Anita hero Anita hero

“Rachvelishvili sang Carmen, the role of her 2009 breakthrough, hundreds of times, and was scheduled to ring in 2024 as Bizet’s classic antiheroine in the splashy premiere of a new production at the Met.”

on December 20, 2023 at 10:05 AM
Filth and dementia Filth and dementia

Zachary Woolfe reflects on the legacy of parterre box founder James Jorden and three decades of “remembering when opera was queer and dangerous and exciting and making it that way again”

Queer and dangerous and exciting Queer and dangerous and exciting

Zack Woolfe of The New York Times remembers James Jorden

on October 04, 2023 at 2:08 PM
Hour of the Woolfe Hour of the Woolfe

New York Times Classical Music Editor Zachary Woolfe (pictured) joins #KikiKonversations with Karen Slack.

on December 10, 2020 at 4:38 PM
“Operatic whitewashing” “Operatic whitewashing”

On the day of the Super Bowl, I attended a near-sold-out screening of the Paris Opéra’s recent production of Rameau’s 1735 opéra-ballet Les Indes galantes at New York’s Alliance Française.

on February 10, 2020 at 9:09 AM
Welcome to the Machine Welcome to the Machine

Robert Lepage promises a more “urban” take on the work.

on February 22, 2019 at 10:05 AM
A very Millo sequel A very Millo sequel

“Can the Diva Who Once Ruled the Met Make a Comeback?”

on January 29, 2019 at 1:08 PM
Keep it gay Keep it gay

Our Own Joel Rozen in Slate ponders the good gay vs. bad gay politics of Zachary Woolfe‘s New York Times celebration of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

on January 24, 2019 at 9:00 AM
Out of sight, out of mind Out of sight, out of mind

Now, you would think nothing could please gaycentric La Cieca more than yesterday’s New York Times profile of the Met’s new music director…

on January 16, 2019 at 9:49 AM
Bernstein’s Mess Bernstein’s Mess

“I think that if it’s not [Bernstein’s] worst, it surely reflects his worst tendencies…”

on July 19, 2018 at 9:32 AM
Not nobody, not nohow! Not nobody, not nohow!

“Mr. Luisi won praise replacing Mr. Levine time after time, particularly in a costly version of Wagner’s Ring cycle—though, perhaps in a sign of the situation’s delicacy, the two conductors have never met in person.”

on February 04, 2016 at 10:25 AM
“Venez-vous me mettre en bustier, cher auteur de mes maux?” “Venez-vous me mettre en bustier, cher auteur de mes maux?”

“Few operas better represent a moment such as ours, when stability and long-held certainties are hard to come by, particularly in regard to sexuality.”

on August 03, 2015 at 7:45 PM
Woolfe at the door Woolfe at the door

Longtime Friend of the Box Zachary Woolfe (left) climbs onto the masthead of the New York Times as their new classical music editor, starting Monday.

on March 20, 2015 at 5:41 PM
Je sens une pure flamme Je sens une pure flamme

Our Own JJ‘s take on the Massenet will not appear until next week, but for now you are invited to make do with Zachary Woolfe‘s rave in the New York Times.

on March 10, 2015 at 6:22 PM
The incomplete idiot The incomplete idiot

Intendant Alexander Pereira halts the merry-go-round briefly to discuss Salzburg and La Scala with Zachary Woolfe of the New York Times.

on August 29, 2014 at 12:38 PM
Man of the future Man of the future

Javier Camerena, “as close to a rock star as the Met has produced from its male roster this season,” has big plans with the company, with at least four roles planned for future seasons.

on April 20, 2014 at 7:41 PM
Happy February 1! Happy February 1!

To celebrate the birthday of Renata Tebaldi, our friends at Opera Depot are offering a free download of live performances by this great diva.

on February 01, 2014 at 12:41 PM
Ancien regie Ancien regie

“But like any production left out in the sun a few decades, it gradually faded into mere decoration.”

on December 30, 2013 at 6:13 PM
The mystery of Stefan’s “Vêpres” The mystery of Stefan’s “Vêpres”

The much-anticipated Stefan Herheim production of Les Vêpres Siciliennes opened last night at the Royal Opera, and the New York TimesZachary Woolfe was something less than completely bowled over.

on October 18, 2013 at 10:56 AM
Pushkin comes to shove Pushkin comes to shove

Onegin, which opens the Met’s season on Monday, has taken an unusually precipitous tumble…

on September 19, 2013 at 10:32 AM
Annagnorsis Annagnorsis

Our Own JJ debuts in the pages of the New York Observer.

on September 10, 2013 at 10:29 PM
Mavra, don’t ask! Mavra, don’t ask!

And then she was all like, “Nuh-uh! Igor was so not gay,” and I was all like…

on July 18, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Zach talk Zach talk

Longtime Friend of the Box Zachary Woolfe (pictured) sits down with Marc Scorca of Opera America for a “Conversation about Opera in America,” implausibly enough.

on June 17, 2013 at 10:06 AM
A series of ones and zeroes A series of ones and zeroes

“I’m analytical, not wild,” Ms. Garanca told an interviewer in 2009.

on April 07, 2013 at 7:32 PM