff reformer if she were in politics.”
Just in time for the holidays, La Cieca has flung open the doors of her Shoppe of Holiday Delights!
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from La Grunowa
A favorite Verdi performance from La Grunowa
I realize Igor Gorin did not sing much Verdi except for a few Papa Germonts, yet this performance of the famous baritone aria from Attila I claim is well-night perfect singing.
I realize Igor Gorin did not sing much Verdi except for a few Papa Germonts, yet this performance of the famous baritone aria from Attila I claim is well-night perfect singing.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Ryan Ellerman
A favorite Verdi performance from Ryan Ellerman
Luminous Lucia Popp’s “Caro Nome” beams with Gilda’s youthful passion, displaying Popp’s signature bright, beautiful timbre and magnificent coloratura.
Luminous Lucia Popp’s “Caro Nome” beams with Gilda’s youthful passion, displaying Popp’s signature bright, beautiful timbre and magnificent coloratura.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite Verdi performance from Marina Rebeka
A favorite Verdi performance from Marina Rebeka
While studying Un ballo in maschera for my Vienna role debut next January, I came across this beautiful ‘Ecco l’orrido campo’ amazingly performed by Montserrat Caballé.
While studying Un ballo in maschera for my Vienna role debut next January, I came across this beautiful ‘Ecco l’orrido campo’ amazingly performed by Montserrat Caballé.
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.
So we may all be on the same page as we discuss, following the jump is the video of the December 7 Traviata from La Scala.
Our Very Own Marianne Leitmetzerin (pictured) has graciously shared a jewel from her vast coffer of recorded performances, a boon La Cieca hopes will become a regular Monday event here at parterre.
Our dear friends at Operavore (to whence Our Own JJ will be returning for another season early in 2014) have called for nominations for favorite operatic “party records.”
During what German audiences at Eugene Onegin like to call a “Briefpause,” the cher public (pictured) are invited to discuss, oh, this, that and the other thing.
“After attending the dress rehearsal in London I wrote the following to Mr Carsen to give him the opportunity to make changes.”
Falstaff, Verdi’s final opera, is exuberantly inventive, bubbling and roiling with ideas the 79-year-old composer was too impatient to develop.
Which resurgent maestro’s instructions to the musical staff have rung out clear as a bell: “Can’t stand those operas you’ve programmed in my absence, so get them off the future schedule?”
It’s the opening of the Met’s Saturday afternoon broadcast season, cher public, and the first opera in the series is Rigoletto.
×
Sign up for Parterre’s free newsletter.
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.