Questo e Quello

Curtain up! Light the lights! Curtain up! Light the lights!

On this day in 1974 the Winter Garden Theatre was evacuated due to a bomb threat.

Tragic mike Tragic mike

The Metropolitan Opera Guild has come such a long way since the days of dear Mrs. August Belmont!

Things go better with woke Things go better with woke

“This influx comes during a time in which opera companies around the country… are struggling to compete with the addictive quick-pleasure center that is the smart phone.”

“On stage, I am in the dark” “On stage, I am in the dark”

Departed this world on this day 42 years ago in Paris.

“I am grateful that my horizons were not narrowed at the outset” “I am grateful that my horizons were not narrowed at the outset”

Happy 74th birthday soprano Jessye Norman.

Broadcast: Last Night at the Proms Broadcast: Last Night at the Proms

Jamie Barton graces the Last Night at the Proms starting at 2:00 PM EDT.

Slapstick Tragedienne Slapstick Tragedienne

Born on this day in 1933 actor and director Zoe Caldwell.

“Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value” “Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value”

Born on this day in 1874 composer Arnold Schoenberg.

Where’er you woke Where’er you woke

Our Own Jamie Barton graces the Last Night of the Proms with her “queer fat femme energy.”

Funny fascist Funny fascist

Leave it to Opera News to whitewash the revolting reactionary politics of Franco Zeffirelli.

Dido it again Dido it again

“Trove Thursday” presents Purcell’s remarkably concise Dido and Aeneas in a pair of fascinatingly different interpretations.

And Carthage flames tomorrow And Carthage flames tomorrow

Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.

Miss me blond Miss me blond

From the technical standpoint San Francisco Opera’s Billy Budd was pretty much flawless.

Learning scales will never seem so sweet again Learning scales will never seem so sweet again

Born on this day in 1899 West End, Broadway and film crooner Georges Metaxa.

Wolf whistle Wolf whistle

Sam Neuman shares tips and tricks for behaving like a cultured person at the opera.

My name is Barbuta My name is Barbuta

Queen of the Photo Shoot Cecilia Bartoli has done it again.

Paris original Paris original

Born on this day in 1890 fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

Get this Pati started Get this Pati started

Politics and romance entangled in a spectacular fashion at San Francisco Operas’s Roméo et Juliette.

“We are asleep until we fall in love!” “We are asleep until we fall in love!”

Born on this day in 1828 writer Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy.

Cold dead hands Cold dead hands

The press department at the English National Opera is considering a revamp of the company’s press seating policy.

Crazy Crazy

Born on this day in 1932 singer Patsy Cline.

Broadcast: Das Rheingold Broadcast: Das Rheingold

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts this live performance from the Finnish National Opera.

Folle amore! Folle ebbrezza! Folle amore! Folle ebbrezza!

Happy 54th birthday soprano Angela Gheorghiu.

Romeo and politics Romeo and politics

La Cieca is informed that the opening night of San Francisco Opera’s Roméo et Juliette was delayed by an “Impeach Trump” demonstration, with hundreds of flyers dropped into the auditorium.