Kathryn the great Kathryn the great

Parterre Box previews Kathryn Lewek‘s upcoming Salome with clips of her as another unhinged lady of antiquity.

Rosina in bloom Rosina in bloom

Maria Kataeva makes a promising US debut in an otherwise uneven revival of Il Barbiere di Siviglia in San Francisco.

Crete-ed rivalry Crete-ed rivalry

Soprano Amanda Forsythe as Ilia and tenor David Portillo in the titular role were highlights of Washington Concert Opera’s robust Idomeneo.

Suffering a sea-change Suffering a sea-change

Calixto Bieito‘s production of Idomeneo at La Monnaie is anchored by a committed cast, but gets swept up in pseudo-psychoanalytic imagery — and foot fetishism.

Dad, I’m seria Dad, I’m seria

Sir Simon Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra strike (almost) all the right notes in their new recording of Mozart’s Idomeneo.

I listen to the wind of my soul I listen to the wind of my soul

Washington Concert Opera began its 39th season last month with Christoph Willibald Gluck’s late masterpiece Iphigénie en Tauride.

Sea no evil Sea no evil

A muted production challenges a talented cast in San Francisco Opera’s Idomeneo

Brain Wurm Brain Wurm

By the time the curtain rose on Verdi’s Luisa Miller last Sunday in Washington Concert Opera’s final show of the season, the originally announced line-up was about as accurate as a federal agency org chart from February.

Take the A415 train Take the A415 train

They used to say of the island of Crete that it produces more history than can be consumed locally.

Seria processing Seria processing

You probably won’t leave Idomeneo ready to burst out in song, but what the opera lacks in melodic immediacy it makes up for in sheer virtuosity.

Halle if ya hear me Halle if ya hear me

Bergamo hosts an annual Donizetti festival, Salzburg presents a Mozart-woche every January, and of course there is Bayreuth for Wagner. But Handel gets two festivals every spring, and this year I was finally able to attend one of them.

In Napoli where love is queen In Napoli where love is queen

Final opera of the season. Little-known opera. A revival. So, you can probably skip it, right?

Fox on fox Fox on fox

The Cunning Little Vixen, Leos Janacek’s late-career opera—a wonderous work with an almost miraculous sense of charm and poignance—has found significant success in conservatories.

Garden varieties Garden varieties

Those of us in New York City who relish 17th century Italian vocal music were offered an enticing banquet over the past few weeks.

Distinctive and unreservedly commendable Distinctive and unreservedly commendable

My sole live encounter with Seiji Ozawa coincided with his final appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, where he conducted its 2008 revival of Tchaikovsky’s Pikovaya Dama.

Dreamers with empty hands Dreamers with empty hands

It’s autumn in New York, baby.

Crazy extremes Crazy extremes

Simon McBurney’s Die Zauberflöte, the second new production of the Met’s May Mozart Miracle, opened on Friday to rousing near-unanimous cheers.

Mozart for another time Mozart for another time

Eagerly awaiting Met May Mozart Madness, Chris’s Cache presents a starry quintet of the master’s operas not being done next month.

Pearls of great Price Pearls of great Price

Anticipating Leontyne Price’s 96th birthday on February 10, Chris’s Cache presents the American diva in an epic collection of live performances.

Ocean, thou mighty monster Ocean, thou mighty monster

Michael Spyres’s nobly moving Idomeneo wasn’t just a bravura triumph: singing strongly throughout, he brought more colors to his portrayal of the tortured king than I had experienced from others in the Ponnelle production.

Magnificent: Michael Spyres in recital Magnificent: Michael Spyres in recital

This tenor must be the finest classical singer in the world today.

Sweet home Ithaca Sweet home Ithaca

Monteverdi’s late Homeric masterpiece Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria isn’t often performed in the United States.

Queen’s evidence Queen’s evidence

Trove Thursday’s belated contribution to last weekend’s Platinum Jubilee is a broadcast from Aldeburgh of Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana with Christine Brewer and Tom Randle as Elizabeth and Essex, an opera which premiered 69 years ago yesterday.

Old masters Old masters

Jordi Savall and William Christie, 80 and 77 respectively, stand as the two senior masters whose recordings and appearances have done the most over the past decades to build a healthy local enthusiasm for pre-Classical music.