Blog
Highlights of the Met’s 2025-26 Season
The Met’s opening night world premiere is one of only three new operas, marking a departure from the six new operas presented only two seasons ago, and bel canto explodes back onto the stage. I couldn’t choose only five operas to explore here, so we’re expanding to six for this year only.
An Interview With Elena Villalón
Fresh off her critically praised Met Opera debut in Orfeo ed Euridice last spring, Cuban-American soprano Elena Villalón now takes on Osvaldo Golijov’s exhilarating Ainadamar. She kindly took the time to answer some questions in between rehearsals.
Opera Onscreen: Crying and Renée Fleming in Margaret (2011)
My favorite opera scene in film is perhaps the obscurest: Margaret (2011), when Anna Paquin and J. Smith-Cameron attend Les Contes d’Hoffmann starring Renée Fleming and Susan Graham. By the end of the Barcarolle, Paquin’s character has burst in tears and reconciled with her estranged mother.
An Interview With Sydney Mancasola
In 2019, soprano Sydney Mancasola earned a place in the operatic annals when she headlined the European premiere of Breaking the Waves. She recently spoke with me about that experience, Debussy’s enigmatic Mélisande, and the “thrilling” contemporary opera scene in the US.
Opera Is Cool: Debunking Myths
Let’s face it: opera has gotten a bad rap. In reality, opera is one of the most glorious art forms in the world. Come debunk some myths with me! (Hint: it involves Beyoncé.)
An Interview With Kathryn Lewek
Though Kathryn Lewek is undoubtedly best known as the definitive Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, she has far more roles and range up her sleeve than just Mozart’s imperious monarch.
