OperaNow! #150: Sesquicentennial-rific!

The show will go on at New York City Opera...LA Opera repays half of their $14 MM loan a year early (and announce new dynamic ticket pricing plan)...San Francisco includes three new works in the 2012/13 season...Dallas Opera announces a new opera by Jake Heggie...Saddam Hussein's music teacher goes to jail...Skylight "Opera" drops the opera moniker.

Oliver's Corner continues to it's Norma series with a look at Adalgisa and selections by Elīna Garanča, Eva Mei, Tatiana Tryoanos, Shirley Verrett, and Marilyn Horne.

Plus Guess Who Died? and OPERABUSTERS!

This week features Michael, The OC, Doug Dodson and Jenny Rivera.

OperaNow! #149: Sh*t Opera Singers Say

NYCO and the unions are back to talking...Opera Boston fell due to lack of single major donor...asian musicians will take over our orchestras (and possibly sound asian when they do so)...Thomas Quasthoff retires...Washington Natoinal Opera plans Ring cycle for 2016 (hope it lasts)...New York Phil iPhone debacle.

Oliver's Corner looks at Norma and some clips of various Pollione's including Giacomo Laur-Volpi, Francesco Merli, Franco Corelli, Jon Vickers, and Luciano Pavarotti.

This week features Michael, The OC, Doug Dodson, and internet video meme sensation Jenny Rivera.

Sh*t Opera Singers Say

In case you haven't seen it yet...

OperaNow! #148: Together Again

Oliver, Doug, and Jenny give a recap on the Met's production of Enchanted Island, New York City Opera initiates a lockout to the unions on the eve of the rehersal period...Opera Boston shuts down...Aretha Franklin wants to find the next big opera singer...stabbed del Monaco brother is stabbed and recovering...man choses real estate over opera...Willam Mason steps down from Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Oliver closes out his "Singers You Should Know" series with Shirley Verrett and tracks from Macbeth, Don Carlo, Maria Stuarda and in recital.

This week features Michael, The OC, Doug Dodson, and Jenny Rivera.

OperaNow! in NYC!

OperaNow!: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

OperaNow! #147: Now With No Caps Lock

Sorry about the lack of notes...the holiday season has had me busy. You can click here to see the articles for the stories we covered (and a few we didn't get to).

And here are the links for Oliver's Corner on (the apparently to some unimpressive) Mirella Freni:

Nanetta, Juliette, Mimi 1963, Mimi 1972, Mimi 1988, and Bellini's Bianca e Fernando.

This week featured Michael, The OC, and (sometimes) Ethan Watermeirer.

OperaNow! #146: Rack Space

NYCO unions talks come to a halt...But the party keeps on going!...Peter Gelb, blah, blah, blah...Hey Katherine Jenkins: THIS is why...Rene Jacobs keeps the hits coming (just not in Great Britain)...Mirella Freni: money laundress...Mario Brothers opera...Missing opera singing parrot in Brooklyn.

Oliver's Corner gets back on track with "Singers You Should Know" offering you Jose Van Dam and tracks like (and from) An Die Musik, Verdi Requiem, Brahms Requiem, Don Quichottes's Drinking Song (Ravel), and Der Fliegende Holländer. 

Pick up Rene Jacob's new recording of Agrippina (featuring Jenny as Nerone) here.

Plus Guess Who Died?

This week features Michael, The OC, Doug Dodson, and Jenny (not JENNIFER) Rivera.

OperaNow! Appearance

TO ALL NEW YORKERS: Come to see Michael act the fool at Opera on Tap's In Vino Veritas event in Brooklyn on Friday December 2nd. It will be at a joint called Barbes. Click here for info.

OperaNow! #145: #wearethe99% (of critics)

Michael Kaiser worries that there are too many voices commenting on classical music...Rolando Villazon shows his underwear.

Oliver's Corner (attempts) to close out Rodelinda with tracks by Marilyn Horne, Andreas Scholl, Lawrence Zazzo, Sarah Connolly, and Marijana Mijonavic.

This week features Michael, The OC, Doug Dodson, and Jenny Rivera.

Some techincal problems on Oliver's end led us to shutting things down early (which may leave people wanting more.)

If you are in NYC on December 2nd, come on by Opera on Tap's benefit event featuring your own Micahel as member of a "celebrity" panel!

OperaNow! #144: I'm a Kunst Lover...At Heart

City Opera unions offer to work for free...as City Opera releases its budget plans...Dallas Opera raises $20 million (it took 2 years to raise $10)...La Bat Shit joins forces with video recording of Maria Callas...Marilyn Horne spins her dirty tales...Portland Opera is a home for wayward cats...Vittorio Grigolo is a prick.

Oliver's Corner veers off it's original path with a look at Handel's Rodelinda and clips by Lucia Popp, Sophie Daneman, Simone Kermes, Joan Sutherland, and Sandrine Piau.

Plus Doug Dodson's E-News!

This week features Michael (as usual), The OC, Doug Dodson and Michael Mayes of the Texapolitan Opera Road Show!