Questo e Quello
On this day in 1955 contralto Marian Anderson made her Metropolitan Opera debut.
La Cieca finds it difficult to imagine any more offbeat casting than the sublime Joyce DiDonato as “The Worst Singer in the World.”
The composer and conductor died yesterday at his home in Baden-Baden, Germany. He was 90.
Born on this day in 1412 martyr and saint Jeanne d’Arc
“Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe returns to Carnegie Hall to lead an audience sing-along concert, Sing, America!
On this day in 1875 the Palais Garnier was inagurated in Paris.
This week’s “Montag mit Marianne” highlights an extremely homoerotic Peter Grimes at Theater an der Wien (Christof Loy, Regisseur.)
Happy 79th birthday to protean diva Grace Bumbry!
Born on this day in 1905 actress Anna May Wong.
On this day in 1843 Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer premiered in Dresden.
Returning after 99 years for the Met’s annual New Year’s Eve gala, Bizet’s youthful exercise in Orientalia Les Pêcheurs de Perles proved a real crowd-pleaser.
On this joyous date in 1818 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was published anonymously.
Those who enjoyed (at least aurally) the Met’s recent La Donna del Lago may be craving more of the master from Pesaro, so 2015’s final “Trove Thursday” presents Torvaldo e Dorliska.
On this day in 535 Belisarius completed the conquest of Sicily.
It would be generous to say that history comes alive on the operatic stage.
On this day in 1927 Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari‘s opera Sly premiered at La Scala.
“Els tenors José Cura i Carl Tanner cantaran el rol d’Otello en l’òpera de Verdi en substitució d’Aleksandrs Antonenko…”
The already legendary performance of that role of roles Madame Rose by the ineffable Imelda Staunton may now be seen on YouTube.
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Yusif Eyvazov, who were married in Vienna just now.
Born on this day in 1938 actress and producer Mary Tyler Moore.
Fans of divas who sing 19th and 20th century opera may find themselves searching in vain for CDs to buy with this season’s gift cards, since their idols so rarely put out solo recitals these days.
Dame Josephine Barstow (not pictured) is seeking planning permission to build a Malthouse Arabians stableyard.
A much-loved diva overdue for this site is Anna Moffo.
On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck’s “other” opera Königskinder premiered at the Met.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
