Die Sterne des Himmels werden zur Erde fallen Die Sterne des Himmels werden zur Erde fallen

Chris’s Cache highlights the erstwhile Chicago Symphony Orchestra @ Carnegie series with not one but two starry operas conducted by Georg Solti: Salome with Birgit Nilsson and a performance of Moses und Aron

Interplanet Janet Interplanet Janet

Chris’s Cache celebrates the 91st birthday today of Janet Baker, one of my favorite singers.

Sacred raptures cheer my breast Sacred raptures cheer my breast

The English Concert’s annual Handel tour brings Solomon conducted by Harry Bicket to the US beginning Sunday March 5. In anticipation, Chris’s Cache offers Solomon plus four other oratorios by the master:  Belshazzar, Hercules, Saul and Jephtha, all via broadcasts for which I feel a personal connection.

I had too much to dream last night I had too much to dream last night

Trove Thursday previews next week’s BBC Proms presentation of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with a 2008 broadcast conducted by Colin Davis with Sarah Connolly, Ben Heppner and Gerald Finley.

High ‘Society’ High ‘Society’

Off-and-on since last fall my PPP (Personal Pandemic Project) has been assembling a chronology of the American Opera Society. For 19 years beginning in 1951 it presented a remarkable series of concert performances of works unperformed by either the Met or New York City Opera.

Old-Fashioned Oratorio Old-Fashioned Oratorio

For the fourth annual edition of “Handel for my birthday” Trove Thursday serves up three heaping portions of “old-fashioned oratorio.”

Bargain basement Bargain basement

“Met’s Roller Coaster Season Dips Back Into Artistic Basement with Walküre

Sweet bird Sweet bird

Anna Moffo made some of the most entrancing records ever. Their appeal is to “voice fanciers.” (I understand. We’re a despised group.) But Moffo’s best work renders us helpless. 

Trojan, hoarse

Idomeneo is one of those operas I always meant to get around to, but never did. Composed in 1780, it’s considered Mozart’s first “mature” opera. If you collect live recordings of significant debuts, this 1964 Glyndebourne Festival live recording might be of interest. So far as I can tell, this may be the first full…