Latest Articles

An Eyewitness to “Dead Man Walking”

A young soprano found herself behind the scenes at the opera premiere of the year.

Small Gifts for Singers

Not willing to shell out your hard-earned cash for those multi-disc boxed sets? CS’s Nick Limansky suggests some very satisfying operas and recitals each contained on a single CD.

A Close Look at Quando m’en vo from Puccini’s La bohème

In this lilting favorite, Musetta makes an outrageous statement. Savoring the words helps to put it across.

Giving Birth to Handel’s Messiah

Richard Westenburg and his Musica Sacra share an unbroken tradition unique in New York City: Thirty years of all-professional performances of this greatest of oratorios. Here are his thoughts on what makes a successful Messiah.

Getting Good

In overcoming his self-inflicted impediments to success – a bad attitude and even worse behavior – baritone Mark Delavan paved the way for his greatest triumphs.

The Definitive “Orfeo ed Euridice,” “Ifigenie en Tauride” on Original Instruments, Dolora Zajick’s Debut Recital Disc, and Historical Rossini Recordings

When Christoph Willibald Gluck, in 1762, sought to clean up what he felt were the excesses of opera — the florid vocal displays, the endless da capo repetitions — he

A Close Look at “Here I Stand” from The Rake’s Progress

Singing in one’s native English is often more difficult — rather than easier — than a foreign language.

This modern score, couched in Eighteenth Century idioms and allusions, presents its own special set of difficulties.

Eating for the Singer

Dieting and Diet are two different things. Don’t deprive yourself of food. Instead, learn how to manage what you eat and when you eat it.

Ye Gods! : What Are Those Characters Talking About?

No matter which side of the footlights you’re on, understanding Da Ponte’s ironical interweaving of myths of the classic past brings an enhanced enjoyment and depth to Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

The Gift

It brings personal rewards and satisfaction to those who possess it. It gives pleasure to the listener. But sometimes the gifted are called upon to bestow something else: Comfort for the bereaved

The Real Thing

Just as teachers, classical singers and listeners were beginning to get it right, a new specter appeared: “ Audio Enhancement,” a microphone at the opera. The author argues, passionately and reasonably, against this newest barrier between artist and auditor.

Wearing the Pants

When it comes to trouser roles, girls will be better boys than boys themselves.

Think MTV invented gender-bending? Marilyn Horne was cross-dressing when RuPaul was still in Huggies. Mezzo soprano Katherine Ciesinski investigates the genesis of the “breeches part.”