Welcome to VOCAL

I went to my first opera performance around 1965. It was Boris, in English, with Norman Treigle. His performance remains the best acting performance I've seen on any stage. I've heard most of the important singers who've performed in the United States since then. I've been collecting opera recordings since before I went to my first opera. This blog will be about my experiences in the opera house, and comparing and appreciating these recordings (e.g., 35 complete recordings of Aida, 22 of Tristan, 15 of Werther, plus countless arias from these works, some ancient).