It’s curtain time and away we go…
On this day in 1817 Rossini’s La Cenerentola premiered in Rome.
Questo e Quello
Scritto in ciel
In our circle, Mexico City in the summer was the opera capital of the world from the late 1940s and early 1950.
It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them
Born on this day in 1732 playwright Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais.
Broadway baby
Happy 84th birthday actress, dancer and singer Chita Rivera.
It’s a Mantua’s world
Verdi’s Rigoletto returned to the Met Friday in the stilted “Las Vegas” production by Michael Mayer, with mostly competent singing from a good-looking cast.
Not my dragoon
The Metropolitan Opera’s revival of Carmen began with a bit of drama Thursday night when tenor Rafael Davila replaced Marcelo Álvarez.
I’d rather be burned as a witch
On this day in 1953, Arthur Miller‘s drama The Crucible opened at the Martin Beck Theatre, to run 197 performances.
Broadcast: Roméo et Juliette
Here’s where you can discuss this afternoon’s performance of the Gounod tuner starting at 1:00 PM.
Don’t buy much but make sure that what you buy is good
Born on this day in 1905 couturier Christian Dior.
La bontà in trionfo
“Trove Thursday” offers a sparkling performance of Rossini’s La Cenerentola from our nation’s capital featuring the scintillating conducting of Claudio Abbado and Lucia Valentini-Terrani in the title role.
Hillary speaks!
Glenn Roven‘s concert piece based on two of Hillary Clinton’s speeches and sung by everyone you ever heard of will premiere at noon today.
The pearl is the oyster’s autobiography
Born on this day in 1920 film director and screenwriter Federico Fellin.
And see if I can be rebirthed next Thursday afternoon
Anna Netrebko has become Edina Monsoon.
Even I want to be Cary Grant
Born on this day in 1904 actor Cary Grant.
A point upon a map of fog
San Francisco Opera in 2017-2018 presents the Ring cycle, a new John Adams/Peter Sellars collaboration called Girls of the Golden West, plus new productions of Elektra (Christine Goerke, Stephanie Blythe, Adrianne Pieczonka) and Manon (Nadine Sierra, Michael Fabiano.)
Met’s loss is our Margaine
“Clémentine Margaine will make her Met debut in the title role of Bizet’s Carmen this Thursday, January 19.”
Blut force
The very first Vienna post-war performance of Elektra.
On this good day
Happy 95th birthday actress Betty White.
Traveling music
Andrea Andermann is the veteran film producer who had the notion to assemble top-flight talent from the worlds of music and cinema for a generously funded film of Tosca.
It has become that time of morning
Renée Fleming doesn’t sound Southern. In fact, she doesn’t even sound Earthian.
A damned exasperating woman
On this day in 1964 Hello, Dolly! opened at the St. James Theater, to run 2,844 performances.
Doommates
The aesthetic vision of M. Lamar’s Funeral Doom Spiritual was undeniable.
He who placed me in this seat will keep me here
On this day in 1559 the coronation of Elizabeth I of England took place.
Not since the Zodiac Killer…
“Marlis Petersen, in her first shot at the role, is as complete a video Violetta as Rosanna Carteri, Marie McLaughlin or the young Angela Gheorghiu, and as riveting as Teresa Stratas or Anna Netrebko.”
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).