Lakeside ‘Story’
Sunny, lakeside Cooperstown presents a peppy, exuberant, winning production of West Side Story, the musical.
Questo e Quello
The wedding singers
Caramoor imported the venerable West-Coast period orchestra Philharmonia Baroque to perform Atalanta, an obscure pastoral work by Handel.
A nice pair of Jimmy Choos never hurt anyone
Happy 50th birthday singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth.
Chenez turn
Dapper countertenor Ray Chenez is temporarily putting aside the turbans of his operatic career for, well, the turbans of a Broadway diva as he appeals via Indiegogo for funding to record a CD of show tunes.
Gentlemen prefer mezzos
Happy 58th birthday mezzo-soprano Susan Graham.
Brian Kellow 1959-2018
We have just heard the sad news that author and longtime Opera News editor Brian Kellow died earlier today. He was 59.
Quelle cose che han nome poesia
Born on this day in 1909 soprano Licia Albanese.
Forever young
Magnanimous Michael Fabiano graces today’s parterre saturday afternoon webcast in a two-part interview during the intermissions of Gounod’s Faust.
Clair de Lune
On this day in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon.
Aggrieved is the glorious work
What could go wrong? As it turned out: just about everything!
You spin me right round, baby
“Labels play a hugely important role in our listening lives.”
I want to livecast!
Our Own JJ presents a very special parterre saturday afternoon: Gounod’s Faust, plus an exclusive two-part video interview with tenor Michael Fabiano.
“Ah, mascalzone, presto in prigione! Suzuki, il thè”
Here’s a set of comments that I think really captures the duality of YouTube — two criticisms of Jonas Kaufmann. I won’t say which I personally find more valid!
Class of the titans
Happy 80th birthday actress Dame Diana Rigg!
“Neither wine nor apples can appease my desire”
“Trove Thursday” salutes the thrilling Ursula Schröder-Feinen with a special double-bill: a complete Salome followed by a rare Siegfried Brünnhilde.
Bernstein’s Mess
“I think that if it’s not [Bernstein’s] worst, it surely reflects his worst tendencies…”
No mockers and no scoffers
Born on this day in 1868 soprano Florence Foster Jenkins.
“Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living”
Legendary maestro Riccardo Muti has announced his appointment as honorary president of Against Modern Opera Productions.
Play the favorita
Happy 52nd birthday to mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova.
O sofa fanciulla
Winsome, tony, and studded with overbooked bistros, Tanglewood is not exactly crawling with bohemians these days.
Transience
New York City Opera has announced a search for “a transgender singer with a treble voice” to create the role of a transgender character in the opera Stonewall.
“Every time I walked on the stage it was like I was walking into my life”
Born on this day in 1914 soprano Eleanor Steber.
The kiss we never dared we’ll dare in dreaming
If you’ve ever wondered what the Lost Boys’ abode might look like lined with mermaids, shopping carts, and unpeeled potatoes, look no further than Christopher Alden’s new production of Peter Pan.
O sink hernieder, Nacht der Lenny
Well here we are, beloveds, still swathed in the warm glow of the Leonard Bernstein centennial. Box sets abound like bunnies in a hutch.
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).