Questo e Quello
On this day in 1868 Richard Wagner‘s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg premiered in Munich.
You don’t often hear the grand operas of Benjamin Britten on smaller stages.
I have always wanted to see a production of Strauss’ Elektra that made my ears bleed.
It’s time to add more legends to my Mixcloud site: Mario Del Monaco, Raina Kabaivanska, and Tito Gobbi star in this 1962 performance of Otello from Covent Garden led by Georg Solti.
Happy first day of summer!
On this day in 1825 Gioacchino Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims, ossia L’albergo del giglio d’oro premiered at the Théâtre Italien, Paris.
“In Houston and San Francisco, David Gockley [not pictured] commissioned operas destined for stages worldwide.”
La Cieca is sure she is unanimous in stating that this afternoon’s online opera broadcasts offer something for everyone in the parterre continuum.
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Eva Marton!
An extraordinarily rich variety of opera happens locally, under the umbrella of New York Opera Fest.
On this day in 1967 Barbra Streisand‘s A Happening in Central Park, uh, happened in New York.
This may be Karita Mattila’s greatest role.
Deborah Voigt has canceled her role debut as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at Florida Grand Opera.
Genia Kühmeier, Christian Gerhaher and Phyllis Bryn-Julson performing works by Richard Strauss, Mahler and Berg.
On this day in 1961 premier danseur Rudolf Nurevey defected from the (then) Soviet Union to the west via Paris.
That little place just two hours from the city is on the list of things I shall never understand, like the plot of Parsifal.
Happy 43rd birthday actor Neil Patrick Harris.
Born on this day in 1884 tenor John McCormack.
Opera Upper West recently tweeted an unfortunate picture of me.
Berlioz apparently couldn’t decide if his was an oratorio or an opera, so he labeled it a “légende dramatique.” Since its 1846 Paris premiere, it remains on both opera stages and in concert halls, with its first Met staging in 1906.
On this day in 1855 Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes premiered in Paris.
Happy Birthday, happy birthday, New York, New York!
On this day in 1922 singer, actress and vaudevillian Judy Garland was born.
I realized I hadn’t yet posted anything featuring one of the “Queens of the Bootlegs,” so I now correcting that with Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West starring the great Magda Olivero as Minnie.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
