(A)nything (B)ut <em>(C)armen</em> (A)nything (B)ut <em>(C)armen</em>

Calling from 2066, Brendan Latimer argues that the best way to save opera might be to just blow up the standard repertoire altogether.

High and dry High and dry

Ilana Walder-Biesanz reports from The Santa Fe Opera, where Tobias Picker‘s latest opera falls short, a new Rodelinda scintillates, and sumptuous singing abounds across the entire repertoire.

John Barbirolli was a great opera conductor John Barbirolli was a great opera conductor

Fifty some years ago I stumbled on to John Barbirolli‘s recording of matchless Elgar & V-Williams music for strings and discovered my go-to conductor for life.

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.

The Pennsylvania Dutchman The Pennsylvania Dutchman

Verdi’s Stiffelio goes Amish in Vienna, featuring a stellar Luciano Ganci in the title role.

All the lovely things you are to me All the lovely things you are to me

To celebrate the 100th anniversary performances of Turandot at the Met starting next week, Patrick Dillon gives a listen to seven versions of “Signore, ascolta!” for Perspectives on an Aria.

Clipped wings Clipped wings

Madama Butterfly at Opera Colorado plays it safe — and never fully takes flight.

Cavalcade of stars Cavalcade of stars

Back-to-back casts in the Metropolitan Opera’s revivals of Madama Butterfly and La traviata offer ample opportunity for soprano-gazing.

Anime sante degli avi Anime sante degli avi

Madama Butterfly confronts anime, virtual reality, and weeaboos in Matthew Ozawa‘s bold production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Some unholy wars Some unholy wars

Caitlin Vincent‘s new book Opera Wars paints a persuasive picture of the problems facing opera today, though her solutions leave something to be desired.

Living the part Living the part

Diana Soviero chats with Roger Pines about six decades of performing, four decades of teaching, and how she’s handing the tradition off to the next generation.

Faith in their hands shall snap in two Faith in their hands shall snap in two

Franz Welser-Möst leads a rigorous, if emotionally staid, performance of Verdi‘s Requiem at Carnegie Hall. 

Swing and miss Swing and miss

The oddball pairing of Bernie Williams and Jonathan Tetelman doesn’t quite knock it out of the park at Carnegie Hall.

Erste Brautnacht Erste Brautnacht

Nearly three years after the premiere of François Girard’s Lohengrin at the Met, Parterre Box looks back at the production with a duet from Piotr Beczala and Elena Stikhina.

Everything the light touches Everything the light touches

Vincent Lombardo pays poetic tribute to the 60-year-long career of Robert Wilson.

Animal house Animal house

Ursula Sturgeon looks at the furry opera company HowlAria and discovers that maybe one man’s Callas recording collection is another man’s fursuit.

Nothing makes me feel better than Toti Dal Monte in <em>Madama Butterfly</em> Nothing makes me feel better than Toti Dal Monte in <em>Madama Butterfly</em>

My comfort opera after all these years remains Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, even with its sociologically problematical presentation of Japanese culture.

The open wound that will never heal The open wound that will never heal

In his new production that opens at San Francisco Opera this weekend, Matthew Ozawa is creating a Parsifal for the cancel culture age.

Self-made woman Self-made woman

In the pursuit of clowning, Anthony Roth Costanzo’s Galas may have lost sight of “the seriousness of the theme.”

Gilda! mia Gilda!…È morta! Gilda! mia Gilda!…È morta!

Mexican soprano Gilda Cruz-Romo died on 28 June at the age of 85 and Chris’s Cache remembers her with live recordings of a frequent role and a rather rare one: a last-minute Met Tosca plus perhaps her only stab at the Cherubini Medea.

Visible storage Visible storage

Performances of Pittori fiamminghi and Madama Butterfly in picturesque Castell’Arquato were a fine way to honor Luigi Illica, the city’s native son

Many happy returns Many happy returns

The Met’s mostly successful revivals of The Queen of Spades and La bohème showcase the returns of Sonya Yoncheva and Corinne Winters

Promising young women Promising young women

Ahead of her return to the Met, soprano Corinne Winters chats with Kevin Ng about her repertoire, overcoming biases about her voice type, and how she plans to play “energetic, young women” as long as she can.

Madama Butterfly

Eleonora Burrato and Jonathan Tetelman lead a performance from Berlin recorded last week with Kirill Petrenko conducting