Conspicuous consumption Conspicuous consumption

A classic 1974 New York City Opera La traviata with Beverly Sills, John Stewart and Dominic Cossa conducted by Julius Rudel.

Foolish love Foolish love

The Met ushers out this wretched year and rings in the new with an elegant and effective new production of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.

There arose such a clatter There arose such a clatter

With Christmas Eve 2016 falling on a Saturday, the Met offers contrasting orchestral splendors at noon and 6 p.m.

Conversion narrative Conversion narrative

Blood-and-guts singing is the reason to see Nabucco at the Metropolitan Opera this season.

Will you tell me what it’s all for? Will you tell me what it’s all for?

“Good God—an adult musical!”

Daggers are a thane’s best friend Daggers are a thane’s best friend

How often do you hear Macbeth with four really good singers in its four big roles?

Mourning glory Mourning glory

I can think of no other role that provides the most unique promise of humiliation, and consequently the most opportunity for glory.

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.

Gone girl Gone girl

Anna Netrebko‘s Manon was deeply unforgettable for its wide scope, control, and incredible virtuosity.

Something Aten! Something Aten!

Akhnaten, seen at the Los Angeles Opera on November 13 tells the story of the Pharaoh who abandoned traditional Egyptian polytheism.

Battlemania Battlemania

Miss Battle was greeted with a thunderous ovation befitting a beloved singer at the end of an illustrious career.

Leonie on the Nile Leonie on the Nile

Leonie Rysanek, would have turned 90 today.

Stage beauty Stage beauty

>What does a great opera production do, and what does a bad production fail to do?

The elephant in the room The elephant in the room

At the election-eve Jenufa at the Met, Trumpism made an unexpected, if timely appearance.

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.

Rock, star Rock, star

The centerpiece of Janácek’s Jenufa was the performance of Karita Mattila as the murderous Kostelnicka.

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.”

Higher and higher Higher and higher

The good news is that the first concert was devoted to the exceptional artistry of Lawrence Brownlee.

Hell and back Hell and back

A simply gorgeous performance of Gluck’s Orphée et Euridice starring Juan Diego Flórez. 

Mark, missed Mark, missed

Thoughtless direction stifled the epic drama.

Sex and violets Sex and violets

Adriana Lecouvreur with the 1970s dream cast of Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, and Fiorenza Cossotto.

Period piece Period piece

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s production of L’Italiana in Algeri for the Met remains steadfastly ignorant of postcolonial theory.