The ambassadors The ambassadors

“Trove Thursday” offers a recent broadcast of one of his best-known but rarely performed operas, Il Mitridate Eupatore. 

The not so great outdoors The not so great outdoors

For all the company’s good intentions this opera-dance combo was not one of its happiest outings.

Significant mother Significant mother

Fans of divas who sing 19th and 20th century opera may find themselves searching in vain for CDs to buy with this season’s gift cards, since their idols so rarely put out solo recitals these days.

Maxed out Maxed out

Might Max Emanuel Cencic be the countertenor for people who hate countertenors?

Mission statement Mission statement

Can it be nearly a quarter-century ago that an Italian mezzo-soprano in her early twenties recorded her first recital?

Agitated, of two minds Agitated, of two minds

Few singers today cause me as much consternation as Vivica Genaux.

Noble salvage Noble salvage

The New Year’s Eve gala at the Met ushering out 2011 was the world premiere of the much-anticipated mash-up The Enchanted Island AKA “baroque opera for those who hate (or at least don’t know) baroque opera.

Blow’s job

Despite baby-steps over the years, America’s musical scene, especially opera, remains decidedly un-HIP. (HIP: “historically-informed performance,” also called “period performance.”)  While European opera houses turn increasingly to “original instrument” orchestras and specialist singers for seventeenth and eighteenth century works, this rarely occurs in the US.