Questo e Quello
On this day in 1979, the musical Evita opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City.
“So it’s twice as disappointing that Monday night’s performance of the Mozart masterpiece turned into a four-hour fizzle.”
On this day in 1180, Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration, died, and the Byzantine Empire slipped into terminal decline.
“I applaud the Klinghoffer protesters for voicing their opinions, but that doesn’t stop me from saying that I find those opinions ill-informed, inept and downright dangerous.”
On this day in 1962, Philharmonic Hall (since renamed Avery Fisher Hall) opened as the first unit of Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.
Our Own JJ (pictured) is off to cover the Met’s opening night.
You’ve cast your votes for the operas you most look forward to hearing at the Met this fall, and if the opera has “Macbeth” in the title, you’re there.
Our Own Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin celebrates tonight’s opening of the season at the Met with an opening night from the past: a 1967 performance of La traviata.
On this day in 1869, Richard Wagner‘s opera Das Rheingold premiered in Munich.
For those who like their Handel loud, with no forfeit of baroque finesse, one promising solution is to make the hall smaller.
Far be it from me to join the Schadenfreudian chorus of “Bye, Bye, Berti!” you may have been hearing in certain quarters, but the first thing I am duty-bound to report about San Francisco Opera’s Norma (of which three performances remain) is that they’ve hit the jackpot, coverwise.
As the New York season starts, cher public, here is your refuge where you may discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
Born on this day in 1912 Chuck Jones, American animator, screenwriter, and producer.
“Oh to be young and going to Paris for the first time,” exclaimed an elderly gentleman who donned his best sweatervest for a concert at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival this past August.
I always think of Don Giovanni as half of the greatest opera ever written. Or, actually, about 2/3 of the greatest opera ever written.
Here’s a last-minute alert to a bit of baroque in downtown NYC: the project WhiteboxLab: SoundLounge will livestream performances of Handel’s Alcina tonight and tomorrow night (Sunday) starting each evening at 7:00 PM.
On this day in 451 AD, Roman General Flavius Aetius defeated Attila the Hun at The Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, halting the Hun invasion of Roman Gaul.
In honor of “Talk Like a Pirate Day” La Cieca invites you, the cher public, to share reminiscences (and, where applicable, YouTube clips) of your favorite pirate recordings.
Born on this day in 1949 Twiggy.
“Possibly Grange Park Opera’s most ambitious production… Ever.”
The very busy Met press office announces: “The Metropolitan Opera announces cast changes for this season’s performances of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Verdi’s Aida, and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.”
On this day in 14 AD, Tiberius was confirmed as Roman Emperor by the Roman Senate, following the death of Augustus.
“The sensation is that you are actually right there in the studio with Callas herself.”
On this day in 1964, the sitcom Bewitched premiered on ABC television.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
