Kowaljow; Vitalij

Barenboim’s Scala Walküre–His Second Best

Robert Levine

Daniel Barenboim’s Harry Kupfer-directed Bayreuth Ring Cycle on DVD from 1991-92 has long been a favorite. Kupfer’s direction, focusing so thoroughly on character(s) that it

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Bland Borgia From Fleming

Robert Levine

Love her or hate her, there’s no way Renée Fleming is going to make you happy in the role of Lucrezia Borgia. The voice and

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Puccini: La bohème/Netrebko, Villazon

Robert Levine

This is somewhat of a disappointment. It was recorded live in April, 2007, two months before Rolando Villazón took an extended break from singing, and

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Dausgaard Plays A Mean Mahler 10

David Hurwitz July 13, 2025

A Mahler Cycle From–You Guessed It–Dusseldorf

David Hurwitz July 13, 2025

Insider

CD From Hell: Bad Transfers of Kletzki’s Embarrassing Mahler 1 and 9

David Hurwitz July 13, 2025

Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann
by Robert Levine
October 6, 2024
Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, NY; Oct 24, 2024 Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann is a nasty work. Despite its
RIP David Vernier, Editor-in-Chief
by David Hurwitz
August 4, 2024
David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com’s founding Editor-in-Chief passed away Thursday morning, August 1, 2024 after a long battle with cancer. The end came shockingly quickly. Just a
Finally, It’s SIR John
by ClassicsToday
June 24, 2024
He’d received many honors before, but it wasn’t until last week that John Rutter, best known for his choral compositions and arrangements, especially works related