Götterdämmerung

Last Friday, the 3^rd of February, I ventured into NYC to see Gotterdammerung, the final installment of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Metropolitan Opera.

With this opera ends a production that has been equal parts glorious, terrifying, amazing and hideous. I have seen all four operas in the cycle and I must make my confession: I didn’t completely hate it.

Anna Bolena

What's the best kind of opera? Surprise opera!

When I was first getting into opera back in November, I took a gander at the Met's Live in HD listings for upcoming shows. One title stood out to me, appealing to my historic sensibilities: Donizetti's Anna Bolena. Unfortunately, the encore broadcast had been a few weeks ago, and I resigned myself to never seeing the opera.

You can imagine my surprise when it popped up on PBS at 9 p.m. on Friday, January 20th.

Faust

On December 10th, I saw the Met's Live in HD broadcast of Gounod's Faust.

Aside from the Met's current production of Wagner's Ring Cycle, it was the first opera I'd seen. Why Faust? Jonas Kaufmann sounded amazing as Siegmund in Die Walkure this past spring. That's about it, really. Gotta start somewhere!