Mist opportunity Mist opportunity

Lucia di Lammermoor at La Scala, starring Rosa Feola, proves as airless as this summer’s heatwaves.

Herbert von Karajan was a great opera conductor Herbert von Karajan was a great opera conductor

He has conducted some of my favorite opera recordings.

Married to their jobs Married to their jobs

Ahead of their opening in Don Carlo in Dallas tonight, Christopher Corwin chats with Nicole Car and Étienne Dupuis — and offers a special edition of Chris’s Cache!

Reunited and it feels so good Reunited and it feels so good

When Angela Meade and Michael Fabiano first sang Lucia together as students at AVA few would have predicted that they would go on to sing Turandot 16 years later.

A lion in winter A lion in winter

Sherrill Milnes sits down with Brendan Latimer to talk about his life, career, and what he hopes to pass along to the next generation

A favorite Donizetti performance from Ali Kashani A favorite Donizetti performance from Ali Kashani

Assuming someone else will pick Leyla Gencer‘s legendary “Vil bastarda”, I’ll go with another clip featuring robust audience participation.

Lucia di Lammermoor Lucia di Lammermoor

Jessica Pratt sings the title role in a live broadcast from Trieste

A favorite Donizetti performance from Armerjacquino A favorite Donizetti performance from Armerjacquino

Well, it’s a clip from Mary Zimmermann‘s production of Lucia di Lammermoor… wait, wait, come back!

A favorite Donizetti performance from Lisette Oropesa A favorite Donizetti performance from Lisette Oropesa

Donizetti wrote so much great music, it’s hard to single out a favorite opera, or even a preferred aria!

Violent delights Violent delights

Some people were introduced to the art form listening to the Met’s NBC broadcasts on a glowing tube radio or watching acid-trip animated adaptations on the BBC or seeing Elmer Fudd sing, “Kill the Wabbit.” I came to opera through simulated drive-by shootings soundtracked by The Marriage of Figaro. 

More people should listen to Patrizia Ciofi More people should listen to Patrizia Ciofi

I first heard Patrizia Ciofi in a production of La traviata from Venice. It was a very modern production set in present day, but still she shown through her performance was just incredible.

Goddess in three persons Goddess in three persons

Patrick Mack looks back on “a great, nay, historic evening,” Renata Scotto‘s 1981 performance of Il trittico, now newly available on Met Opera on Demand.

Paul Plishka 1941-2025 Paul Plishka 1941-2025

The American bass, a fixture of the Metropolitan Opera between 1967 and 2018, was 83.

Audiences expect miracles Audiences expect miracles

Following a review by Christopher Corwin, figures from in and around the box react to Pablo Larraín‘s new film Maria

Tree and tree again Tree and tree again

While everyone tries to figure out what on earth Strauss and Hofmannsthal are up to in Die Frau ohne Schatten, now playing at the Met, Chris’s Cache offers a later, simpler, shorter Strauss with three live broadcasts of his “bucolic tragedy” Daphne.

Is our singers learning? Is our singers learning?

Judith Malafronte on firebrand pedagogues, the old-school singing manual revival, and what many voice teachers are getting wrong.

Castanet diva Castanet diva

Lisette Oropesa, a product of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program, has not been seen much on the stage of the Met in recent seasons.

Thoughts on <em>Il trovatore</em>: the opera Thoughts on <em>Il trovatore</em>: the opera

When asked to express some “thoughts” here about Verdi’s Il trovatore, my immediate thought was “hmm… not a lot to think about there.”

Lady willpower Lady willpower

I suspect Carolina Uccelli was tough.

Come to the record store in old Peking Come to the record store in old Peking

In the lead up to LA Opera’s mounting of Turandot on May 18th (hooray!) I thought I’d touch on some of my favorite recordings and new re-masters I’ve discovered. I have them all.

Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: the others Thoughts on <em>La Gioconda</em>: the others

Yes, there were other Giocondas if not of quite the same distinction. Chronologically…

Clog dance Clog dance

On this day in 1918 Pietro Mascagni and Giovacchino Forzano’s Lodoletta had its United States premiere at the Metropolitan.

Contents fragile Contents fragile

Perhaps the greatest souvenir of her art there is.

‘Don’ or dinner party ‘Don’ or dinner party

A revival of Peter Konwitschny’s rightly legendary Don Carlos and Dmitri Tcherniakov’s confounding new Salome: both turned out to be unforgettable!