Das Lied von der Erde Das Lied von der Erde

Recent Richard Tucker Award winner Clay Hilley and Samuel Hasselhorn perform the tenor-baritone version of Mahler‘s song cycle in a performance recorded earlier this month in Frankfurt conducted by Alain Altinonglu

Mitte children Mitte children

On this day in 1870 Wagner‘s Die Walküre premiered in Munich

In Napoli where love is queen In Napoli where love is queen

Final opera of the season. Little-known opera. A revival. So, you can probably skip it, right?

Turandot Turandot

Ewa Vesin, Stefano La Colla, Venera Gimadieva, and Michele Pertusi lead a live broadcast from Brussels conducted by Ouri Bronchti

Park and bark Park and bark

On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera’s first Met in the Parks performance in Crocheron Park, Bayside, Queens

Roberto Devereux Roberto Devereux

A performance from the Dutch National Opera featuring Barno Ismatullaeva, Ismael Jordi, and Angela Brower conducted by Enrique Mazzola recorded earlier this spring

Hollywood jazz squares Hollywood jazz squares

Born on this day in 1927 dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse

Andrea Chenier Andrea Chenier

Antonio Pappano conducts Jonas Kaufmann, Sondra Radvanovsky, Aleksei Isaev, Katia Ledoux, and Elena Zilio in one of his valedictory performances from this spring

Così fan tutte Così fan tutte

Philippe Jordan conducts Federica Lombardi, Emily D’Angelo, Peter Kellner, Filipe Manu, Kate Lindsey, and Christopher Maltman in a production by Barrie Kosky from Vienna

Direct female Direct female

Born on this day in 1904 choreographer and opera director Margarethe Wallmann

The eras tour The eras tour

She can’t put her foot on the gas the way she used to but there’s still plenty of fuel in that tank. 

Larmore est un oiseau rebelle Larmore est un oiseau rebelle

Happy 66th birthday mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore

Parable of the prodigious son Parable of the prodigious son

I’m old enough to remember when Yannick Nézet-Séguin could do no wrong.

Paris holds the key to your heart Paris holds the key to your heart

Born on this day in 1819 composer Jacques Offenbach

What’s natural comes hard What’s natural comes hard

Chris’s Cache offers two live recordings of Sondheim’s first two solo (as both composer and lyricist) Broadway shows: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Anyone Can Whistle

The undiva The undiva

Happy 88th birthday soprano Marisa Galvany

It may not have been echt, but it was fun! It may not have been echt, but it was fun!

On June 11th, the Met Orchestra returned to Carnegie Hall with a diverse program led by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Schwing dich auf zum Sternenkreise Schwing dich auf zum Sternenkreise

Happy 81st birthday soprano Eva Marton

Four frightened people Four frightened people

As an opera fanatic who was baptized by the blood of Leontyne Price, the Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi appeared on my radar fairly soon after I started delving into the operatic canon.

Organized chaos Organized chaos

Born on this day in 1882 composer Igor Stravinsky

There is a sweetness in every woe There is a sweetness in every woe

Born on this day in 1952 tenor Jerry Hadley

Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia di Lammermoor

Giacomo Sagripanti conducts Nadine Sierra, Xabier Anduaga, Artur Rucinski, and Insung Sin in a performance from London recorded this spring

An artist with <em>Peer</em> An artist with <em>Peer</em>

Born on this day in 1843 composer Edvard Grieg

Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the others Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the others

There were, of course, other Chénier recordings beyond the truly great ones…