Constant as the northern star
On this day in 46 BC, Julius Caesar dedicated a temple to his mythical ancestor Venus Genetrix in accordance with a vow he made at the battle of Pharsalus.
Questo e Quello
Non posso nemmeno
“Thank goodness the Met’s new production by Richard Eyre lacks a bold new concept.”
Bohemian girl
The Met press office announces: “Hei-Kyung Hong will sing the role of Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème on September 26 and 29, replacing Ekaterina Scherbachenko, who is ill.”
Prima donna
On this day in 1979, the musical Evita opened at the Broadway Theater in New York City.
Wedding bell blues
“So it’s twice as disappointing that Monday night’s performance of the Mozart masterpiece turned into a four-hour fizzle.”
Empire waste
On this day in 1180, Manuel I Komnenos, last Emperor of the Komnenian restoration, died, and the Byzantine Empire slipped into terminal decline.
Chorus of the exiled protesters
“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.”
Love me, love my dog
On this day in 1962, Philharmonic Hall (since renamed Avery Fisher Hall) opened as the first unit of Lincoln Center for Performing Arts.
Tiara in the aisles
Our Own JJ (pictured) is off to cover the Met’s opening night.
Femmes fatales
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.
Felice troppo
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.
Golden anniverary
On this day in 1869, Richard Wagner‘s opera Das Rheingold premiered in Munich.
About last night
For those who like their Handel loud, with no forfeit of baroque finesse, one promising solution is to make the hall smaller.
Running, jumping, or burning Gaul
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.
That will bring us back to Do
As the New York season starts, cher public, here is your refuge where you may discuss off-topic and general interest subjects.
Not since the old Jill Gomez
Born on this day in 1912 Chuck Jones, American animator, screenwriter, and producer.
Three nights in Paris
“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.
Juan and two
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.
Twice on this island
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.
Sophistry
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.
Listen like a pirate day
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.
Sounds crazy, no?
“Possibly Grange Park Opera’s most ambitious production… Ever.”
Le déluge
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.”
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).