John Danaher
John Danaher lives in Naples, FL, where he has retired to read all of the books he was supposed to read in college. He attended a performance of Rigoletto at the New York City Opera when he was ten years old and was hooked: “Why are they putting that lady in a bag,” he asked as Gilda was being abducted. John’s live opera highlight was seeing the legendary Leonie Rysanek at the Metropolitan Opera in the role of Kostelnicka in Janacek’s Jenufa—the house almost literally was brought down. He enjoys tennis and traveling, catching opera performances on the road whenever he can.
I trust, fellow Parterre readers, that we can all agree that Riccardo Muti is a great opera conductor.
John Danaher pays an operatic tribute to the writings of James McCourt, an author who captured the spirit of opera as queer and dangerous like no other.
My favorite Verdi performance is the iconic 1960 RCA recording of Otello with Jon Vickers in the title role and the Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus under the baton of the masterly Tullio Serafin.
John Danaher on the world-premiere recording of Clémence de Grandval‘s wild and worthy Mazeppa, the latest release from the operatic archaeologists at Palazzetto Bru Zane.
Strong performances at Opera Naples can’t overcome the cringey nostalgia of Derrick Wang‘s Scalia/Ginsburg.
Hoping for a “Tristan for the ages” in New York next month, John Danaher considers five versions of Tristan’s Act III “Muss ich dich so verstehn” for “Perspectives on an Aria.”
Gulfshore Opera’s vigorous production of Carmen answers a familiar question.
In Jacopo Peri’s seminal Euridice, the Newberry Consort and Haymarket Opera made a compelling case for putting you in the room where it happened.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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