it’s a gay gay gay gay gay world
Out Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, profiled in today’s NYT for his friendly arm-twisting tactics in support of New York’s bill to legalize same-sex marriage, is not only the brother of Rosie O’Donnell, but also the partner of John Banta, who has probably the most festive title of anyone who doesn’t work directly with Issac Mizrahi. Banta is Director of Special Events for the Metropolitan Opera.
New York’s Legislature is expected to take up the marriage equality bill today.
Fingers are crossed!
Danny is a very sweet bear – he always flirts when I see him at events.
Her brother? Hmmm…Has anyone actually seen them in the same room together?
totally off-topic, but did anybody else notice this, from Norman Lebrecht’s column on tenors?:
“Great tenors tended to come once a decade. Caruso, Schipa, Gigli and Gobbi each reigned without much contest in their time.”
http://www.scena.org/columns/lebrecht/090506-NL-Tenor.html
Lebrecht’s book on the record industry, published a few years back, is filled with mistakes like that. Dumb ones, too–about how much of a powerhouse HvK was and strove to be with annual visits to the Met.
For other reasons, I think the book was taken off the shelves and either submitted for rewrite (“clarifications”) or it may just remain unavailable.
Also off-topic: somebody just send me a suggestion for the new ring cycle (nsfw…):
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4234170
#4: it’s not just the absurdity of calling Gobbi a tenor which grates about that quote- it’s the flaws in the basic thesis, too.
Martinelli, Lauri-Volpi, Piccaver, Melchior…
I know Lebrecht’s stock-in-trade is baseless hyperbole, but his attempt to suggest that Villazon is the only tenor successor to Domingo really is ignorant nonsense of the worst sort.
He suggests that Jose Cura is past it and can only now get gigs in Norway, conveniently ignoring engagements this season at the Met, Covent Garden and the Wiener Staatsoper. Whatever one thinks of the state of his voice now, it is simply inaccurate to say that he is no longer employed at the top opera houses.
He similarly decries Marcelo Alvarez’s career with a disparaging reference to a concert he performed with Salvatore Licitra in 2003, again ignoring all his engagements at all the top opera houses since then.
Go see the link in #6. Best use of Wagner’s Ride of the Walkures since Appocalypse Now.
Norman Lebrecht is one of the great icons: in the realms of music critic illiteracy. Possessing the ability to put his foot so constantly in his mouth, is certainly an wonder to behold. When so endowed, we can confidently say of him : ‘more piss and wind than the farmer’s dog!’