Ionarts and Opera

Last month, against my better judgment, I gave an interview to Karren Alenier for the January issue of Scene4 Magazine, on the subject of The World of New Opera. (Karren, a poet, wrote the libretto for an opera about Gertrude Stein and has just started a blog of her own, The Dressing.) People who give a lot of interviews have advised me not to read the published interview if I ever gave one. Why didn't I listen? If you found your way here from that interview, don't hold it against me. Here is the list of operas we are watching this year: Opera Preview, Spring 2007. The catalogue of our past coverage of opera needs updating.

Of course, my pessimistic prediction about the Met simulcasts ("for which I regretfully predict the audience will be pathetically small") has not yet proven true. Well, The Magic Flute was cleverly marketed to kids and it was a huge hit with parents over the holiday period. I am reserving judgment on the total failure of my prediction until March or April, but I am thrilled to be wrong in this case. (You can now see how my take on Gelb's moves at the Met measures up to that published by Anthony Tommasini in the New York Times.)

Alex at Wellsung has just discovered Bernard Herrmann's little-known opera Wuthering Heights. I was guided to this opera by a friend in graduate school, and it is a great piece. Peter Gelb and Plácido Domingo should look into bringing it to the stage.

Speaking of the Met, Anne-Carolyn Bird reported for her new job in that hallowed hall yesterday. Just another day in the life of an opera singer. Oh, and she nearly ran into René Pape.