Highlights from the October 4, 1968 performance of Tosca, with Nilsson, Franco Corelli and Gabriel Bacquier; Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conducting.

Birgit Nilsson as Tosca

The cher public are as always invited to share YouTube clips of favorite Nilssoniana.

Dallas, Texas
May 15, 1976
IL TRITTICO [26]

IL TABARRO {30}
Giorgetta……………Renata Scotto
Luigi……………….Harry Theyard
Michele……………..Cornell MacNeil
Frugola……………..Lili Chookasian
Talpa……………….Philip Booth
Tinca……………….Charles Anthony
Song Seller………….Abram Morales
Lover……………….Betsy Norden
Lover……………….Douglas Ahlstedt
Conductor……………Sixten Ehrling

SUOR ANGELICA {26}
Angelica…………….Renata Scotto
Princess…………….Lili Chookasian
Genovieffa…………..Betsy Norden
Osmina………………Mary Fercana
Dolcina……………..Ann Florio
Monitor……………..Marcia Baldwin
Abbess………………Jean Kraft
Head Mistress………..Batyah Godfrey Ben-David
Nurse……………….Cynthia Munzer
Lay Sister…………..Maureen Smith
Lay Sister…………..Joyce Olson
Novice………………Linda Mays
Novice………………Shinja Kwak
Alms Collector……….Alma Jean Smith
Alms Collector……….Elena Doria
Conductor……………Sixten Ehrling

GIANNI SCHICCHI {90}
Gianni Schicchi………Ezio Flagello
Lauretta…………….Renata Scotto
Rinuccio…………….Enrico Di Giuseppe
Nella……………….Betsy Norden
Ciesca………………Marcia Baldwin
Zita………………..Lili Chookasian
Gherardo…………….Charles Anthony
Betto……………….Russell Christopher
Marco……………….Gene Boucher
Simone………………Philip Booth
Gherardino…………..Lawrence Klein
Spinelloccio…………Richard Best
Amantio……………..Andrij Dobriansky
Pinellino……………Herman Marcus
Guccio………………Edmond Karlsrud
Buoso Donati…………Terry Allen
Conductor……………Sixten Ehrling

Tune in to PBS on Friday, April 6, 2012 at 8:00p.m. for Live From Lincoln Center’s telecast of America’s favorite soprano and “the people’s diva” Renée Fleming in a special intimate concert from the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Featuring the rarely-performed American masterpiece, Knoxville Summer of 1915 by Samuel Barber, the program also marks the first New York concert performance of songs from Ms. Fleming’s acclaimed new pop and indie-rock album, Dark Hope. A favorite of this Emmy Award-winning series as both performer and host, Ms. Fleming will also perform Broadway favorites and duets with popular vocalist Josh Groban.

Relative newcomers to parterre who may be wondering what the hell La Cieca is babbling about are invited to view a snippet of La Scoopenda’s previous Kaplan Penthouse foray, from 1999:

(The first issue of parterre box, the queer opera zine appeared on December 3, 1993, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the birth of Maria Callas.)

And here, in a much more familiar role, Elektra:

The cher public are invited to share further YouTube clips and memories of Dame Gwyneth.

Admirers of the “King of Cantilena” are invited to follow La Cieca’s example and post YouTube clips of favorite Bellini morceaux. 

Of course, the rake’s birthday may also be celebrated on May 7, since that’s the Vienna premiere of a revision of the work, and it is from this version La Cieca has selected a celebratory YouTube clip.