What women want What women want

While isolated opera-lovers intently navigate the deluge of streaming videos being made available, I’ve been listening rather than viewing.

Saxon violence Saxon violence

His shaved head in striking contrast to his dark beard and glinting eyes, the implacable Tartar conqueror glowers at us from the CD cover, while the uncropped photo of countertenor Xavier Sabata (above) is even more disturbing, featuring his raised fist and forearm tightly wrapped in a leather belt.

An embarrassment of divas An embarrassment of divas

As if last week’s survey wasn’t enough, a few more recent diva-recital disks remain worthy of attention particularly since they arrive from five front-rank singers.