Tristissimus Thursday
On this day in 14 AD, Tiberius was confirmed as Roman Emperor by the Roman Senate, following the death of Augustus.
Questo e Quello
Divina, deconstructed
“The sensation is that you are actually right there in the studio with Callas herself.”
We live on the wind and in the sparkle of a star!
On this day in 1964, the sitcom Bewitched premiered on ABC television.
It’s a good career
Music Director James Levine (pictured, left) is obviously feeling well enough that he can get back to favorite pastime, i.e., making sure nobody else has a success except him.
The dark side of the moon
After viewing Stefan Herheim’s production of Rusalka, I’ve got a new category: “regie slick.”
U mad?
For all those Mad Scene lovers out there, here is a video of some great Mad Scenes in opera.
In Bruges
They say that Boston, despite many cultural distinctions, ain’t no opera town, and for some decades—generations?—this has been true. But tides of change will break, even on the shores of the Hub.
The music, ho!
On this day in 1966, the Metropolitan Opera House opened at Lincoln Center in New York City with the world premiere of Samuel Barber‘s opera Antony and Cleopatra.
Change of pace
La Cieca has just heard that Joseph Kaiser, due to unforeseen circumstances, will not be able to participate in Sunday’s Voce recital.
Thank you all for the gifts and the flowers
Perhaps to whet the appetite for the Met’s opening night just one week from now, Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin presents a gala performance of Le nozze di Figaro (with a cast headed by Teresa Stratas) from the Paris Opera.
Speer pressure
One of the things that made François Girard’s 2013 production of Parsifal at the Met so compelling was the way he tried to make the tale of suffering and temptation relevant to a contemporary audience.
Chantons sous la pluie
Walking away from Theatre Châtelet this afternoon, I felt as though my relationship with France and its notoriously perplexing people and culture had at long last reached some degree of depth.
Mold Acquaintance
On this day in 1923 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.
Tick tick tick
On this day in 1968, the television newsmagazine program 60 Minutes premiered on CBS-TV.
Key signature
On this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key composed the poem “Defence of Fort McHenry,” which was later set to music and became the United States’ national anthem.
Blind jealousy
Which highly respected opera professional has been making a lot of childish scenes lately (even devising a fake identity on parterre.com!) in order to sow discord between two ex-clients?
Leaner in
The Metropolitan Opera just announced that 22 positions from its administrative staff of 254 have been eliminated as part of a company-wide program of cost cutting.
French tips
Valerian Ruminksi, that bass-baritone who shot off his mouth all over Facebook about a drag queen’s manicure and got fired from a prestigious gig with Opera Lyra—remember him?
Light tomorrow with today
On this day in 1846, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with Robert Browning.
Vital statistics
Now that you know how to obtain same-day tickets to the Met, cher public, all that remains is deciding which operas you intend to see.
The great big city’s a wondrous toy
On this day in 1609, Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan Island and the indigenous people living there.
These are the jokes, folks
“[Renée Fleming] also proved herself skilled at musical comedy at times…. As for those aforementioned comic moments, she revealed her own fondness for Joseph Canteloube’s Folk Songs from the Auvergne.”
A girl’s best friend
On this day in 1846, Elias Howe was granted a patent for the sewing machine.
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).