Questo e Quello
Sunday, August 26, marked the inaugural performance for the newly-created The Claude Heater Foundation with a concert performance of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde in the Herbst Theatre.
Happy 54th birthday bass René Pape.
Born on this day in 1910 singer, actress, TV panelist and arts activist Kitty Carlisle Hart.
On this day in 1829 Rossini’s Guillaume Tell premiered in Paris.
Sometimes the fates conspire, preventing an artist from recording the role for which he is his generation’s touchstone.
Born on this day in 1926 baritone Thomas Stewart.
Tanglewood may bring the classical music crowd to Lenox, but for opera, it’s all about neighboring Pittsfield, Mass.
Happy 77th birthday bass Paul Plishka.
Happy 69th birthday Irish mezzo-soprano (not Canadian pop singer) Ann Murray.
Born on this day in 1918 composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.
A vintage performance of Il trovatore from Paris in 1975 featuring (in alphabetical order) Renata Scotto and Shirley Verrett.
Happy 62nd birthday director Francesca Zambello.
Lately “Trove Thursday” has been binging on prima donnas so the rest of August will be more tenor-centric. This week brings a double bill starring the marvelous Michael Spyres, a specialist in rarities: Rossini’s Ermione and that American obscurity Candide whose composer’s 100th birthday, by the way, is this Saturday.
>Happy 64th birthday actor, playwright, cabaret performer, drag legend, raconteur and clothes horse Charles Busch.
The Lamplighters Music Theatre opened their 66th season in SF last Saturday with triumphant performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.
“An up-and-coming baritone singer alleges he was drugged and violently raped in 2010 by two of opera/classical music’s shining stars, David Daniels and Scott Walters.”
Born on this day in 1893 poet, writer, critic and satirist Dorothy Parker.
The actress and teacher died earlier today of lung cancer. She was 83.
Happy 85th birthday mezzo-soprano Janet Baker.
For your pleasure: visit Fake Norman Stories and see AI-generated Slipped Disc headlines.
Salieri’s La Cifra (“The Cipher”) played all over Europe for 20 years, in several translations (German, Spanish). Then, like many a worthy work, it was forgotten.
On this day in 1828 Rossini’s Le Comte d’Ory premiered in Paris.
All politics is vocal in Jan Lauwers’ Salzburg production of the Monteverdi masterpiece, which will be streamed at 12:30 PM on Monday.
Born on this day in 1883 designer Coco Chanel.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
