You must meet my wife You must meet my wife

The rewards of Leonore lie almost as much in the ensembles as the solo contributions.

Conspicuous consumption Conspicuous consumption

On Thursday evening, the Teatro alla Scala audience didn’t watch the familiar presentation of a “wayward woman” who overcomes moral inferiority only to be robbed of happiness when she finally deserved it.

Life is like a train Life is like a train

“In my music, there’s not repetition. Something is always going on.”

Ready or not, here comes mama Ready or not, here comes mama

Opening night of La Scala in 1962 with Franco Corelli, Antonietta Stella, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ettore Bastianini, and Ivo Vinco.

Occult following Occult following

Radvanovsky delivered a vocal and histrionic performance that should be the gold standard Norma for years.

Hooray for Holy Land Hooray for Holy Land

Trove Thursday presents as compensation Verdi’s Jérusalem with Cecilia Gasdia, Veriano Luchetti and Silvano Carroli conducted by Donato Renzetti.

What win I, if I gain the thing I seek? What win I, if I gain the thing I seek?

This week we get closer to completing the operas of Benjamin Britten with The Rape of Lucretia.

A spouse tale A spouse tale

A performance of Gluck’s Alceste from Wiener Staatsoper in June 2016.

Does whatever a spider can Does whatever a spider can

The beautiful singing here is less in the sound than in the way the voice moves.

Gold rush Gold rush

Now we find Mariella Devia, a diva held in near mythic regard due to her vocal longevity, with competing videos of two of her performances that were released, literally, on the same day.

Salvation for the savior Salvation for the savior

Kaufmann conveys Lohengrin’s immense loneliness in a profoundly moving way. I am happy to report that vocally he sounds completely recovered.

Scritto in ciel Scritto in ciel

In our circle, Mexico City in the summer was the opera capital of the world from the late 1940s and early 1950.

La bontà in trionfo La bontà in trionfo

“Trove Thursday” offers a sparkling performance of Rossini’s La Cenerentola from our nation’s capital featuring the scintillating conducting of Claudio Abbado and Lucia Valentini-Terrani in the title role. 

Blut force Blut force

The very first Vienna post-war performance of Elektra.

Theory of revolution Theory of revolution

Jonas Kaufmann announced that he feels ready to return to the stage after calling in sick since last autumn

Mahlerei Mahlerei

strong>Christian Gerhaher does not appear at first to sing but rather to speak on pitches, telling stories, explaining words by lingering on them or biting them off short.

Next to Norma Next to Norma

Anita Cerquetti had one of the most remarkable, most brief careers in opera in the past century.

Chanson d’amour Chanson d’amour

Much like Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, which launched the Met’s 2016-2017 season, Kaija Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin is an opera about love and death.

Leonie on the Nile Leonie on the Nile

Leonie Rysanek, would have turned 90 today.

Trouble in Thebes Trouble in Thebes

What to do with all those glorious short operas: play them alone or find companion pieces?

Search for Tamara Search for Tamara

The 2016 Richard Tucker Award recipient is Tamara Wilson.

The lady is a camp The lady is a camp

Verdi’s Macbeth gets true blood-and-guts treatment from Guillermo Sarabia and the legendary Marisa Galvany.

Rooting for the underdoge Rooting for the underdoge

“Take a good deal of trouble with it, because it is a fine subject, delicate and full of pathos.”

You can’t hide your lion eyes You can’t hide your lion eyes

The UK’s first-ever production of Poliuto, now available from Opus Arte on DVD, set the lions of Rome among the lambs of Glyndebourne.