Anthony Minghella’s production of Madama Butterfly was visually gorgeous and musically rich—I’m a sucker for anything Puccini. The opera opened with no music, which was unusual and gave me kind of an odd feeling. The conductor walked out and there was applause and then… nothing. Silently a woman walked downstage and danced as four others… [Read More]
The Dmitri Hvorostovsky Cyber Medieval Post Apocalyptic BDSM Music Video
Baritone Dmitri Hvorostvsky is currently headlining in the Metropolitan Opera’s updated Vegas production of Rigoletto to much acclaim. I know I am not alone in often having thought, “Gosh I wish this fine world class artist had a Cyber Medieval Post Apocalyptic BDSM Music Video I could watch and enjoy.”Well… Truly one of the most… [Read More]
NYCO in the Rearview Mirror: Carlisle Floyd and Sherrill Milnes on New York City Opera
Sherrill Milnes and Carlisle Floyd share with us their memories of New York City Opera, thoughts on NYCO’s closing and advice for opera companies moving forward. Sherrill Milnes – “I did three years (at NYCO) 1964-5 and ’66 and then I came back a couple of times as a guest, sang in Beverly’s farewell, I did… [Read More]
New York City Opera, Kickstarter and the WTF Moment (Part 2)
On Friday morning I received another email from New York City Opera. “Dear Shawn, As you may have read by now New York City Opera is on the verge of canceling its season and filing for bankruptcy. You can read more in The New York Times and AP.” Both “The New York Times” and… [Read More]
Bourbon, Chocolate and Opera: The Savannah Voice Festival 2013
Last fall VOICExperience (VE) kicked off National Opera Week from Savannah, Georgia. Opera must sit well with the fashionable seersucker set as this year VE was back with the first annual Savannah VOICE Festival with two weeks of events including an evening of David Friedman’s music presented by Friedman himself and master classes with legendary… [Read More]
General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera Rick Santorum Addresses Upcoming Season
General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, Rick Santorum, addressed a crowd of reporters and well-wishers at Lincoln Center Plaza this past week. “My personal late night internet research has revealed to me that the last couple of seasons at the Metropolitan have caused Nathan Gunn and his vocal folds to go off half cocked. This… [Read More]
2012-2013 Season Recap
After our New York City Opera season full of Dwarves (Vegas, Wagnerian or otherwise), Tempests, Machines, Mid-Scene Replacements and Onstage Musical Fellatio, here is our 2012-2013 Season recap of our favorites. Elizabeth – Traviata: While the beginning of Traviata truly had me concerned—at one point I thought they might stop and start over, the beginning was… [Read More]
Flashmob Verdi Style!
As I left the Met a week ago on the last day of the season, I must confess I breathed a sigh of relief. Götterdämmerung would be the last strains of opera I heard for at least a couple months. This past year Shawn and I saw over 20 operas at the Met alone, not… [Read More]
Leitmotifs: A Fun Game to Play with Your Fingers and Your Ears
This is no doubt at least in part due to our newly acquired Wagner Addiction and Uber Nerd-dom, but we found Metoperafamily.org’s Ring Cycle personal Leitmotif generator really fun and diverting. Answer a series of questions and you will hear an audio clip of the Ring Cycle Leitmotif that best suits you and a short… [Read More]
Mid-Scene Replacements and The Machine Triumphant (Almost): Die Walküre at the Metropolitan Opera
We went to the Met’s season premiere of Die Walküre this weekend with great trepidation. After the epic set fails of The Machine at last Saturday’s season premiere of Das Rhinegold we were prepared for the worst. BUT The Machine executed it’s morphing set changes without a hitch….almost. Perhaps the multi million dollar reinforcements of the stage… [Read More]
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