Undead of the night Undead of the night

For those pining for Puccini with the Met out of commission. Trove Thursday steps up with the composer’s brief first opera Le Villi with Krassimira Stoyanova, José Cura and Franz Grundheber, led by Simone Young.

Idol gossip Idol gossip

During the 70s, Kiri Te Kanawa, particularly singing Mozart, became one of my favorite singers.

Giovanna d’Arco Giovanna d’Arco

Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco in a rare NYC concert performance with Margaret Price, Carlo Bergonzi and Sherrill Milnes.

Spouse of pain Spouse of pain

Dame Janet Baker turns 87 tomorrow and Trove Thursday celebrates with Handel’s rare Admeto conducted by the great Sir Anthony Lewis in which Baker’s bold Alceste vies with Sheila Armstrong’s sparkling Antigona for her deluded husband Admeto’s affections.

Anyone’s daughter Anyone’s daughter

One of the more unfortunate losses from the Met’s closure is its revival of Simon Boccanegra, so Trove Thursday steps up with a 1975 Berlin performnace of Verdi’s dark masterpiece with Ingvar Wixell, Gundula Janowitz, José van Dam and Bruno Prevedi.

Wien disposition Wien disposition

Following classic recordings documenting the work of Karl Böhm and Herbert von Karajan. Orfeo’s 150 Years Wiener Staatsoper box moves on to new releases that are seeing their first incarnation on an officially available disc.

She’s a rebel, she’s a saint She’s a rebel, she’s a saint

Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco in a rare NYC concert performance with Margaret Price, Carlo Bergonzi and Sherrill Milnes.

Love of the earth Love of the earth

Claudio Abbado passed away on the 20th of January five years ago, just months before I began my Ph.D.

Fathers’ day Fathers’ day

How do we celebrate a long career in opera, particularly one as illustrious as Plácido Domingo‘s? 

Bass-baritone instinct Bass-baritone instinct

Next, I asked Marko Mimica which basses he prefers to listen to on recordings.

Burnished bass Burnished bass

I clearly remember the day I first heard the voice of Cesare Siepi.

The girl next door The girl next door

>Verdi’s marvelous yet neglected Luisa Miller finally returns to the Met later this month after an absence of a dozen years so “Trove Thursday” provides a preview.

Final curtain Final curtain

“Trove Thursday” pays tribute to Dmitri Hrovostovsky with a broadcast of his final new role, Rubinstein’s The Demon. 

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new Dane It’s a new dawn, it’s a new Dane

C-major has made available the first DVD/Blu-ray of Franco Faccio’s Amleto.

Double Doge dare Double Doge dare

The second DVD/Blu-ray with Plácido Domingo as Verdi’s other beleaguered Doge, Francesco in I due Foscari.

Carmen denominator Carmen denominator

When you attend a performance of Georges Bizet’s Carmen you can never be quite certain which one you’re in for.

I won’t dance, don’t ask me I won’t dance, don’t ask me

A live Un Ballo in Maschera featuring Jon Vickers, Amy Shuard, Lucia Popp, Shirley Verrett and Peter Glossop.

The gala lilies are in bloom again The gala lilies are in bloom again

Saturday night the Los Angeles Opera threw itself a party.

Rooting for the underdoge Rooting for the underdoge

“Take a good deal of trouble with it, because it is a fine subject, delicate and full of pathos.”

Devil’s advocate Devil’s advocate

Just 85 years ago, four of Italy’s greatest opera stars gathered at Teatro all Scala for an historic event: the first-ever recording of Arrigo Boito’s sole complete opera, Mefistofele.

Old school Old school

This week, I offer you a classic rendition of Richard Strauss’ tale of the House of Atreus starring Ursula Schröder-Feinen, Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, Theo Adam, and Hans Hopf under Karl Böhm’s direction.

Doge days Doge days

That Placido Domingo and James Levine, the Met’s inexorable septuagenarians, would team up yet again—on April Fools’ Day, no less—for a revival of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra occasioned an uncomfortable degree of doubt and dread.

Because she’s happy Because she’s happy

There are two kinds of opera lovers: Those who despise or tolerate La Gioconda as a preposterous rip-off of Aida that lingered a century in the repertory in spite of its galumphing story, largely because of the popularity of its tuneful ballet—and true opera lovers. We love every silly note of the thing, and every…

The double negative has led to proof positive The double negative has led to proof positive

La Cieca thinks she knows who the murderer is.