Heaven is a place on earth Heaven is a place on earth

As part of Bass Month at the Box, Niel Rishoi considers six versions of “Vi ravviso, o luoghi ameni” from La sonnambula for Perspectives on an Aria.

You shall know them by their ‘Flutes’ You shall know them by their ‘Flutes’

This year’s Salzburg Festival opens Saturday with a new production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, an opera often performed elsewhere in translation, so “Trove Thursday” offers two for the price (!) of one.

Bass-baritone instinct Bass-baritone instinct

Next, I asked Marko Mimica which basses he prefers to listen to on recordings.

Youth served Youth served

Too often I allow my memories of great singers to be dulled by late career behavior, delving into unsuitable roles or just plain laziness.

Lucia di DVD

Guest critic Niel Rishoi reviews the VAI DVD release of Lucia di Lammermoor. OK, this is IT. Barring the cuts, this is the Lucia of Gaetano Donizetti. Not that misguided travesty at the Met, not Natalie Dessay‘s vocally juddery overwoughtness. No schtick, no Carol Burnetting around. Just Donizetti and Cammarano’s Romantic drama, pure and simple.…