For so our master said For so our master said

Ah, that Bernstein dichotomy.

Cello sweets Cello sweets

Born on this day in 1876 cellist and conductor Pablo Casals

Mama is gonna see to it Mama is gonna see to it

Florian Leopold Gassmann’s delicious romp L’Opera Seria seems the perfect New Year’s Eve choice at Chris’s Cache

Duck duck goosegirl Duck duck goosegirl

On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck‘s ‘other’ opera Königskinder premiered at the Met

Dress for the image Dress for the image

Born on this day in 1901 actress Marlene Dietrich

I went by the Druid’s tone I went by the Druid’s tone

On this day in 1831 Bellini‘s Norma premiered at La Scala

Deep and Crisp and even Deep and Crisp and even

Merry Christmas, Parterrians!

Go out and see Go out and see

On this night in 1951 Giancarlo Menotti‘s Amahl and the Night Visitors premiered on television

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser

Donald Runnicles conducts Wagner’s Tannhäuser live from New York with Elza van den Heever, Ekaterina Gubanova, Andreas Schager, Christian Gerhaher, and Georg Zeppenfeld

Ear candy Ear candy

On this day in 1893 Engelbert Humperdinck‘s Hansel und Gretel premiered in Weimar

The music seemed to come from afar The music seemed to come from afar

New York shall never be in need of another Messiah to assist to during the holiday season, but a new tradition is beginning to crystallize at the cavernous St. John the Divine to rival it.

Lucca-like Lucca-like

Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini

The Magic Flute The Magic Flute

Gareth Morrell conducts Liv Redpath, Kathryn Lewek, Joshua Blue, Alexander Birch Elliott, and James Creswell in a holiday presentation from New York

Field and fountain, moor and Montemezzi Field and fountain, moor and Montemezzi

Today’s Three Kings aren’t the ones who arrive in Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera usually performed this time of year

Silver linings’ playbook Silver linings’ playbook

On this day in 1921 Jerome Kern‘s Sally produced by Ziegfeld on Broadway

Anita hero Anita hero

“Rachvelishvili sang Carmen, the role of her 2009 breakthrough, hundreds of times, and was scheduled to ring in 2024 as Bizet’s classic antiheroine in the splashy premiere of a new production at the Met.”

A beautiful little fool A beautiful little fool

Happy 85th birthday composer John Harbison

Va, vecchio ‘Don’ Va, vecchio ‘Don’

The whole performance was reminiscent of long-forgotten ways of doing opera (ways which still find the full approval of an Italian public tired of proposals that are all too “experimental”)

Let them eat cake Let them eat cake

On this date in 1991 the world premiere of John Corigliano‘s The Ghost of Versailles at the Met

Suspicious conduct Suspicious conduct

There is a strong case to be made that George Fridrich Handel is the composer most suited to the present moment.

Streich up the band Streich up the band

Born on this day in 1920 soprano Rita Streich…

Ticklish problems Ticklish problems

Georg Solti made his Met debut conducting Tannhäuser on this date in 1960.

The Magic Flute The Magic Flute

Patrick Furrer conducts Janai Brugger, Kathryn Lewek, Piotr Buszewski, Rolando Villazón and Brindley Sherrat in a broadcast of the Met’s holiday presentation

Turandot Turandot

Marco Armiliato conducts Asmik Grigorian, Jonas Kaufmann, Kristina Mkhitaryan, Jörg Schneider, and Dan Paul Dumitrescu in a broadcast from Vienna