Questo e Quello
A particularly elegant bevy of sponsors grace the pixels of parterre this month: Carnegie Hall, the New York City Opera and the New York Philharmonic.
While Farinelli and the King isn’t the only Broadway play to have explored castration (Sweet Bird of Youth, anyone?) it’s likely the first to concern a legendary 18th century opera star.
Happy 81st birthday soprano Martina Arroyo!
“Trove Thursday” ushers in February with Catalani’s La Wally with a mountain-top cast of Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Mario del Monaco, Giangiacomo Guelfi and Giorgio Tozzi conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.
“Oh yes we both reached for the gun!”
On this day in 1896, the premiere in Turin of Puccini’s La bohème; on this day in 1922, the birth of one of this work’s greatest interpreters, Renata Tebaldi.
The Metropolitan Opera has fired octogenarian stage director John Copley after receiving a complaint about “inappropriate behavior in the rehearsal room.”
La Cieca regrets to say it’s time to step back from the gratuitous display of bare skin in opera.
On this day in 1974 Verdi”s I vespri siciliani was first staged at the Metropolitan Opera.
Finally an announcement to get the heart pumping: the Paris Opera’s 2018-2019 season offers no fewer than 11 new productions!
On this day in 1957 soprano Martha Mödl made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Siegfried Brunnhilde.
Tonight’s broadcast and the discussion begin at 7:25 PM.
It was already nearly two o’clock in the morning, late for a work night, and Nixon Ben Mahmoud was ashamed to find himself crying real tears.
On this day in 1973 baritone Ingvar Wixell made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Rigoletto.
A Met HD cinema broadcast of Puccini’s Tosca on Saturday, 27 January, concluded the first run of a production marked by upheaval in the ten months between its announcement and its New Year’s Eve premiere.
On this day in 1916 Granados’ Goyescas premiered at the Met.
Mariachi bands travel the world, make appearances in Hollywood, and moonlight on Linda Ronstadt albums.
One of the greats of classical music, Franz Joseph Haydn was a bit of an “also-ran” as an opera composer.
Living for art begins this afternoon at 1:00 PM.
On this day in 1961 Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli made their historic Metropolitan Opera debuts in Verdi’s Il trovatore.
On this day Dialogues des Carmélites had its world premiere at La Scala.
On this day in 1955 Rudolf Kempe made his Metropolitan Opera debut conducting Tannhäuser.
The Richard Strauss / Hugo von Hofmannsthal music drama Elektra premiered on this day in 1909 at the Semperoper, Dresden.
Anita Rachvelishvili and Quinn Kelsey towered over an otherwise pedestrian if still exciting Il Trovatore.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
