Serenade Serenade

The Broad Stage presented Joseph Calleja in their Celebrity Opera Series May 10 with a concert called A Tribute to Mario Lanza.

Cock of the walk Cock of the walk

Zolotoy pyetushok (translated as The Golden Cockerel in English, is best known in these parts as Le Coq d’Or.

The frailty of everything earthly The frailty of everything earthly

If everything you see is great, you are either new to opera or chronically easy to please.

Golden but not delicious Golden but not delicious

The cultiest of cult musicals, an All-American take on the Iliad and the Odyssey, the spectacularly witty Golden Apple of John Latouche (words) and Jerome Moross (music), opened Off Broadway in 1953 to some acclaim.

Fifty shades of gold Fifty shades of gold

Anticipation of events like the Metropolitan Opera’s 50th Anniversary bash turns me back into the newly opera-soused kid who begged his parents to let him watch the highlights of the Bing Gala on the family color television.

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.

Elements of style Elements of style

Antonio Literes, a boy soprano from Majorca, had, we may presume, friends in high places.

Back to the beach Back to the beach

Were La Rondine an IQ test, I’d be in trouble.

The Riel thing The Riel thing

By virtue of its subject matter and the auspicious occasion of its commissioning, Louis Riel was destined to be iconic.

Panache room Panache room

“Roberto Alagna has found his most congenial and emotionally moving role yet: Cyrano de Bergerac.”

Ladies’ Quadrille Ladies’ Quadrille

It is much to be regretted that song recitalists stick to the tried, the true, the excessively familiar when the repertory of song is so vast, so full of treasures ready for the light

Fair game Fair game

Only the grand forces of Lyric Opera could bring such power and life to this production of My Fair Lady.

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. 

One Handel, one heart One Handel, one heart

I don’t usually attend a performance of an opera I’ve known well most of my life expecting a revelation.

But is it an artful paradox? But is it an artful paradox?

It was a timeout—but maybe it was a timeout we deserved.

Yes, we have no Banat Yes, we have no Banat

In The Gypsy Baron (Der Zigeunerbaron), currently (through Sunday) enjoying a revival by the Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater, you get Strauss waltzes and patriotic marches.

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. 

Gewitter und Sturm Gewitter und Sturm

The wild tempest that whipped and drenched the audience as it exited the Met after Tuesday’s season premiere of Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer mirrored the finer features of the evening.

Mitigated Gaul Mitigated Gaul

Kevin Newbury‘s familiar production of Bellini’s Norma with its most frequent leading lady, the American Sondra Radvanovsky.

Same steppes, different dancers Same steppes, different dancers

Is there a more gorgeous male voice before the public today than Peter Mattei’s? Has Anna Netrebko ever sounded better?

Through a glass vaguely Through a glass vaguely

Any production of Der Rosenkavalier that can transform the usually excruciating first half of the third act into a hilarious romp already has my vote.

Mountain high, valley low Mountain high, valley low

Be wary of operas that are famous for just one aria or just one famous opinion.

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.