Performer: Nadja Michael

Despite the black and white palate, this Makropulos Case has plenty of color. Nadja Michael heads the cast with her fiery portrayal of Elina Makropulos, and conductor Mikahil Tatrnikov makes a triumphant San Francisco Opera debut in the pit.

The Met's première of Iolanta and Bluebeard's Castle, delayed by snow, opened with powerful singing and deeply effective staging. Iolanta showcased beautiful singing from the principals, while Bluebeard's Castle showed off brilliant playing by the Met Orchestra.

The inability of human beings to communicate or even empathise, and the monstrous consequences that gap in misunderstanding leads to, is the foundational idea of Die Eroberung von Mexico, and Wolfgang Rihm’s dense and frequently brilliant music.