Soprano’s versatility sparkled

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002742808_opera16.html

Schumann Rarity: An Opera of Bits and Pieces of ‘Faust’

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/16/arts/music/16faus.html

MOZART: La clemenza di Tito

La clemenza di Tito. Opera seria in due atti (K. 621).

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Caterino Mazzol‡ based on a text by Pietro Metastasio.

Lyric hopes to lift curse with restaged ‘Rigoletto’

http://www.suntimes.com/output/delacoma/sho-sunday-rig15.html

The Yeomen of New York

http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/classical/reviews/15537/index.html

Everyone’s Invited to Wolfgang’s Party, Willing or Not

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/15/arts/music/15holl.html

Army Helps DNA Scientists Unravel Mozart Mystery

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,85019,00.html

Berlin Opera Night

At 73 minutes, this DVD of the typical gala affair ñ various soloists trot on, sing an aria, then trot off ñ canít be called generous, but it does have variety.

MASSENET: Werther

When you and I were young Maggie, there was only the fine Werther with Thill and Vallin and the Cetra recording with Tagliavini and his first wife, Pia Tassinari.

SCHEIDT: Ludi musici I, II, III & IV

I suspect that when we survey the musical landscape of the early seventeenth century, it is opera, monody, and madrigal that come most quickly and lastingly into view, and given the contemporaneous attention given to the relationship between music and word, it is unsurprising that this would be the case.