Is that how they do it? Is that how they do it?

Così fan tutte presents a considerable challenge to the modern director.

Silver lining Silver lining

On this day in 1975 soprano Roberta Peters celebrated the 25th anniversary of her Metropolitan Opera debut, singing Despina.

Take care of this house Take care of this house

How does one make a performance of standard opera repertoire like Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro feel “fresh?”

All I cared about was Bess All I cared about was Bess

Opera’s latest superstar, Angel Blue, in a compleat and enthralling portrayal, gloriously sung and rivetingly acted.

O for a Muse of fire O for a Muse of fire

Saturday August 17 the Merola Opera Program wrapped up its annual Summer Festival with the Merola Grand Finale concert at the War Memorial Opera House.

A grandeur night for singing A grandeur night for singing

Die Zauberflöte is an opera!”  “No, it’s the first musical comedy!”

I had too much to dream last night I had too much to dream last night

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt in a 1967 Vienna broadcast appropriately featuring three American stars: John Alexander, Marilyn Zschau, and George London.

Bolder sister Bolder sister

Brigitte Fassbaender‘s sound is piquant and, I’d hazard to guess, instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with her work.

“The richest food that money can buy” “The richest food that money can buy”

All about the life of Lorenzo Da Ponte, but depicted as an opera performed as a dress rehearsal for an opera.

Silver lining Silver lining

Saturday night, Lyric Opera of Chicago gave us a wonderful evening of vocalism in honoring Renée Fleming’s 25th anniversary at Lyric. 

That’s how they’ve done it That’s how they’ve done it

Così fan tutte, Mozart’s final Italian comedy with Lorenzo Da Ponte, is this season’s heaviest lift for Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA).

New blood New blood

I was shocked to realize I hadn’t seen Don Giovanni at the Met since Michael Grandage’s stultifying production opened in 2011.

Three more times! Three more times!

The long evening didn’t achieve the degree of celebration it should have.

The good shepherd The good shepherd

L’Arlesiana in a vibrant live performance from a dozen years ago with Giuseppe Filianoti, Latonia Moore and Marianne Cornetti.

Telling the glory of God Telling the glory of God

“The heavens are telling” begins the famous chorus that ends the first section of The Creation. 

Beyond the sea Beyond the sea

Those readers who know my musical tastes will not be shocked to find that I have a somewhat conflicted view of Mozart’s operatic works.

The unusual suspects The unusual suspects

Mad Scenes and Exit Arias:  The Death of the New York City Opera and the Future of Opera in America provides ample fodder for the legions of amateur opera sleuths seeking to confirm their theory of “Who Killed City Opera?”

Final chorus Final chorus

The news of Nicholas McGegan’s retirement came as quite a shock to me.

Do get me wrong Do get me wrong

Celebrating its third anniversary and next week’s Met opening, “Trove Thursday” offers a sumptuous banquet of the third and final chapter of divas in the “wrong language.”

Summer of the mezzo Summer of the mezzo

August on “Trove Thursday” begins with Midsummer Mezzo Madness featuring a sterling quartet of lower-voiced ladies

You shall know them by their ‘Flutes’ You shall know them by their ‘Flutes’

This year’s Salzburg Festival opens Saturday with a new production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, an opera often performed elsewhere in translation, so “Trove Thursday” offers two for the price (!) of one.

Alexander was great Alexander was great

As the first of the 2018 opera productions last Saturday, the Merola Opera Program chose Mozart’s rarely-performed early serenata, Il re pastore.

Making out like a bandit Making out like a bandit

“Trove Thursday” turns for the third of Verdi’s four Schiller adaptations to a recent I Masnadieri with risen stars Lisette Oropesa and Russell Thomas.

Mac and me Mac and me

A very particular tension—between angry political resistance and gloriously sex-positive, buoyantly confidant celebration of queerness—fuels the immense energy of Taylor Mac’s A 24-Hour Decade History of Popular Music.