At face value, singing a certain royal role in a certain fairytale opera is probably one of the best gigs in the business. In almost every production you get the fanciest costume, the beastliest aria, the simplest blocking, and the biggest paycheck. In any given decade there are only about 5 other major singers willing… [Read More]
Red Silken Dreams and Invisible Ninja Stage Hands: Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera
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]
Swallows and Sweater Vests: La Rondine at the Metropolitan Opera
This week we saw La Rondine at the Met. We got last minute discounted tickets from a Met Opera email offering 25% off selected performances 26 hours before La Rondine’s curtain. A FULL 25% off, mind you. Not the “buy one get one 25% off” that we had received before. And thank god really as… [Read More]
The Bohemians in Brooklyn
The Bohemians Movie is an updated film version of Puccini’s La Bohème set in present day Williamsburg Brooklyn. As the current hot bed of counter cultural artistic expression, Williamsburg presents the perfect modern counter point to the Latin Quarter of Paris in the mid 1800’s. Produced by legendary tenor Plácido Domingo’s son, Alvaro Domingo, eleven-time… [Read More]
Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera
We went to out first Met opera of the season last night. Turandot. I had never seen it in its entirety and never live so I was excited. It was also being broadcast on the Met’s Sirius Radio Channel. After passing ads in the lobby for special reward programs for people under 40, we took… [Read More]
