Even as La Cieca writes this, the evergreen Vera Galupe-Borszkh is preparing to go onstage for her first-ever Duchesse de Krakenthorp in Michigan Opera Theater’s Fille du Regiment. As La Cieca understands it (reports are somewhat sketchy thus far), La Dementia is graciously jumping in at short notice for Shirley Verrett, who has sung(?) the Duchesse in earlier performances of the Donizetti tuner. More on this momentous story as it develops.

Update (June 12): In fact, Mme. Galupe-Borszkh performed the entire run of Fille, though curiously Verrett’s name is still listed on MOT’s website. Final performance is today’s matinee. No word whether Vera interpolates Gran Scena’s celebrated “Motown Medley” in honor of the venue. Anachronistic? Perhaps. But of what relevance is time to a diva whose art is timeless? As, for example, her classic reading of “Les chemins de l’amour.”