Contents fragile Contents fragile

Perhaps the greatest souvenir of her art there is.

Giving head voice Giving head voice

Anna Bolena might be the earliest of Donizetti’s operas that might have name recognition to a non-specialist audience.

Tuckered out Tuckered out

This Sunday marked a muted return of the Richard Tucker Foundation Gala, which had the dubious distinction of the fourth edition not to feature a prizewinner and perhaps the first not to provide complete orchestral and choral accompaniment for its performers.

Got to get you into my strife Got to get you into my strife

Power struggles, prejudice, feuds and revenge abound in San Francisco at the moment.

Se non è vero, è ben ‘Trovatore’ Se non è vero, è ben ‘Trovatore’

Chris’s Cache offers up a quintet of intriguing “forgotten” Leonora-Azucena pairings from the 1970s.

Bonisolli: the early years Bonisolli: the early years

Franco Bonisolli from age 28 to 33 in complete operas by Mozart, Cimarosa, Donizetti and Massenet.

It has to be more than that It has to be more than that

Before rehearsals for Madama Butterfly started, Phil Chan sat down with the box to chat about his production, opera’s cultural appropriation problem, and why the last thing he’s trying to do is cancel Puccini.

Remember my forgotten soprano Remember my forgotten soprano

This week Chris’s Cache features Maria Chiara, Elena Mauti-Nunziata, Rita Orlandi-Malaspina and Orianna Santunione in L’Amico Fritz, Mefistofele, Simon Boccanegra and La Fanciulla del West, respectively.

“Blame it on the summer knight” “Blame it on the summer knight”

On June 20, a rather breezy, pleasant cool summer evening, the soprano Gabriella Reyes, tenor René Barbera and baritone Will Liverman took over the Summerstage space with a wide-ranging, ambitious recital program with Dimitri Dover tickling the ivories.

A farewell to Frisell A farewell to Frisell

Old opera productions at the end of their performing life can be sad affairs. 

A step backwards into conventionality A step backwards into conventionality

On this day in 1981 the Metropolitan Opera telecast its new and unremarkable production of La traviata.

Touched by a fallen Angel Touched by a fallen Angel

Angel Blue‘s refulgent, lush soprano blooms as Violetta’s vocal lines broaden and soar.

Zero gravitas Zero gravitas

On the train ride home I was thinking that I don’t want to see or hear Norma ever again.

Sexy package Sexy package

On this day in 2006 tenor Jonas Kaufmann made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Alfredo.

Sleek, unstoppable, electrifying Sleek, unstoppable, electrifying

For me, Fedora is the perfect opera

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.

Rebranding the Met Rebranding the Met

A quick survey of the Met website shows wide swaths of available seats for the upcoming performances of La traviata and L’elisir d’amore.  Only new works like The Hours and Fire Shut Up in My Bones have been achieving sold-out houses.

A jewel, despite the setting A jewel, despite the setting

The first time I heard of Ermonela Jaho it was as the ultimate understudy.  In the aughts it seemed that every time Angela Gheorghiu or Anna Netrebko or whoever canceled, Jaho was standing by.

That indescribable feeling That indescribable feeling

Alma Deutscher’s quest for beautiful music permeates the score of her Cinderella from the hushed opening of the Overture.

The sense of dramatic thrust The sense of dramatic thrust

Soprano Lydia Grindatto confirmed the fine impression she had made at Giargiari vocal competition with a charismatic, thoroughly inhabited performance that showed careful preparation in every aspect.

The beautiful and damned The beautiful and damned

On this day in 1965 Montserrat Caballé and Sherrill Milnes made their Metropolitan Opera debuts in Faust.

Better off dead Better off dead

I have a horrible confession. I’ve always judged the quality of an opera largely on the number of dead characters at the finale.

Color my world Color my world

San Francisco Opera has unveiled a brand-new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s warhorse classic La traviata, the first “to be built in San Francisco Opera’s scene and costume shops in 35 years.”

Back to the future Back to the future

After putting a hiatus on their awards in 2020 and 2021 (for reasons that are all too well-known to all of us), the Richard Tucker Foundation Gala returned on Sunday evening November 13 honoring soprano Angel Blue the 2022 Award winner.