Otto Schenk 1930-2025
The celebrated Austrian director, known for his picturesque and conservative stagings, was 94.
The celebrated Austrian director, known for his picturesque and conservative stagings, was 94.
For many opera lovers of the Baby Boomer generation, German bass Kurt Moll (1938-2017) was Sarastro, exuding wisdom and kindness through his unaffected bearing and incomparably rich, homogeneous sound.
Despite not being very happy with the state of the world (and the union) and not looking forward to the New Year, this past December I took in many festive holiday offerings including a pair of oratorios.
Così is an almost post-modern opera, in that it mocks the bourgeois construction of ‘love’ as a socially-sanctioned precursor to matrimony.
A new play by Peter Danish opening at New York’s New World Stages in March will reimagine a meeting between Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan
A perfect meeting of voice with composer occurred when Arleen Auger took part in the rediscovery of early works by Mozart.
On 23 July 1986, almost certainly more people simultaneously experienced a Mozart aria than ever had before or since when Arleen Auger sang at Andrew and Fergie‘s wedding.
No one in recording history short of Hermann Jadlowker could do these florid Mozart tenor roles like Michael Spyres
It’s daring, it’s risky, it’s ever so much fun.
A performance recorded last fall in New York
A performance recorded in Munich two weeks ago with Pretty Yende and Xabier Anduaga
“D’Oreste d’Ajace” – Carol Vaness
“Tenor SeokJong Baek will sing the role of Radamès in the January 4 and 7 performances of Verdi’s Aida, replacing Piotr Beczala, who has withdrawn due to illness.”
Ponnelle directing and Böhm conducting Le Nozze di Figaro with Prey, Freni, Fischer-Dieskau, Te Kanawa, and Ewing leading the cast. A classier performance of the piece can hardly be imagined.
I had been hopeful that 2024 would end, if not on a high note, then one that was at least in tune.
Fritz Wunderlich‘s singing is so wonderful and effortless that no further commentary is needed.
This took a lot of thought and consideration and there are just TOO many to choose from. But when it comes to vintage performances…
In hopes of encouraging parterre box readers to concoct their own year-end lists, I’ve put together my own.
Anna Netrebko has withdrawn from her role debut in next month’s performances of Ariadne auf Naxos at the Wiener Staatsoper
Operettas always seem to be on the menu for New Year’s Eve, so Chris’s Cache joins in with a broadcast of Offenbach’s delicious La Grande-duchesse de Gérolstein featuring Stephanie Blythe in the title role.
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