Does nudity have a place in opera?
(Note: none of the videos in this article include full nudity, but they come close. Parental discretion advised.) The Metropolitan Opera was recently the subject of scathing articles when it emerged that they paid supernumeraries more money to wear less clothing. “Less clothing” in this …
Halloween special: ghosts, witches and vampires
My neighbors’ lawns are full of fake cobwebs and inflatable giant pumpkins, so Halloween must be approaching. There are many ways to give your celebration of this important holiday some operatic flair. Headed to a costume party and unsure what to wear? The beloved website What …
You might be stuck in a Mozart opera if…
Worried that your life is starting to resemble a Mozart opera? Here’s a handy guide (inspired by The Toast) to help you determine whether you are, in fact, a character in one of Wolfie’s music dramas. Seek further assistance if if… You’re a baritone, and …
The opera house in literature
I visit the opera house to listen to the music and watch what happens onstage. But if you judged the opera house based on its role in literature, you’d think it was a hotbed of real-world excitement. Duels and trysts are arranged. Characters are shamed …
The mysterious magic of operatic disguises
I recently brought a group of friends to a production of Pietro-Andrea Ziani’s La Circe. (Side note: in the vanishingly unlikely event that this opera is performed near you, I highly recommend attending.) One of the characters, Egle, spends a good chunk of the opera disguised as …
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