Operavore
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Best in Show: Operatic Dogs
Many composers, singers, and musicians have dogs who love to listen to their master’s music. Fred Plotkin looks back at the long history of adorable dogs in opera. Feb 7, 2018
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Wagner's Full-Blooded 'Parsifal' at The Metropolitan Opera Leaves a Mark
Wagner’s red-blooded “Parsifal” is revisited at the Metropolitan Opera with shrieks and profundity, though sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which. Feb 6, 2018
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3 Minute Opera: Verdi's 'Il Trovatore'
Give WQXR morning host Jeff Spurgeon three minutes and he'll give you an entire opera. Listen as Spurgeon breaks down Verdi's "Il Trovatore" in a New York minute (or three). Feb 2, 2018
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Nostalgia, Dedication, Gratitude and Master Musicians
For 24 years, Marilyn Horne taught the tradition of the art song to young singers and pianists — as well as to eager audiences at Carnegie Hall. Fred Plotkin remarks on her legacy. Feb 2, 2018
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3 Minute Opera: Puccini’s Tosca
Give WQXR morning host Jeff Spurgeon three minutes and he'll give you an entire opera. Listen as Spurgeon breaks down Puccini’s "Tosca" in a New York minute (or three). Jan 25, 2018
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‘The Opera House’: How the New Met Was Born
Fred Plotkin sees a new documentary that tells the story of the evolution and creation of the new Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in 1966. Jan 23, 2018
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Regrets Only: Cancellations at the Opera
Although they may seem god-like to their fans, opera singers are human and as fallible as the rest of us. Jan 9, 2018
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‘Carmen’ Gets an Upgrade in the #MeToo Era
What would opera be if it cast off its long tradition of women who either commit suicide or are murdered in the name of love? A new production of "Carmen" tries to answer that question. Jan 6, 2018
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Review: The Met's New 'Tosca' Leaps to Safety
David Patrick Stearns reviews the New Year's Eve premiere of Tosca at the Met, which soars despite its many mishaps and cancellations. Jan 2, 2018
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Remembering — and Understanding — Simonetta Puccini
Fred Plotkin remembers Simonetta Puccini, the last surviving direct descendant of Giacomo Puccini, who died on Dec. 16 at the age of 89. Dec 27, 2017