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Born on this day in 1887 soprano Maria Jeritza
Happy 100th birthday actress Glynis Johns
Zack Woolfe of The New York Times remembers James Jorden
Happy 67th birthday actor Christoph Waltz
The writers of the Box and James’s friends are saddened to announce the death of the inimitable founder of Parterre Box
On this day in 1968 soprano Marion Lippert made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Turandot. Six years later her Met farewell in the same role.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Nailin’ the coughin’
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Landing the plane
Landing the plane
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Le galant tireur
Le galant tireur
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
My 600 performance life
My 600 performance life
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
How appropriate that the Met should present this supposedly “Jewish” opera after many in the audience had just spent twelve days immersed in the genuine article over the High Holy Days.
On this day in 1966 baritone Walter Berry made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Barak
Happy 88th birthday Julie Andrews
Instead of following the story, we in the audience spend most of the evening thinking “What?? Why is that happening?”
Donizetti’s Les Martyrs in a broadcast from Vienna with Roberta Mantegna, John Osborn, and Mattia Olivieri
On this day in 1791 Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte premiered in Vienna
One got a sense that the Met and the maestro directed most of the rehearsal and preparation toward the opening night premiere of the Heggie opus
On this day in 1965 soprano Mirella Freni and tenor Gianni Raimondi made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in La bohème.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
A favorite art song performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
While I like both Erna Berger and Maria Stader’s versions, Erna Berger brings more drama to the rendition.
While I like both Erna Berger and Maria Stader’s versions, Erna Berger brings more drama to the rendition.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Armerjacquino
A favorite art song performance from Armerjacquino
“Du bist die ruh” was one of the first art songs I ever knew.
“Du bist die ruh” was one of the first art songs I ever knew.
“None of that sentimental crap, okay?”
Bay Area composer Mason Bates’s and librettist Mark Campbell’s contemporary opera about the life of the tech mogul Steve Jobs came home “to the place where it all began” in spectacular fashion
On this day in 1968 tenor Placido Domingo made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur
From the Metropolitan Opera, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Leah Hawkins, Karen Cargill, Matthew Polenzani, and Dmitry Belosselskiy in Verdi’s Requiem
Rather than focusing on a narrative, Unholy Wars explores a series of timeless yet current themes: war, destruction, alienation, and what it means to be perceived as outsider—particularly from the Middle East—in the context of a violent world.
Happy 66th birthday opera director Peter Sellars Birthday anniversaries of composers Cyril Scott (1879) and Vincent Youmans (1898) and musicologist Philip Gossett (1941) Happy 83rd birthday soprano Josephine Barstow Happy 72nd birthday tenor Peter Dvorsky Happy 71st birthday tenor Chris Merritt
Yannick Nézet-Seguin conducts Ryan McKinny, Joyce DiDonato, Latonia Moore, and Susan Graham in the season opening night and Metropolitan Opera Premiere of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s Dead Man Walking.
German opera-director Claus Guth has reimagined Schwanengesang as a series of scarred soldier’s visions in Doppelgänger, showing this week in at the Park Avenue Armory.