On this day in 1975 soprano Magda Olivero made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Tosca.
This was by far my most satisfying experience with Pelléas et Mélisande for a multitude of reasons and I encourage anyone who’s even mildly curious to find their way to the Music Center for a very rich experience.
Here’s an update for those keeping up with the Lohengrin casting sweepstakes at the Met.
The current Met revival of Der Rosenkavalier, while not perfect, has much to feel joyful and excited about.
On this day in 1981 the Metropolitan Opera telecast its new and unremarkable production of La traviata.
Richard Strauss’ “Bucolic Tragedy in One Act” Daphne is one of his most beautiful and most frustrating works.
On this day in 1992 the Metropolitan Opera presented a [disastrous] new production of Elektra.
Angela Meade, reportedly flown in at the very last minute to take on the role of Norma, absolutely triumphed, pulling out all the stops to deliver a commanding performance that should, indeed, go down in history.
In Richard Strauss’s Arabella, the heroine is consumed with finding the right man—der Richtige—but who is the right Arabella?
Verdi’s Falstaff is a brilliantly written opera: funny, with a complex ability to operate across minutely shifting registers of farce and lyricism. It needs, ideally, a production and cast capable of executing both comedy and drama, irony and sincerity—often concurrently. In its current Met revival, happily, Falstaff has everything it needs.
I can’t imagine anything more anxiety-inducing than being put in at last-minute to sing a role in a high-profile production at the Met.
On this day in 1987 the Met raised the curtain on Franco Zeffirelli‘s production of Turandot.
Frankly I thought Sondra Radvanovsky had reached her pinnacle with her Norma but I was apparently mistaken. I’m happy to say her Turandot is completely next-level.
Angel Blue‘s refulgent, lush soprano blooms as Violetta’s vocal lines broaden and soar.
On this day in 1984, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini.
On this day in 1922 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company debut of Catalani’s Loreley.
On the train ride home I was thinking that I don’t want to see or hear Norma ever again.
It seems that François Girard has been watching a little too much Star Wars lately. His new production of Lohengrin, which opened at the Metropolitan Opera Sunday afternoon, reduced Wagner’s opera to a knockoff space opera, full of hackneyed sci-fi tropes and B-rated futurist apologue.
On this day in 1978, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Donizetti’s La favorita.
On this day in 1918 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Bellini’s I puritani featuring soprano Maria Barrientos.
On Saturday at Alice Tully Hall, Julliard 415, the school’s top-flight period-instrument ensemble, was joined by students from the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts and Juilliard Drama for a rare semi-staging of King Arthur.
Chris’s Cache sends Renata Scotto a valentine ahead of her 89th birthday next week with rare in-house recordings of eight (!) mid-career performances spanning 1971-1977.
On this day in 1937 soprano Bidu Sayão made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Manon.
On this day in 1982 the Metropolitan Opera revisited its controversial season-opener Norma.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
×
Sign up for Parterre’s free newsletter.
Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.