Blog
An Interview With Christian Van Horn
Twelve years on from his debut at the Met Opera, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn has made a name for himself as opera’s definitive Devil. Last September, for his fourth performance in Live in HD, he scored another success as not one but all four Villains in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. He kindly spoke to me about his podcast, his upcoming album (shh!), and winning his first Girl of the Golden Met Award. Read on!
An Interview With Stephen Costello
Stephen Costello has been a beloved mainstay at the Met ever since his 2007 debut. 15 years after originating Greenhorn in Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick, he triumphantly returned to the role when Moby-Dick made its Met debut in March. He generously spoke with me in between performances about Moby-Dick, how the trumpet influenced his singing, and what opera shares with Cirque du Soleil. Enjoy!
Highlights of the Met’s 2025-26 Season
The Met’s opening night world premiere is one of only three new operas, marking a departure from the six new operas presented only two seasons ago, and bel canto explodes back onto the stage. I couldn’t choose only five operas to explore here, so we’re expanding to six for this year only.
Met Opera 2024-25 Review: Aida
New stagings always carry the weight of expectations, but Michael Mayer’s new Aida has the burden of replacing one of the Met’s most beloved productions. This staging had a fairly bumpy road; it was originally scheduled for 2020, but was axed due to corona. Now, it’s finally here, and quite remarkable. Hang on to your amulets!
An Interview With Quinn Kelsey
Quinn Kelsey sang in his first opera, Verdi’s Aida, at 13 years old, as a 1st tenor in the priests’ chorus. 34 years later, he is the king of Verdi baritones and singing the Ethiopian king Amonasro in the Met’s starry new production of Aida.
Met Opera 2024-25 Crítica: Ainadamar
“Eso. Fue. Glorioso,” exclamó una voz anónima detrás mío al momento que el telón cayó la noche del estreno. Sin duda, la combinación de Ainadamar de grandes voces, conmemoración histórica, y explosivo baile flamenco es como nada que alguna vez he visto.
