Blog
Met Opera 2024-25 Review: Ainadamar
“That. Was. Glorious,” an anonymous voice behind me gushed when the curtain dropped. Indeed, Ainadamar’s genre-bending combination of great voices, historical elegy, and explosive flamenco dancing is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
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.
Girl of the Golden Met Awards 2024
Congratulations to all the winners for triumphing in their highly competitive categories and to all the nominees for their extraordinary performances!
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.)
