Rubber soul Rubber soul

Video Artists International brings us back to a time when opera was carried over the airwaves by great voices—and a tire company.

Shadows of a doubt Shadows of a doubt

R.B. Schlather‘s shadowy production with Heartbeat Opera at the Williamstown Theatre Festival proves that Vanessa might be coming into its own at last

One more souvenir of bliss One more souvenir of bliss

This week, Chris’s Cache offers a performance of Follies from 2007 featuring Lucine Amara as a rarely richly sung Heidi alongside Donna Murphy and Victoria Clark.

Easter vigilantes Easter vigilantes

Chris’s Cache celebrates an “Easter in October” gala with five special pirate recordings of Cavalleria Rusticana from the Met featuring four prima donnas whose Santuzze never got a Saturday broadcast and one whose did: Giulietta Simionato, Fiorenza Cossotto, Régine Crespin, Rita Hunter and Mignon Dunn.

Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the greats Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the greats

Quite simply, the singers are not around today who are steeped in the tradition of verismo, or for that matter the later part of the 19th century.

Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the opera Thoughts on <em>Andrea Chénier</em>: the opera

Doing my research for these “thoughts” ahead of a starry revival in London that opened yesterday, I came across the following review for the Opening Night of the 1962-63 Season.

Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Tebaldi Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Tebaldi

Renata Tebaldi had one major advantage over Milanov and Callas (and most other sopranos): she was Italian.

Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Milanov Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: Milanov

It’s time to discuss Zinka Milanov.

Thoughts on <em>La Forza del destino</em>: recordings Thoughts on <em>La Forza del destino</em>: recordings

As said at the beginning, I implied I’d rather see Don Carlo(s) and listen to Forza.

A real vibrancy A real vibrancy

Your favorite box set-aholic here completely missed the release last August of Giuseppe Di Stefano – Complete Decca Recordings in honor of the great tenor’s centenary.

Night of the comet Night of the comet

The American Opera Society introduced many important singers to New York City audiences, but few were as controversial as the Greek soprano Elena Souliotis; Trove Thursday offers her local debut (at age 23) in Anna Bolena with Marilyn Horne, Janet Baker, Plácido Domingo and Carlo Cava.

I, Franco I, Franco

Franco Corelli was born on April 8, 1921 in Ancona and Trove Thursday celebrates the matinee-idol tenor’s centenary with a pair of his rare non-Met US appearances; seducing Marie Collier in La Fanciulla del West and vacillating between Ilva Ligabue and Grace Bumbry in Il Trovatore.

Multiple Mascagni Multiple Mascagni

Cavalleria Rusticana began Pietro Mascagni’s career with a bang, and despite a number of fine subsequent works the composer never again achieved the same lasting success that he had with his first.

Rosalind Elias 1930-2020 Rosalind Elias 1930-2020

The stalwart Met mezzo-soprano died earlier today.

The right box The right box

Let’s call this meeting to order. My name is Patrick and I’m a boxset-aholic.

Teeny furniture Teeny furniture

Sony Classical has now released “Leontyne Price Prima Donna Assoluta” containing nearly her entire operatic oeuvre in a box set.

Ihre hochfürstliche Gnaden, die Frau Fürstin Feldmarschall! Ihre hochfürstliche Gnaden, die Frau Fürstin Feldmarschall!

God, I love that photo of Lisa della Casa. She can sing, too!

Let me like a soldier fall Let me like a soldier fall

Between them, Maria Guleghina, Marcello Giordani, James Morris and John Del Carlo have nearly 150 combined years of service on stage.

Your doyenne’s goodness is extreme Your doyenne’s goodness is extreme

Well, “extreme” is such an, oh, how shall I put it… extreme word, my dears; really La Cieca is no more than the humble intermediary here between Mike Richter‘s CD-ROMs and you, the cher public. This time our treat from the trove is Eugene Onegin, a selection from his disc devoted to the Metropolitan Opera…

Come un bel dì di gennaio Come un bel dì di gennaio

I’ve always had a certain affection for Roberto Alagna.