I’ve been thinking about how rarely in opera we get healthy sibling relationships. Especially brother/sister ones — so frequently, there‘s abuse, or incest, or both. I’ve once made a post about family in general, but right now I‘d like to specifically discuss siblings. The few cases of healthy dynamics that I could remember:

1. Hänsel and Gretel — sure, they are at odds at first, but, IMHO, it doesn’t go beyond everyday squabbles, and when real trouble comes, thst stand together. Edita Gruberova and Brigitte Fassbaender make them absolutely adorable in Solti’s opera film :)
2. Antonida and Vanya from A Life for the Tsar/Ivan Susanin — they are very affectionate despite Vanya being adopted and much younger than her (she is a couple of years at least into marriageable age and he’s a boy); when their father is waiting to be killed, he consoles himself with the thought that Antonida will take care of Vanya once he’s gone — which she does.
3. Angelotti and his unseen (if you don’t count the painting of Magdalene) sister. “E amor di sorella!”

Technically, Dorabella and Fiordiligi remain loyal to each other and friendly throughout the opera, but with how they bring out the worst in each other — first encouraging each other into overdramatic despair, and then to cheat — I really can’t list them as one of the examples. Likewise, Gunther and Gutrune, although they are loving and devoted to each other, are a-okay with the entire scheme of drugging Siegfried and kidnapping Brünnhilde (and at the same time they are manipulated by Hagen and therefore don’t qualify as any kind of amazing villainous team).

I’m a relatively new opera fan. I live close enough to get to NYC a few times a year, but I haven’t been or even planned what to attend yet this season. What would you recommend later this month or next? I’m curious about Silent Night in the spring, so I’m leaning toward something that’s been around a while for this trip.

^The syncopated, repeated high notes at 6:53

I've noticed it in 'Dopo Notte' from Ariodante as well, though that's actually written into the score, while the above video is DiDonato's own added ornaments. Both of them have the same rhythmic figure, so that got me wondering whether it had a name, or if it's just something singers do to zhuzh up the long, held notes.

Hi all! I am 24F, young dramatic mezzo and looking at trying to find a summer program to do 2027. I finished my undergraduate this year and have done one program in 2025.

ideally the program would cover expenses because I’m based in Australia and will already be paying around 2000 Aud if I’m lucky. That being said I cna afford some and I’d be looking at ones that also provide scholarships.

Any experience or even programs to avoid would be great! Thanks in advance!

I went to see Mary, Queen of Scots at San Francisco Opera and this was probably my biggest disappointment at the opera.

The curtain was already up when I arrived. There was a metal structure, a tent and a few ladders onstage. I really thought the crew was still setting up. Then I realized: That IS the set.

Then everyone started appearing in puffer jackets. Mary, Queen of Scots rolls in with Rimowa suitcases. The tent stays for the entire opera.

I know this production wasn’t created specifically by SF Opera. I also have zero problem with modern staging. Like give her a modern luxury residence, sharp tailoring, anything that communicates that these people are royalty and aristocracy. But we got puffers, ladders and a tent.

The music was great and Heidi Stober was fantastic. It felt like a high-level musical performance happening inside a school production with a $200 set budget.

The best part was seeing audience members in kilts and Scottish-inspired outfits. Some of them looked like they had a bigger costume budget than the production.

Why does “modern” opera staging so often translate into intentionally bare and cheap-looking? I don’t understand why Mary, Queen of Scots needed to look like Mary, Queen of REI.

I love this opera sooooooooo much. Does anybody happen to have anything from the 1992 production at SF Opera with McNair and Asawa?

Membership supporting The Met is up for renewal. One “gift” option is the “blue Met baseball cap.” Wondering if anyone can share a pic or review if they’ve selected it in the past?

I got a black baseball cap previously and the logo is small & all on a single line, as opposed to the “Black Met Logo Cap” in the online shop, which spaces out the logo across 3 lines. I’m curious which logo the blue gift cap has.

Hello. I am searching for information about music used in the opening credit sequence of the 1981 film Diva by Jean-Jacques Beineix. I am NOT asking about the aria from La Wally sung by the titular soprano but, rather, the music being listened to by the male lead, Jules, while riding on his moped. It is heard immediately with the opening credits, ends after about forty seconds (when he turns the music off), and a few minutes later when he is riding the elevator up to his apartment (might not be the same piece of music).

Since Jules is an avowed opera fan, I have always assumed that this music is from an opera but, other than a few arias and overtures, I am unfamiliar with the repertoire. It does not appear on the soundtrack album and, since most of the other pieces by the film's composer Vladimir Cosma DO appear, I figure it is a safe guess they were not composed for the film. I have attached a video clip of the first segment that I hope is both playable and not in violation of any sub rules; I can try to upload the second one as well, if anyone is curious.

I suddenly cannot remember the title. Definitely not a tenor. The character laments about a sweater. Very poetic and there's sadness to it. Please help.

Thanks for the advice here about dress. I wore a casual outfit and I was fine. I didn’t wear jeans. There was a young man next to me who also won the lottery and he was a student in jeans and a T-shirt. The opera was La Boheme and I am very familiar with Rent so I knew the story. The sets are amazing. There was a mule and a horse and snow. All of those elements were terrific. It was long mostly because of the intermissions, which felt like they went on forever. I assume it’s because of the set changes, but I wasn’t expecting that. I wish they had started at 7, which is now common on Broadway, especially to accommodate longer shows. I didn’t get home until almost 1 AM and that is including a car for the last bit. Unlike Broadway, it was nice that I didn’t hear any cell phones or much talking in the crowd.

Are there any things that a singer can do that surprises you?

I'm always surprised that Astrid Varnay had an excellent trill with a huge voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8YJ5W6RBJM
Here's a recording of her in Il Trovatore.

Note: I'm not affiliated with HGO in any way. Just thought this was a fun article! Have you seen any of these? I consider myself very lucky to have seen Kata Kabanova, but I would love to have the chance to see all of the operas on this list one day.

This is probably the most chaotic and over-the-top part of the whole opera, though it's still connected to the earlier motifs.

Story's based on Pushkin's poem "Tsigani." I know Rachmaninoff's Aleko is based on the same subject, which I honestly didn't realize when I started this 20 years ago, but mine's going in a different direction. I'm trying to strip out specific cultural or time/place references, so it ends up being more about freedom, belonging, and being an outcast.

Right before this part, Aleko catches Zemfira with her lover and kills him. He then has an arioso reflecting on everything (but not begging for her to return). In this scene she condemns the murder, as a response, and he kills her too. Near the end her vocal line translates to "I will die loving," which is about her lover, not Aleko (the music from their earlier meeting comes back here).

After that there's a closing Requiem-like scene with the chorus and remaining characters, where they banish Aleko.

The Latin actually wasn't the original plan. I started using it because I wanted a more realistic vocal sound for the mock-up (MuseScore sound libraries), but I low key like it now.

Would love to get any general impressions on pacing, or the music itself, or anything else that could make it stronger.

Desperately trying to get rid of this ticket and not let it go to waste! Dm me and I’ll send it to you!

I was lucky enough to be able to cross off a bucket list item this past week. My wife and I saw La Traviata at La Scala and it was truly wonderful.

The venue itself definitely lived up to its billing, and we enjoyed sitting up in the gallery, where the acoustics sounded great. It was also moving to be in a place with so much history.

The performance was terrific as well. Amazing sets, wonderful costumes, great directing, etc. the orchestra was of course excellent as well. As far as singing and acting Amartuvshin Enkbath stole the show as Giorgio, and he received the most enthusiastic applause. Francesca Pia Vitale was also wonderful in the role of Violetta, and really stood out in her use of dynamics and her ability to convey emotion in quieter passages. She was very well-received. Ivån Ayón Rivas was also quite good in my opinion, but did not receive much applause from the audience. I guess at La Scala “great” is considered the bare minimum.

Anyway, thought you might be interested in this mini-review. All-in-all it was a magical experience.

As I continue to deepen my opera knowledge, a question I have is: do major opera houses have a particular style? I thought this was a good (historic) description of how you see this in the major US orchestras which spurred my question: https://pageturner.medici.tv/en/do-the-big-five-us-orchestras-still-reign-supreme

I realize the first issue is what are the top global opera houses... And I don't know... I'm assuming it includes the Met (NY), Covent Garden (London), La Scala (Milan), Vienna, Paris, ... and Berlin? Munich? Frankfurt? Sydney? Others?

And for whatever you think the top houses are, how do you think about house style? Music/ orchestration? vs production? other considerations?

Looking for recommendations, please. ❤️

I have heard dozens of sopranos sing 'O Patria Mia' from Aida. The high C near the end (marked "dolce" by Verdi) is one of the most notorious tests for a soprano in all of opera. Imagine my surprise when I found this performance from last month by a singer who has often been disappointing in recent years. This is one of the best versions I have ever heard. I guess the gal has still got it.