Scrumptious and relatable Scrumptious and relatable

I had a panic attack, that’s how moved you made me.

Intimacy Intimacy

Last week, a pair of terrific recitals demonstrated what kind of intimate spell a dramatic singer can cast when left alone with a piano.

Hell’s kitchen Hell’s kitchen

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

Digging in the dirt Digging in the dirt

Even those of us who consider Guillaume Tell Rossini’s greatest opera understand why it has not been his most frequently staged.

Angel of the mourning Angel of the mourning

The most distinct pleasure of The Merry Widow at the Metropolitan Opera was the polished, yet warm, performance of Susan Graham as Hanna Glawari.

Forgiveness Forgiveness

It was odd, if not downright uncomfortable, to watch Le Nozze di Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera.

Forever, Amber Forever, Amber

My takeaway from this evening is that I want to hear a lot more from Amber Wagner.

“Norma,” bis “Norma,” bis

Sir David McVicar’s inept and dreary new production of Bellini’s Norma proved to be more satisfying than it had been on opening night when it returned to the Met Friday evening thanks to its new leading ladies Angela Meade and Jamie Barton

What women want What women want

Psychology is encoded in the composer’s vocal lines more than his librettist’s words.

Medium cool Medium cool

Nico Muhly has set himself the task of presenting Winston Graham’s elusive heroine Marnie on the operatic stage.

Queen of the damned Queen of the damned

Semiramide—a better opera than this dude expected!”

Kiss the pearls goodbye Kiss the pearls goodbye

Lyric Opera of Chicago’s spectacularly colorful and glitzy new production of The Pearl Fishers opened on Sunday.

Stranger things Stranger things

Vincenzo Bellini’s La Straniera was presented at George Washington University’s dreary Lisner Hall on Sunday.

Girls on horseback Girls on horseback

It’s a fairly traditional post-Patrice-Chereau Ring, set during the Industrial Revolution.

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.

Animal, vegetable Animal, vegetable

Whatever its flaws, La finta giardinera is indeed a wise rep choice for grad students eager to cut their teeth.

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new Dane It’s a new dawn, it’s a new Dane

C-major has made available the first DVD/Blu-ray of Franco Faccio’s Amleto.

We love you, Ms. Hannigan We love you, Ms. Hannigan

Could Barbara Hannigan be Joni Mitchell’s classical counterpart?

Change the world – I want to get off Change the world – I want to get off

A dozen women or more talk and sing about all sort of important and exciting things, with “a man” near the bottom of their list of priorities.

Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes

A wonderfully committed Ailyn Pérez and Gerald Finley at Saturday afternoon’s revival abetted by Emmanuel Villaume’s passionate conducting converted me to a Thaïs believer.

Allowing the birds to nest in your hair Allowing the birds to nest in your hair

In the seventies and eighties Dominick Argento (who turned ninety this year) was one of the most oft-performed of American opera composers.

Look at these people: aren’t they eerie? Look at these people: aren’t they eerie?

I’ve always believed that Follies, like life, should be relentless and inescapable.

Babylon revisited Babylon revisited

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

The last ruse of summer The last ruse of summer

Flotow’s Martha, a work of 1847 that was popular around the world for a hundred years.