Melody and more Melody and more

The arrival of a new recording of Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello into the catalogue, to say nothing of a new tenor capable of singing Otello, is generally cause for hosannas all around in operatic circles.

These three These three

In the midst of Tosca month “Trove Thursday” assembles from the 60s to the 80s an Il Trittico in which each opera features an important Italian star.

Hell’s kitchen Hell’s kitchen

Hansel and Gretel might just be the best thing the Met has done so far this season.

Golden wreck Golden wreck

I really wished to avoid joining the pig pile of derision that has fallen on SF Opera’s premiere of John Adams and Peter Sellars’ Girls of the Golden West.

The pleasure of her company The pleasure of her company

It is not easy for an opera company to follow a spectacular production of La Traviata with Massenet’s Manon.

Babylon revisited Babylon revisited

What if you could time travel back to the first run of Giuseppe Verdi’s first great success Nabucco?

Murder, he composed Murder, he composed

Flashes of excitement and genuine pathos lit up City Opera’s production of Dolores Claiborne!

Mad about the Boyar Mad about the Boyar

“Trove Thursday” offers a belated 55th birthday nod to Dmitri Hvorostovsky with a blazing live performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride.

Diver gent Diver gent

Georges Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles has been knocking steadily at the door of the standard repertoire now in this country for quite some time.

As time goes on, I realize just what you mean to me As time goes on, I realize just what you mean to me

There is a slight chill in the air during the final minutes of La Traviata.

Stage struck Stage struck

“Trove Thursday” presents a performance from 40 years ago: an inspired Renata Scotto as Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur.

Seriously? Right in front of Mycenae? Seriously? Right in front of Mycenae?

You’ve got your “Night in the Museum,”and your “It’s All In Her Head” and your “Pantomimes of Childhood Trauma” and that’s all before halftime.

This is a man’s world This is a man’s world

Brian Jagde‘s creative and charismatic Calaf was almost enough to make up for his counterpart Martina Serafin’s distant portrayal of Turandot.

Abendstern Abendstern

“Trove Thursday” celebrates the thrilling Finnish soprano Karita Matilla in the ultimate diva role.

Let me live by my wits and Trost to my luck Let me live by my wits and Trost to my luck

I finally get to complete my personal operatic Top Ten this week with Igor Stravinsky’s only full-length opera, The Rake’s Progress. 

Das Süsses Mädel and the Boy from Berlin Das Süsses Mädel and the Boy from Berlin

Diana Damrau has chosen for her new Erato recital disc Grand Opera 11 high-flying showpieces from ten operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer.

T’would be a sacrilege to sing at another door T’would be a sacrilege to sing at another door

“Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go, and then you had the feeling that you wanted to stay?”  This soul-searching question is likely running through the mind of Renée Fleming.

Keeping the faith Keeping the faith

Going into Washington National Opera’s final presentation of the season, Madama Butterfly, I feared that I might be geisha’d out.

From the sublime to the stentorian From the sublime to the stentorian

W.C. Fields used to have a funny trope about in show business you should never work with children or animals. To that list should perhaps be added the soprano Anna Netrebko.

Stop the wedding Stop the wedding

Opera Philadelphia ended its season with Le Nozze di Figaro, Friday, and it will play May 3, 5, and 7—a matinee. Figaro is considered by most to be one of the few perfect operas and although it’s perhaps too easily encountered in routine run-throughs, there are usually rewards in seeing it. 

Crate expectations Crate expectations

Not a few eyebrows arched on social media when L.A. Opera appropriated the hashtag “Fight like a girl” on street level poster adverts all over town for the revival of their 2013 production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca. 

How do you solve a problem like Medea? How do you solve a problem like Medea?

I was puzzled by my initial exposure to the Medea of Aribert Reimann, a work of 2010.

Tales that witness madness Tales that witness madness

Jacques Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann has had a bumpy ride to its pride of position in the current French repertoire.

Manhattan melodrama Manhattan melodrama

Curtis Opera Theater mounted a musically remarkable account of John AdamsDoctor Atomic on March 2.