Pearls of great Price
Anticipating Leontyne Price’s 96th birthday on February 10, Chris’s Cache presents the American diva in an epic collection of live performances.
New York
Trapped
What happens when you attend a performance and it doesn’t engage you?
Sharp divisions of opinion
On this day in 1958 soprano Inge Borkh made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Salome.
A delightful one
On this ray in 1932, soprano Göta Ljungberg made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.
Wild bird
On this day in 2017, Clémentine Margaine made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Carmen.
Dazzling both ways
On this day in 1978 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Massenet’s Thaïs.
Pragmatism and ideology
It doesn’t get more classic than John Dexter‘s Dialogues des Carmélites.
‘Elisir’ not quite ‘rara qualita’
On paper, the Met’s revival of L’elisir d’amore looked like a lovely evening. And at times it was—a few scenes hinted at what it could be and what it might yet become.
Rebranding the Met
A quick survey of the Met website shows wide swaths of available seats for the upcoming performances of La traviata and L’elisir d’amore. Only new works like The Hours and Fire Shut Up in My Bones have been achieving sold-out houses.
The world is treating me bad
We constantly wonder whether the young man will embrace him—or slit his throat.
Dad flawed
Du Yun is the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of Angel’s Bone. Her new opera, In Our Daughter’s Eyes, a one-act monodrama for bass-baritone and an orchestra of six, opened the current tenth Prototype Festival, in a performance at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, starring erstwhile Met regular Nathan Gunn.
A jewel, despite the setting
The first time I heard of Ermonela Jaho it was as the ultimate understudy. In the aughts it seemed that every time Angela Gheorghiu or Anna Netrebko or whoever canceled, Jaho was standing by.
Village people
On this day in 1970 the Metropolitan Opera presented new productions of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci.
Medea
“Sondra Radvanovsky has an unconventional voice that is suited to unconventional characters and is best used in rangy, difficult music,” as heard on today’s Met broadcast.
“The greatest dream”
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her historic Metropolitan Opera debut.
Uniquely and devastatingly honest
On this day in 1981 the Metropolitan Opera broadcast the full three-act version of Berg’s Lulu starring Teresa Stratas.
Poison of interest
Following new productions of Tosca in 2017, Adriana Lecouvreur in 2018, and the Anna Netrebko-led Puccini orgy of 2019, New Year’s Eve at the Met has come to signify that verismo, as this school tends to be known, is still kicking.
Dance the night away
On this day in 2008 the Metropolitan Opera presented a gala new production of Puccini’s La rondine.
Bold intruders, leave this house this very instant!
On this day in 1951, the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of Così fan tutte directed by Alfred Lunt.
“Nadine Conner did everything right”
On this day in 1952 the Metropolitan Opera presented a new production of La bohème directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Regal and distinguished beauty
On this day in 1936 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a revival of Die Walküre featuring the debut of contralto Kerstin Thorborg.
Mozart, maximally
Do you ever wonder how easy it is to invent a Christmas tradition?
Oh, Marie, don’t ask!
On this date in 1991 the Metropolitan Opera presented the world premiere of John Corigliano‘s The Ghosts of Versailles.
“A well-worn work”
On this day in 1900 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a revival of Roméo et Juliette.
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).