Contes stop the music Contes stop the music

Trove Thursday wades into the murky musicological waters of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann..

“Troppo” notte “Troppo” notte

Thanks to the generosity of a parterre reader, “Trove Thursday” presents a rare recording from the famed Carnegie Hall series curated by Matthew Epstein to commemorate Handel’s tercentenary.

Farinelli from heaven Farinelli from heaven

My impossible wish would be to hear one of the great castrati who dominated opera for most of the 18th century.

Racing with the moon Racing with the moon

For better or worse, Decca’s new Norma recording will ultimately be embraced—or dismissed—by those reacting directly to Cecilia Bartoli’s controversial portrayal.

Mission statement Mission statement

Can it be nearly a quarter-century ago that an Italian mezzo-soprano in her early twenties recorded her first recital?