Down for the Count
An uneven new cast can’t dim the glow of Richard Eyre‘s incisive Le nozze di Figaro at the Met
Metropolitan Opera
The mothership and mecca of opera in America—and home base for Parterre Box.
Little girls get bigger every day
Elza van den Heever and Peter Mattei (and the stage elevator) elevate an assertive, if not definitive, new Salome at the Met
Ritorna vincitrice
Elina Garanca is back at the Met for the first time since 2020 — her Amneris is, in a word, sensational.
L’assedio di Corinto
A broadcast from 1975 celebrates 50 years since the Met debut of Beverly Sills
Seville servants
A muted and merry carousel ride out of feudalism in the Met’s production of Le nozze di Figaro
Moby-Dick
Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer‘s whale of an opera live from New York
This magic moment
Look, for one of the most-staged operas in the repertoire, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte seems awfully difficult to stage.
L’enfant et les sortilèges and Les mamelles de Tirésias
Hilda Harris and Catherine Malfitano in an 1981 broadcast to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ravel‘s opera
Nilsson ratings
Christina Nilsson‘s debut enlivens the Met’s new Aïda.
Laffont Grand Finals Concert
The conclusion of the Metropolitan Opera’s annual competition, live from New York
Fidelio
A live broadcast from New York – and Lise Davidsen‘s final broadcast before her maternity leave!
Semper Fidelio
Fidelio, which opened last week at the Metropolitan Opera, will always be relevant, I fear.
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).