Living the part Living the part

Diana Soviero chats with Roger Pines about six decades of performing, four decades of teaching, and how she’s handing the tradition off to the next generation.

Extravaganza of ideas Extravaganza of ideas

Iván Fischer‘s Mahler 3 with the Budapest Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall is memorable but crude, sometimes exhilarating and often tedious.

The crowd-pleaser comes around The crowd-pleaser comes around

Juan Diego Flórez‘s charm and artistic sensibility remain as vibrant as ever, as seen at a recent Carnegie Hall recital.

Carnegie Hall 2026–27 season: the vocal highlights Carnegie Hall 2026–27 season: the vocal highlights

Heavy-hitters: the first complete Ring in its history, Tosca with Marina Rebeka, Jonas Kaufmann, and Ludovic Tézier; plus recitals from Aigul Akhmetshina, Nadine Sierra, Jeanine De Bique, Michael Spyres, and more

More than a material girl More than a material girl

The vivacious MANON! at Heartbeat Opera makes a strong case for the return of opera in translation.

Any recording of <em>Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny</em> is so overrated Any recording of <em>Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny</em> is so overrated

It’s always surprised me how so many performances of the major Brecht/Weill collaborations seem to have zero clue of how to handle either Weill’s music.

The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>La sonnambula</em> The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>La sonnambula</em>

Easily the Met’s new Sonnambula, where cast and production team delivered a gorgeously sung and well thought out concept for a libretto often derided for its simplicity.

The snows that lie on the mountains of Judaea The snows that lie on the mountains of Judaea

Salome sweeps in like a storm at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Faith in their hands shall snap in two Faith in their hands shall snap in two

Franz Welser-Möst leads a rigorous, if emotionally staid, performance of Verdi‘s Requiem at Carnegie Hall. 

Look to your laurels Look to your laurels

A Strauss rarity receives a ravishing concert performance at Seattle Opera.

The best thing I saw in 2025 was Christina Nilsson in <em>Aïda</em> The best thing I saw in 2025 was Christina Nilsson in <em>Aïda</em>

Christina Nilsson‘s successful Met debut as Aïda was for me one of the shining highlights of the 2025 season.

Irish blessing Irish blessing

Lise Davidsen‘s first Isolde is only one of the highlights of Tristan und Isolde at the Liceu in Barcelona.

The revolutionary costume for today The revolutionary costume for today

The 20th anniversary revival of Richard Foreman and Michael Gordon‘s What to Wear at the PROTOTYPE Festival showcases a fabulous ensemble.

When her ship comes in When her ship comes in

Anticipating the titanic arrival of Lise Davidsen‘s Isolde in New York in March, Parterre Box is thrilled to share a bit of her debut opposite Clay Hilley recorded in Barcelona last week.

I wanna be the one to walk in the sun I wanna be the one to walk in the sun

Two recent Paminas feature in concerts at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

The best things I saw in 2025 were Nina Stemme and Les Arts Florissants The best things I saw in 2025 were Nina Stemme and Les Arts Florissants

I can’t say 2025 was my best operagoing year; apart from a superb Fille du régiment, most of my good nights at the opera were decidedly mixed affairs.

Swing and miss Swing and miss

The oddball pairing of Bernie Williams and Jonathan Tetelman doesn’t quite knock it out of the park at Carnegie Hall.

The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>St. John the Baptist</em> The best thing I saw in 2025 was <em>St. John the Baptist</em>

What do you get when you blend innovative 17th century composition, 1970s family drama, and one of the most sordid tales of the New Testament?

Nun the wiser Nun the wiser

Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Hildegard gives the Middle Ages the Bridgerton treatment at the Prototype Festival.

Strangeness in the proportion Strangeness in the proportion

A pairing of rarities makes for an inspired evening with the Brooklyn Art Song Society.

Erste Brautnacht Erste Brautnacht

Nearly three years after the premiere of François Girard’s Lohengrin at the Met, Parterre Box looks back at the production with a duet from Piotr Beczala and Elena Stikhina.

Lucky those people who are so anxious to believe Lucky those people who are so anxious to believe

A high-drama Vanessa by the Boston Symphony Orchestra offers something to believe in.

Music is a woman Music is a woman

Dan Johnson on the unique voice of Hildegard composer Sarah Kirkland Snider — and why some music could only ever be written by a woman.

Doublet trouble Doublet trouble

A messy new I puritani at the Met is a historic and historical disappointment.