“To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up”
Tosca, as it exists now, can’t be real, spontaneous drama-it’s just Camp.
Questo e Quello
Juan more time
Happy 54th birthday baritone Peter Mattei.
Tales of the Golden Motel
The gods get their kicks on Route 66.
Upon arrival
Lise Davidsen, the young Norwegian soprano who won the Operalia competition in 2015, makes her debut as a recording artist with the Decca label in a new recital of Wagner and Strauss arias and orchestral songs.
Nerve center
Happy 70th birthday tenor Neil Shicoff.
All I mask of you
Amore Opera, an old-fashioned, adventurous little company that performs ambitious and sometimes delectably obscure but worthy repertory at the Riverside Theatre, is now (through Sunday) presenting Un ballo in maschera.
Broadcast: Alceste
Live from the Bayerische Staatsoper, Gluck’s “reform opera” stars Charles Castronovo and Dorothea Röschmann.
Isn’t it bliss? Don’t you approve?
Happy 74th birthday mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade.
A little bit more
On this day in 1979 distinguished film actress Liv Ullmann made her Broadway song-and-dance bow.
Revolution blues
The opera proved somewhat puzzling—the score representing more a collage of fragmented and incidental musical ideas, and the libretto a turgid, slow-moving mass of purple prose.
She’s a rebel, she’s a saint
Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco in a rare NYC concert performance with Margaret Price, Carlo Bergonzi and Sherrill Milnes.
She is music
Galas, Charles Ludlam‘s legendary “modern tragedy” about a larger-than-life Greek opera diva with a tumultuous offstage life, opens Sunday, June 16.
Portrait of a lady
Born on this day in 1931 mezzo-soprano/soprano Shirley Verrett.
Never darken my Dior again!
Born on this day in 1894 actress, comedienne and diseuse Beatrice Lillie.
E avanti a lui tremava tutta Nagasaki
Norman Lebrecht will open season with his own unrepentant ignorance.
Don’t you love farce?
Staatsoper Berlin and the Met are programming Ken Ludwig‘s classic Lend Me a Tenor.
Magic mike
Born on this day in 1924 record and video producer John Culshaw.
“Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong”
Happy Memorial Day, US Paterrians.
“I don’t pretend I am what I am not”
Happy 81st birthday soprano Teresa Stratas.
Broadcast: Die Frau Ohne Schatten
Live from the Vienna State Opera!
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going”
Born on this day in 1929 soprano and administrator Beverly Sills.
And the 2019 Pubies go to…
Blame it on the Madonna-Whore Complex, cher public, but this years most hotly-contested parterre box “Pubie” award ended in a tie!
Just sensational
On this day in 1966 Angela Lansbury opened in Jerry Herman‘s Mame at the Winter Garden Theatre.
“Bruh, dat saucisson is straight fire, tho”
If there is one thing kids really stan, it’s charcuterie tailgating!
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
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).
