Need a music refresh? Here are some of the opera albums our staff members are listening to on repeat.
What’s your favorite opera album of all time? Let us know!
Photo: Cincinnati Opera’s Der Rosenkavalier, 2013. Philip Groshong.
Zach Quortrup, Production Advisor
Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier
I’m a horn player, and this is peak Strauss horn writing…the singing is okay too, I guess! 😉
Favorite moment: Introduction of Act 1: It’s an iconic opening for any piece —opera or otherwise—and the horn part is so fun!
Kelly Holterhoff, Executive Assistant & Office Manager
Britten, Peter Grimes
This opera is a whole mood. It’s dark, tragic, and will have you looking out of your window and pretending to be a misunderstood, possibly murderous sailor gazing out at a stormy, English sea.
Favorite moment: Ellen Orford’s “Embroidery” aria will have you swanning around your apartment bemoaning today’s youth and all their frivolous TikToks.
Cincinnati Opera’s Fellow Travelers, 2016. Philip Groshong.
Kate Brockmeier, Production Operations Manager
Gregory Spears & Greg Pierce, Fellow Travelers
This is a beautiful NEW opera, that tells a story of love and heartbreak, but it gives me hope. I was also fortunate enough to get to work on the workshops for this opera, and watch its development to its world premiere at Cincinnati Opera.
Favorite moment: “Our Very Own Home” (aka Hawk’s Aria) is an amazing piece full of honesty and tragedy and I love the music.
Glenn Plott, Director of Production
Wagner, Parsifal
I am using quarantine to enjoy the silence. However, my go-to is Parsifal, Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, recorded in 1981.
Cincinnati Opera’s La Bohème, 2016. Philip Groshong.
Matt Singleton, Director of Information Technology
Puccini, La Bohème
Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni
The album is from 1973, and features Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic. It is my favorite because the score is so gorgeous and the libretto so poignant and touching.
Favorite moment: “O soave fanciulla”
Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director
Leontyne Price, Verdi and Puccini Arias
Unsurpassed singing of these core favorites by an artist at the very beginning of a spectacular career.
Favorite moment: Verdi, Aida: “Ritorna vincitor!” This became Ms. Price’s “Warrior Role,” as she called it. She also chose it to bid farewell to staged opera—at the Metropolitan Opera on January 3, 1985.
Cincinnati Opera’s The Barber of Seville, 2005. Philip Groshong.
Carlos García León, Individual Giving Manager
Rossini, The Barber of Seville
As someone who doesn't come from the opera world, I wanted to get familiar with our season. As such, I started with Barber and just loved how similar it is to telenovelas: the drama, the schemes, the hilarity, and the intensity of everything was just so alluring and fun to hear.
Favorite moment: My favorite aria is "Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?" (“Then it is I…you are not mocking me?”) While "Largo al factotum" is a fan favorite, I like "Dunque" more because I am adamant in believing that Figaro is a bisexual icon and this aria with Rosina is the scene where she's entrusting her queer best friend to help her with love problems and where the scheming really begins, and trouble ensues soon after. Classic.
Photo: Cincinnati Opera’s Aida, 2013. Philip Groshong.
Mike Veroni, Chief Financial Officer
Verdi, Aida
I love grand, classic opera!
Favorite moment: The Triumphal March
We would love to hear about the opera albums you can’t stop listening to! Drop us a note any time.