Claudio Abbado 1933-2014
Italian conductor Claudio Abbado, former musical director of La Scala, has died at the age of 80.
Recent Stories
Danielle fires back
The leading lady of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s production of La Calisto has taken to the Twitters to respond to the recent discussion of her comments about Miley Cyrus.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
A breath of fresh air
What better way to take a break from the hurly-burly than with a discussion of off-topic and general interest subjects?
Stage mother
The internecine machinations of those who ruled—or sought to rule—the Roman Empire have long provided rich material for writers and composers, and on Thursday evening operamission continued its ambitious plan to stage in chronological order all of Handel’s operas by presenting one of the most delicious of those Roman-based works, Agrippina which premiered in Venice in 1709.
Local man
After four years of delegating union talks to his predecessor, Joseph Volpe, Met honcho Peter Gelb will now lead negotiations himself.
Meadow festival
Beneath the pageantry, the paeans to German art and the self-referential allusions to the creative process, Die Meistersinger is a story about a community and human qualities like love, friendship, envy and hatred.
By Adriel
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Out of Touch
In a press release that was obviously sent in 1985 and for some bizarre reason only just arrived an hour ago, Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced the production of a new Ring cycle with Sir Andrew Davis conducting and David Pountney directing.
Gesamtkunst-twerk
Talkative divette Danielle de Niese helpfully explains that Miley Cyrus uses her sexuality for the wrong reasons.
Le droit du canard
Oh, we’ve a veritable stew of canards to feast upon this week, cher public, courtesy of our old friend Rupert Christiansen.
Mask me no questions
In what seems to be turning into an informal salute to Kathleen Battle (not pictured), our gem from the Mike Richter collection this week is a performance of Un ballo in maschera, featuring Jose Carreras and Katia Ricciarelli (pictured).
Something beyond the normal
The celebrated “lost” issue of parterre box, the queer opera zine (now found, thanks to the avid cataloging of Indiana Loiterer III.)
Curious “Case”
“…a perfect marriage of text and music, creating a series of tableau-like scenes, as if Paul’s story is being related through a series of exquisitely posed still photographs…”
When Pats collide
As part of its “Figaro Unbound: Culture, Power and Revolution at Play” series, Los Angeles Opera next season will present John Corigliano‘s The Ghosts of Versailles featuring soprano Patricia Racette as Marie Antoinette and Broadway legend Patti LuPone as the Turkish entertainer Samira.
“Our Mary” is “tired of it all”
Mary Garden, refused admission to several cities because the city fathers disapproved of her cigarette smoking and thought her no good influence for their young, will wear the somber nun’s costume in life even as she has worn it so often on the glittering stage.”
Castanets of thousands
Outdoor arena opera always seems faintly ridiculous.
Mamma mia
Goddess Anna Caterina Antonacci takes the “Sophia Loren” starring role in La Ciociara, a new work premiering at San Francisco Opera in June, 2015.
Thespian
Jungfer Marianne Leizmetzerin delivers us a “veristic” treat this week: a complete performance of Adriana Lecouvreur with the gifted Georgian soprano Tamar Iveri in the title role.
Last train to Neuilly-sur-Seine
Hang around for a few minutes at least, cher public, to discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
Queens logic
Saturday afternoon at 12:30 on WQXR’s magazine show Operavore, our own JJ talks about Mathilde Marchesi and Antony Roth Costanzo discusses his Orlofsky role in the Met’s Fledermaus.
Not canard, more loon
“More telephone ring tones come from Bizet’s Carmen that any other opera.”
Herself you shall adore
From an early Mike Richter CD-ROM, “Odd Opera” comes this gem, a live performance of Handel’s Semele at Carnegie Hall on February 23, 1985, the 300th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
Nitwit Mountain
“Will the actors stepping into the iconic roles live up to the perfection of Heath Ledger and Tob[e]y Maguire?”
Prognosis negative
Which opera rag has just done away with its new publisher, less than three months after a much-publicized hire?