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]
Anvils and Infant Incinerations: Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera
Somewhere in my extensive Internet search for a plot synopsis I could understand, I read Enrico Caruso once said all it takes for a successful production of Il Trovatore is the four greatest singers in the world. I don’t know if the Met had that but I thoroughly enjoyed the production I saw this week. … [Read More]
Twiddling Dials and Bulging Biceps: The Metropolitan Opera Renovations
It is always of great comfort to know one is accurate in one’s perceptions, even if they are relatively fleeting and meaningless. The case in point would be our perceptions of the various problems plaguing the Metropolitan Opera. Not artistic but technical. We have mentioned the weird freezing wind draughts, the peeling ceilings, audience blinding… [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]
