In harem’s way
Othello in the Seraglio is the rather unfortunate title bestowed by the ensemble Dünya on its “coffeehouse opera,” ossia The Tragedy of Sümbül the Black Eunuch.
Questo e Quello
You know, if this was a cowboy movie, I’d give you my boots
Where were you in 1975?
A pretty pair of babies
On this day in 1914, George Bernard Shaw‘s play Pygmalion premiered at His Majesty’s Theatre in London.
Working gets in the way of living
Born on this day in 1932 Egyptian actor Omar Sharif.
Anvil chorus
“I currently await, with trepidation, something set in the lavatories of a gay night club,”.”
Chat: Simon Boccanegra
Welcome, cher public, to the real-time chat for this afternoon’s Met broadcast of Simon Boccanegra, starting at 12:30 PM.
When a girl goes wrong, men go right after her
On this day in 1928 the melodrama Diamond Lil, written by and starring Mae West, opened at the Royale Theatre, to run 176 performances.
The good, the bad and the Haydn
In a striking program at Carnegie Hall last night, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s), with guest vocalist Susan Graham, brought together a wide array of musical proclivities—good and good bad taste alike.
Happy birthday everybody
On this day in 1876 Ponchelli’s La Gioconda premiered in Milan.
Bohemienne
Soprano Ailyn Pérez has been named the recipient of the 11th annual Beverly Sills Artist Award for young singers at the Metropolitan Opera.
Un soffio etesio
Kathleen Battle is back in the headlines returning to the Met this fall after more than 20 years, and “Trove Thursday” celebrates with a gala Falstaff.
As normal as blueberry pie
On this day in 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific opened on Broadway.
Everybody gets his kicks some way
On this day in 1959 Susan Hayward won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in I Want to Live.
Pinkerton’s secret
La Cieca would have taken him for a leg man, but Roberto Alagna has other ideas.
Have you seen the proconsul?
La Cieca hears that Joseph Calleja will sing Pollione opposite the Norma of Anna Netrebko at the Met for opening night 2017.
Sybil, shepherd
The original conductor of Nielsen’s opera summed the piece up well I think…
Die Majestät wird anerkannt rings im Land!
On this date in 1874 Johann Strauss Jr’s Die Fledermaus premiered in Vienna.
Why we fight
“Over the years, I have often been asked why I feel my sexuality is anyone’s business and why I am so open about it in print.”
Why have you kept me waiting so long?
Soprano Kathleen Battle will return to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera for the first time in more than two decades when she sings a recital there November 13.
Doge days
That Placido Domingo and James Levine, the Met’s inexorable septuagenarians, would team up yet again—on April Fools’ Day, no less—for a revival of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra occasioned an uncomfortable degree of doubt and dread.
Look Bacchae in anger
The weekly “Montag mit Marianne” stream continues with a performance of Szymanowski’s Krol Roger.
Pardon my Ploërmel
On this day in 1859 Meyerbeer’s Dinorah premiered in Paris.
Better luck Tamara
Soprano Tamara Wilson has been named as winner of the 2016 Richard Tucker Award.
I love the ’90s
“This story has been revised to correct production was Giancarlo del Monaco‘s, not Elijah Moshinsky‘s.”
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).