parterre box

UPDATE:  “Joining City Opera will be Director of Artistic Planning Edward Yim, perhaps best known for playing an integral role in the exciting and highly successful multidisciplinary programming at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Casting Advisor Steven Blier, an eminent pianist and vocal coach who is equally at home in the traditional operatic repertoire and American popular song. Conductor George Manahan, Music Director of City Opera since 1996, will continue in a role to which he has brought distinction. Also continuing with the team will be the outstanding accompanist and recitalist Kevin Murphy, a veteran of The Metropolitan Opera and [...]

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“In Adriana Lecouvreur, Domingo manages to portray plausibly a character young enough to be his grandson. He is the dashing Count Maurizio, who is entangled in a romantic triangle with the celebrated actress Adriana and a scheming princess. The count’s excuse for two-timing Adriana is perhaps the most original in the history of cheating. He’s planning an invasion of Lithuania, you see, and he’s financing the coup with a play-for-pay arrangement with the princess.” Our Own JJ reviews the Met’s revival of Adriana Lecouvreur in Gay City News.

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Florida Grand Opera announced today that Music Director Stewart Robertson has decided to relinquish his position at the conclusion of the current season in May 2009. It should be noted Robertson has not completely pried his mouth off the American teat, as he will continue as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Florida based Atlantic Classical Orchestra. He has even expressed some vague and surely quixotic notions about trying to get work in his native Scotland.

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Placido Domingo has been named the winner of the first $1 million Birgit Nilsson Prize for achievements in classical music. [via AP]

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Sharp-eyed reader Sadie Salome writes: It seems I was the only one spent much of last night’s letter scene peering through her binoculars at Karita Mattila‘s fine acting, because I see no report on your site of last night’s mishap (and if it isn’t on your site, then it obviously hasn’t been reported anywhere!) As you can see in the photograph below, the nightgown which Tatiana wears for her letter scene has a couple buttons in the middle that hold the front together, though it’s still split a little bit even when fastened. 

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