Natural born Miller
Cast changes (already) for San Francisco Opera.
Questo e Quello
“Acting is acting”
Born on this day in 1920 actor Tony Randall.
From here to obscurity
On this day in 1950 Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca premiered on NBC.
Fresh princes
Imagine two tenors releasing French opera aria collections at the same time without duplicating a single track!
Orpheus ascending
On this day in 1607 L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi received its première performance.
The kindness of Previn
Renée Fleming is one of the most polarizing figures to be discussed here on an ongoing basis.
Font of all wisdom
This day in 1455 is the traditional anniversary date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type.
Twenty years of pure hell!
“Speaking on Desert Island Discs, the German opera singer said that he and his colleagues felt as though they were in ‘straight-jackets,’ having to make diary commitments years in advance.”
In the realm of the cents
On this day in 1879 in Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opened the first of many “five and dime” stores.
And one for Mahler
Cheer up, cher public, and set yourself to the task of discussing off-topic and general interest subjects.
Lips together, teeth apart
Mr. Peabody, that Leonardo among canines, claimed she was suffering from toothache.
The world was listening
On this day in 1972 President Nixon arrived in the People’s Republic of China.
Cape fear
On this day in 1944 the “Batman and Robin” newspaper comic strip premiered.
“The cold bothered me, anyway”
“It was the chilliest opening night at the Met in years on Monday—barely 15 degrees when the curtain went up on the company premiere of La Donna del Lago.“
Trigger warning
The Rape of Lucretia, now (through Sunday) enjoying a superb three-performance run at the Juilliard Opera’s Willson Theater (tickets are scarce; hie thee to the waiting list), was Benjamin Britten’s third opera and first “chamber opera,” composed for the tiny original theater at Glyndebourne,
The galley that is called Despair
On this day in 1914 Riccardo Zandonai‘s Francesca da Rimini premiered in Turin.
String of pearls: the Met’s 2015-2016 season
The Metropolitan Opera’s 2015-16 season will present 227 opera performances in a varied repertory, ranging from rarely performed masterpieces to perennial audience favorites.
Whoever she is
On this day in 1930 Luigi Pirandello‘s Come Tu Mi Vuoi premiered in Milan.
Ebben… domani
The Met announces its 2015-2016 season tomorrow at 1:00 PM, cher public, and La Cieca knows you will all be here to discuss and dissect
One for the woad
Ellen Douglas finds herself in Act II of Rossini’s La Donna del Lago in the far from unusual operatic position of having her love claimed by two impassioned tenors in the bel canto version of a macho drag race.
Tsar quality
On this day in 1598 Boris Godunov was chosen tsar of Russia.
Night and dreams
At the Opernhaus Zürich, the coat check is not optional.
Star, crossed
The key to enjoying Bellini’s I Capuleti e Montechi is to do a hard factory reset and reformat your brain to forget all other works based on Romeo and Juliet.
Be my guest!
James Levine turns 72 this year. Even though his health has improved considerably in the past year and he may continue to conduct for a decade or more, it seems inevitable that he will step down as the Met’s Music Director sometime in the next few years to assume the role of Conductor Laureate.
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).