If you’re a star, you should behave like one If you’re a star, you should behave like one

Born on this day in 1770 composer Ludwig van Beethoven

Del mio pensiero tu sei Raina Del mio pensiero tu sei Raina

Happy 89th birthday soprano Raina Kabaivanska

Les mêmes chansons, les mêmes refrains Les mêmes chansons, les mêmes refrains

Today’s collection features souvenirs of three previous Met productions of Carmen

Quest’ansia, questa strana nostalgia Quest’ansia, questa strana nostalgia

On this day in 1918 Puccini’s Il trittico had its world premiere at the Met

Match point Match point

A frigid air swept through the crypt of the Church of the Intercession on Friday, December 8, nearly blowing out the candles that cast a golden light on the bundled-up audience.

Die Ehre wiederfahren Die Ehre wiederfahren

On this day in 1979 mezzo Agnes Baltsa made her Met debut as Octavian

Tannhaüser Tannhaüser

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

Tosca Tosca

Michele Mariotti conducts Anna Pirozzi, Erwin Schrott, and Fabio Sartori in a live broadcast from Rome

Tu azzurro hai l’occhio Tu azzurro hai l’occhio

Born on this day in 1915 singer and actor Frank Sinatra

Idée fixe Idée fixe

Born on this day in 1803 composer Hector Berlioz

Reverse cowgirl Reverse cowgirl

On this day in 1910 Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West had its world premiere at the Met.

Turandot Turandot

A (slightly delayed) opening night broadcast from Naples featuring Sondra Radvanovsky, Yusif Eyvazov, Rosa Feola, Alexander Tsymbalyuk, and Sergio Vitale conducted by Dan Ettinger

Florencia en el Amazonas Florencia en el Amazonas

The Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinée Broadcast season kicks off with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting Ailyn Pérez, Gabriella Reyes, Nancy Fabiola Herrera, Mario Chang, Michael Chioldi, Mattia Olivieri, and Greer Grimsley in Daniel Catán and Marcela Fuentes-Berain‘s opera

E così vada s’è pur mio destino! E così vada s’è pur mio destino!

On this day in 1901 Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Francesca da Rimini premiered in Rome starring Eleonora Duse and Gustavo Salvini

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

Myth and meaning Myth and meaning

Two short theatrical works and one sacred piece from the beguiling oeuvre of the guy who didn’t write Louise

All is grist for the <em>Miller</em> All is grist for the <em>Miller</em>

On this day in 1849 Verdi’s Luisa Miller premiered in Naples

Not with a bang Not with a bang

When the Staatskapelle Berlin announced a two-night engagement at Carnegie Hall performing all four Brahms symphonies, I immediately made a note in my calendar to attend. I also wondered who would be the conductor when the announced Daniel Barenboim inevitably withdrew.

Don Carlo Don Carlo

Riccardo Chailly conducts Michele Pertusi, Anna Netrebko, Francesco Meli, Luca Salsi, Elina Garanca and Jongmin Park in a live Sant’Ambrogio opening night broadcast from Milan

Son’io la gloria Son’io la gloria

Born on this day in 1863 composer Pietro Mascagni

Love potion no. 8 1/2 Love potion no. 8 1/2

A perfect escape for a city laden with recent layoffs and job cuts coming into Holiday season

Trouble must be treated just like a rebel Trouble must be treated just like a rebel

On this day in 1846 Berlioz’s La damnation de Faust premiered in Paris

Contents fragile Contents fragile

Perhaps the greatest souvenir of her art there is.

Favola bella che ieri t’illuse, che oggi m’illude Favola bella che ieri t’illuse, che oggi m’illude

Washington Concert Opera’s season opened with a triumphant performance of Gioachino Rossini’s rarely heard Ermione Saturday night at George Washington University in D.C., led by Antony Walker and a stellar quartet of principals in Angela Meade, Lawrence Brownlee, David Portillo, and Ginger Costa-Jackson.