Fox on fox
The Cunning Little Vixen, Leos Janacek’s late-career opera—a wonderous work with an almost miraculous sense of charm and poignance—has found significant success in conservatories.
Recent Stories
Come to the record store in old Peking
In the lead up to LA Opera’s mounting of Turandot on May 18th (hooray!) I thought I’d touch on some of my favorite recordings and new re-masters I’ve discovered. I have them all.
Broad stripes and bright stars
On this day in 1937 Stars Spangled Banner soprano Lucy Monroe made her only Metropolitan Opera performance as Musetta
S’ouvre à sa voix
Per Instagram, Anita Rachvelishvili made an appearance at a Europe Day concert in Tblisi earlier today
If you could see it through my eyes
Each successive version pushed the envelope further… and was less effective.
In a very unusual way
Happy 68th birthday mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter
Je sens une force nouvelle
Chris’s Cache offers three striking interpretations of another Gluck masterpiece Alceste from Janet Baker, Anna Caterina Antonacci, and Véronique Gens
Shiny happy people
Happy 77th birthday soprano Felicity Lott
Raunchy, wild, and winsome
There was much to love in Andrew Ousley’s Tiergarten: a three-night cabaret revue from Death of Classical and part of Carnegie Hall’s Weimar Festival, performed in the vaulted gothic hall of the Church of St. Mary.
Women of the Hours
In its first go-around in November 2022, Kevin Puts’s The Hours (libretto by Greg Pierce based on the novel by Michael Cunningham and the screenplay for the Stephen Daldry’s 2002 film was a box office bullseye for the Metropolitan Opera.
Uptown world
On this day in 2017 the Metropolitan Opera celebrated 50 years at Lincoln Center
AAPI Heritage with the Metropolitan Opera
An concert and discussion celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month presented by WQXR and featuring performances by Siman Chung, Yi Li, Ying Fang, and pianist Katelan Tran Terrell, as well as conversation with Debra Lew Harder, Huang Ruo, and Mimi Lien
Top brass
Culture at the Crossroads: Zlatne Uste Golden Festival lives on at Astoria World Manor
Voce di donna o D’Angelo
Her star is indeed on the rise, but squarely on her terms.
Sworded past
Born on this day in 1941 soprano Ghena Dimitrova
Lohengrin
A live broadcast from Vienna conducted by Christian Thielemann starring David Butt Philip, Georg Zeppenfeld, Malin Byström, Martin Gantner, and Anja Kampe
London calling
Born on this day in 1919 bass-baritone George London
El Niño
Marin Alsop conducts Julia Bullock, Daniela Mack, Davóne Tines, and countertenors Siman Chung, Key’mon W. Murrah, and Eric Jurenas in a broadcast from New York
Hört der Mutter Schwur
Born on this day in 1930 soprano Roberta Peters
May, oui…
This month: French Baroque from Opera Lafayette, German Requiem at Carnegie Hall, family friendly Haydn from little opera theater of NY, and Wagner’s satin and perfume fetishes?
Die Walküre
Arthur Fagen conducts Viktor Antipenko, Greer Grimsley, Laura Wilde, Christine Goerke, and Gretchen Krupp in Tomer Zvulun‘s new production from The Atlanta Opera
No strings attached
Madama Butterfly is the opera of the moment.
Angel on my shoulder
Happy 40th birthday soprano Angel Blue
Jenufa
Juraj Valcuha conducts Charles Workman, Robert Watson, Karita Mattila, and Cornelia Beskow in a live broadcast from Rome