The beautiful and damned
On this day in 1965 Montserrat Caballé and Sherrill Milnes made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in Faust.
Metropolitan Opera
For the first time
On this day in 1967 Herbert von Karajan bowed at the Metropolitan Opera in a new production of Die Walküre which he directed and conducted.
Blood-covered hands
On this day in 1992 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor directed by Francesca Zambello (not pictured.)
“A gay event”
On this day in 1949 the Metropolitan Opera opened their season with a televised(!) performance of Der Rosenkavalier.
Love, loss and what she wore
Sondra Radvanovsky eschewed the customary stuffiness of the recital format, often speaking directly to the audience and putting her selections in a highly personal context.
Devil in disguise
On this day in 1953 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Gounod’s Faust.
Down for the comte
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Le Comte Ory was a lovely cake with waaaay too much frosting.
Back to the future
After putting a hiatus on their awards in 2020 and 2021 (for reasons that are all too well-known to all of us), the Richard Tucker Foundation Gala returned on Sunday evening November 13 honoring soprano Angel Blue the 2022 Award winner.
A harmonious ensemble of color
On this day in 1951 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Aida.
Romantic hero
The main reason to see this revival is Benjamin Bernheim’s Duca.
Tender solicitude
On this day in 1952, the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of La forza del destino.
Spark plug
Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen‘s star is surely on the rise.
We’ll always have Paris (or maybe not)
The revival of Don Carlo(s) which opened on November 3 restored the translated Italian text and the cut 1882 four-act revision not seen at the Met since Rudolf Bing’s last season in 1972.
“Judicious liberality”
On this day in 1883 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of La traviata.
Antique sonority
On this day in 1926 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with La vestale with Rosa Ponselle in the title role.
“The work by which I stand or fall”
Dame Ethel Smyth’s third opera, The Wreckers, opened at Houston Grand Opera on October 28 and runs through November 11.
“Dynamic, highly charged, tigerish”
On this day in 1956 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with Maria Callas in Norma.
An unholy decadence
On this day in 1966 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Elektra.
On a par with tuberculosis
Come back, Big Clock! We need you more than ever!
“Prima inter pares”
On this day in September 27, 1988, the Metropolitan opera presented the company premiere of Giulio Cesare, starring Kathleen Battle and Tatiana Troyanos.
Leaner, meaner and tighter
Why did Ted Sperling and MasterVoices choose to perform an old warhorse like Carmen which has been produced almost continuously over decades just up the street at Lincoln Center?
Her favorite roles
Edita Gruberova considered her greatest pride and loves not her career but her daughters Klaudia and Barbara and grandchildren Cris, Denis, and Alyssa.
The prodigal
Philippe Jaroussky mentioned introducing his encores that he has not appeared in New York in 12 years.
Tour de force
On this day in 1973 the Metropolitan Opera presented the company premiere of Les Troyens.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).