I’m so happy I can’t stop crying I’m so happy I can’t stop crying

On this day in 1982 Eva Marton made her Met role debut as La Gioconda opposite Plácido Domingo, Bruna Baglioni and Cornell MacNeil.

All I cared about was Bess All I cared about was Bess

Opera’s latest superstar, Angel Blue, in a compleat and enthralling portrayal, gloriously sung and rivetingly acted.

Thus let few thanks be paid Thus let few thanks be paid

Kudos to Opera Philadelphia for programming Handel’s Semele in its exceptionally interesting and wide-ranging Festival 2019; unfortunately, despite an extraordinary cast, James Darrah’s drably dull production doomed it.

Quando le sere senza Placido Quando le sere senza Placido

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s opening night concert, for better or worse, was not a gala evening starring Plácido Domingo.

“I am finding my way as I go” “I am finding my way as I go”

The musical director of the Opera Royal de Wallonie at Liege is currently experiencing the early phase of a promising international career in music.

Girl of the emboldened west Girl of the emboldened west

L’Italiana in Algeri‘s appearance at the Salzburg Festival should be no surprise since Ceciila Bartoli has been the intendant of the Whitsun Festival extension at Salzburg since 2012.

The Lady in the vanguard The Lady in the vanguard

“Trove Thursday” remembers the company’s very first Lady Macbeth via Leonie Rysanek’s NYC debut in a concert performance of Verdi’s Shakespeare masterpiece less than a year before her first Met appearance.

Nè sul tuo regio sasso sperar soavi accenti Nè sul tuo regio sasso sperar soavi accenti

It’s time for Plácido Domingo to man up and withdraw from the Met’s 2019-2020 season.

Wien disposition Wien disposition

Following classic recordings documenting the work of Karl Böhm and Herbert von Karajan. Orfeo’s 150 Years Wiener Staatsoper box moves on to new releases that are seeing their first incarnation on an officially available disc.

Sadko, but true Sadko, but true

“Trove Thursday” escapes to an exotic place with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko.

Sweet dreams Sweet dreams

Bard SummerScape’s concert staging of Die Tote Stadt emerged triumphant thanks to Clay Hilley and Sara Jakubiak.

Trial by Korngold Trial by Korngold

What is the best metaphor for this year’s Bard Music Festival?

The boys of summer The boys of summer

“Trove Thursday” turns to a quintet of baritone/bass voices: Matthias Goerne, Simon Keenlyside, Georg Nigl, Thomas Quasthoff and René Pape performing works by Pfitzner, Sibelius, Adams, Martin and Schubert.

Dream a little dream of me Dream a little dream of me

“Who are you? Who do you want to be?” The search for one’s identity is explored in American composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer’s brand new opera If I Were You.

An old-fashioned wedding An old-fashioned wedding

“Trove Thursday” presents a complete Prodanà Nevesta (aka Die Verkaufte Braut, of course) by Smetana plus extended excerpts from a broadcast of Spontini’s La Vestale in its rarely heard original French version.

Strangers when we meet Strangers when we meet

The aphorisms projected before each act of Das Wunder der Heliane suggested the work concerns the transformative power of love—but does it really?

Songs of innocence Songs of innocence

Blind Injustice is a masterpiece, brilliant theater.

Sweeping down the plains Sweeping down the plains

Within minutes, something wonderful happened. None of my reservations mattered.

She’s a stranger here herself She’s a stranger here herself

The four leading roles in La Straniera were all attractively cast by Teatro Nuovo with fresh, promising young voices that did not seem quite ready for the big time.

Anna one, Anna two Anna one, Anna two

Trove Thursday offers Bellini’s La Sonnambula with Anna Moffo (San Francisco 1960) and Anna Netrebko (Vienna 2006).

Berlin wall Berlin wall

Why did I mostly want to close my eyes and just listen?

There is no spoon There is no spoon

Can a work with indisputably great music fail to add up to a successful opera? I puzzled over that Sunday during Teatro Nuovo’s essential concert staging of Rossini’s La Gazza Ladra at SUNY Purchase.

To live and die in L.A. To live and die in L.A.

Trove Thursday presents a double dose of the Verdi Messa da Requiem performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

I had too much to dream last night I had too much to dream last night

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt in a 1967 Vienna broadcast appropriately featuring three American stars: John Alexander, Marilyn Zschau, and George London.