Festspiel for the consecration of the French Quarter Festspiel for the consecration of the French Quarter

The inaugural New Orleans Opera Festival goes big across the Big Easy.

A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva A favorite bass performance from TildyDiva

The greatest bass performance I ever experienced was actually four – four performances in four roles.

The René Jacobs <em>Giulio Cesare</em> is so overrated The René Jacobs <em>Giulio Cesare</em> is so overrated

George Frideric Handel (born 341 years ago on Monday) composed over 40 operas including many masterpieces, but his Giulio Cesare is the one that everyone knows best.

Faust or famine Faust or famine

In a satanic panic, this week Chris’s Cache presents trio of performances of Mefistofele

All dolled up All dolled up

When my editor suggested to me a round-up of my favorite recordings of Jacques Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann I was très, très, intrigued.

London calling 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.

Pearls of great Price Pearls of great Price

Anticipating Leontyne Price’s 96th birthday on February 10, Chris’s Cache presents the American diva in an epic collection of live performances.

Straight to hell Straight to hell

November in New York hosts two premieres dedicated to mythology’s greatest musician, which prompts Trove Thursday to present a vintage Monteverdi L’Orfeo with Judith Raskin and Gérard Souzay conducted by Leopold Stokowski (!) and a recent HIP London broadcast of Luigi Rossi’s L’Orfeo.

No country for gold men No country for gold men

Trove Thursday offers two very different live recordings of Halévy’s grand opera La Juive.

Uninvited ghost Uninvited ghost

Trove Thursday sends best wishes to Michael Tilson Thomas, currently recovering from a recent surgery to remove a brain tumor, and presents him in a broadcast leading the UK premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mlada with Makvala Kasrashvili, Felicity Palmer, Jon Frederic West and Sergei Leiferkus.

Kaleidoscopic maestro Kaleidoscopic maestro

Saturday marks the centenary of Julius Rudel’s birth which Trove Thursday celebrates with Le Coq d’or, Faust and Ariodante, a triple-bill showcasing his impressive versatility, featuring Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle, two of the most important artists he nurtured during his leadership of the New York City Opera.

The last time I saw Paris The last time I saw Paris

Trove Thursday goes mini-epic with Gustave Charpentier’s naturalistic slice-of-life of fin-de-siêcle Paris in a rare 1999 Renée Fleming performance of Louise co-starring Jerry Hadley, Samuel Ramey and Felicity Palmer.

In Memoriam Raymond Leppard In Memoriam Raymond Leppard

Trove Thursday acknowledges the late Raymond Leppard‘s important influence with a live broadcast of his seminal “realisation” of Cavalli’s L’Ormindo plus some Cavalli and Monteverdi tidbits with Janet Baker.

Faust of fury Faust of fury

“Trove Thursday” keeps the evil deeds going this All Saints’s Day with a vintage La Scala broadcast of Arrigo Boito’s only completed opera Mefistofele.

Cock of the walk Cock of the walk

Zolotoy pyetushok (translated as The Golden Cockerel in English, is best known in these parts as Le Coq d’Or.

Devil’s advocate Devil’s advocate

Just 85 years ago, four of Italy’s greatest opera stars gathered at Teatro all Scala for an historic event: the first-ever recording of Arrigo Boito’s sole complete opera, Mefistofele.

Chris and the pirates Chris and the pirates

Back when I was a good boy, I told my parents that my goal in getting my first job was to earn money for college; however, my real motive was to make my secret wish come true—to be able to consort with “pirates.”

American verismo American verismo

The Little Opera Theater of New York (LOTNY) is presenting a double-cast run of two of Floyd’s early one-acts, Slow Dusk and Markheim.

Diabolical variations Diabolical variations

Whenever I encounter Eric Owens, he’s plotting to conquer the universe.

Pyramid scheme Pyramid scheme

Giulio Cesare at the Met proved an evening that added up to much more than the sum of its uneven parts.

Buyer’s market

La Cieca was cced the following letter sent by a “long-time patron of NYCO” in response to “the recently received Subscription Renewal Brochure.” She has withheld the patron’s name by request.

a solo from the chorus

La Cieca received this letter yesterday. If you have reviews, opinion pieces, appreciations, or (as in this case) a Letter to the Doyenne, please email to [email protected].  Saving New York City Opera?