Questo e Quello
Born on this day in 1934 film personality Donald Duck..
Ezio was an inspired choice for Boston’s feisty Odyssey Opera to open its “When In Rome” festival.
Richard Wagner viewed dance as an essential element of art, though he used it sparingly in his operas.
On this day in 1786 commercially made ice cream was first advertised in the United States.
Happy 53rd birthday tenor Roberto Alagna.
This week, I offer you a classic rendition of Richard Strauss’ tale of the House of Atreus starring Ursula Schröder-Feinen, Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, Theo Adam, and Hans Hopf under Karl Böhm’s direction.
Today the world of opera mourns the death of soprano and pedagogue Phyllis Curtin, who passed away yesterday at the age of 94.
La Cieca though you might be amused, or at least bemused, by a few published reactions to LoftOpera.
On this day in 1876 bananas were introduced to the United States at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.
If you’ve been following the coverage of the Nézet-Séguin succession, you will note that a good deal of the coverage centers on whether the incoming maestro will “champion” this composer or that.
The cher public are invited to supply a caption to the above photo.
Born on this day in 1920 mezzo-soprano Fedora Barbieri.
LoftOpera offered an unusually satisfying, immensely entertaining production of Rossini’s scintillating portrait of an inveterate seducer.
Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of listening to someone tell a joke badly?
“Mr. Levine was conducting his beloved Wagner for what was almost certainly the last time.”
On this day in 1937 Margaret Mitchell won the Pulitzer Prize for Gone With the Wind.
“Trove Thursday” steps in with one of René Jacobs’s favorite and rarest rediscoveries, Francesco Conti’s marvelous Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena from 1719.
Endings (in particular that of James Levine) and beginnings (Anna Netrebko‘s, as a Wagnerian), dominated the list of most popular posts on parterre in the month of May.
La Cieca called it, mostly: Yannick Nézet-Séguin will the the Met’s new music director, taking on full official duties in the 2020-2021 season.
Happy 79th birthday actress Sally Kellerman.
La Cieca (pictured, left) applauds our parterre advertisers for the month of June.
On this day in 1971 Ed Sullivan broadcast his final TV show on CBS.
t appears from the image released above that La Cieca’s fanciful album cover for Anna Netrebko‘s forthcoming “Verismo” disc was not so far off the mark.
On this day in 1979 the musical I Remember Mama opened at the Majestic Theater, to run 108 performances.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
