Farà di capello al bravo uffizial
In anticipation of a full review, cher public is invited to weigh in on the lamentable perruque situation in this season’s new forza
Recent Stories
Small but mighty
One of the first things James Conlon did when he took over the reins as Music Director of LA Opera was create the “Recovered Voices” project, producing operas that had been suppressed by the Nazis.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
Morbidezza curiosity
Born on this day in 1935 soprano Mirella Freni
La forza del destino
Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the opening night of a new production with Lise Davidsen, Brian Jadge, Judit Kutasi, Igor Golovatenko, Patrick Carfizzi, and Soloman Howard
Katya, later
Leos Janácek’s rise to international prominence as a Titan of music was dovetailed by a cluster of profoundly original operas that were written during his extraordinary autumnal years.
Having a hunchback
Born on this day in 1802 author and playwright Victor Hugo
Duke it out
On this day in 1948 tenor Giuseppe di Stefano made his Metropolitan Opera debut at the Duke of Mantua
Mozart and Beethoven in Concert at the Met
Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a 2023 performance of Mozart’s Requiem with Golda Schultz, Emily D’Angelo, Dmytro Popov, Vladyslav Buialskyi and a 2022 performance of the finale of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Elza van den Heever, Jamie Barton, Piotr Beczala, and Ryan Speedo Green
Vassallo della man
Born on this day in 1934 soprano Renata Scotto
Private tudoring
Anna Bolena is one of the many works by Donizetti which, after their modern recovery in the second part of the last century, have both never fully left the stage while simultaneously never becoming a repertoire staple Lucia di Lammermoor or L’elisir d’amore.
La Marseillaise
Born on this day in 1927 soprano Régine Crespin
Excessive use of forza
Three live recordings of Verdi’s fateful opera: one featuring a cast I heard in the distant past, another from Paris just over a year ago with a cast completely different from the Met’s, as well as the complete St. Petersburg version
Dropping Anckarström
On this day in 1980 baritone Leo Nucci made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Renato
Metropolitan Opera 2024-25
The Metropolitan Opera reveals its upcoming season
London calling
I watched the finals for this year’s George and Nora London Foundation competition and would like to offer, if not a traditional review, a brief roundup of who I found exceptionally watchable and whom I think you, dear parterre boxers, should watch out for in the next few years.
Ceaseless mugging
The phrase “immersive Coffee Cantata experience” evokes being dipped into a giant, boiling vat of java.
Let the more loving one be me
Born on this day in 1907 librettist and poet W. H. Auden
San Francisco Opera 2024-25
The first of the major American opera houses to announce its 2024-25 season did so today
Being beauteous
With its sumptuous wood paneling, frescoed ceilings, and various Gilded Age trappings, the Park Avenue Armory’sBoard of Officers Room certainly is not a bad place to spend Valentine’s Day—even better when it plays host to equally sumptuous music-making.
French dip
On this day the Metropolitan Opera premiered triple bill of Satie‘s Parade, and Poulenc‘s Les Mamelles de Tirésias and Ravel‘s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges
Thoughts on La Forza del destino: recordings
As said at the beginning, I implied I’d rather see Don Carlo(s) and listen to Forza.
È dolce cosa vivere obliando
On this day in 1914 Zandonai‘s Francesca da Rimini premiered in Turin
Omar
Jamez McCorkle, Cierra Byrd, Daniel Okulitch, Brianna J. Robinson, and
Neal Ferreira in a broadcast of Rhiannon Giddens’s and Michael Abels’s Pulitzer Prize-winning opera from Boston last spring