Questo e Quello
Born on this day in 1920 actress Shelley Winters..
A rollicking performance of his delightful comic opera Der geduldige Sokrates featuring a fine cast and the magnificent Akademie für Alte Musik conducted by René Jacobs.
Born on this day in 1893 actress and playwright Mae West.
Good news, Puccini fans!
Happy 89th birthday actress Ann Blyth.
Born on this day in 1936 soprano Rita Shane.
Two of the greatest opera composers of the 20th century both happened to be gay and ardent pacifists.
Happy 57th birthday soprano Cecilia Gasdia.
Happy 69th birthday soprano Kathleen Battle
Born on this day in 1888 actress Marion Lorne.
Our Own JJ (not pictured) muses on the difficulty of staging Mozart’s greatest opera in his latest piece for the New York Times.
And after this CD (due in October) she’ll make another, and another!
“I was shocked and did not understand anything anymore. I was 13 at this time.”
The legendary performance of “Hey Big Spender” by Marilyn Horne, Carol Burnett and Eileen Farrell has shown up on YouTube.
Happy 92nd birthday actress Arlene Dahl.
Listening and discussion of the new Salzburg Festival Aïda, featuring Anna Netrebko in her role debut as the titular princess in captivity.
“Trove Thursday” presents Janet Baker in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde from 1970 partnered by Jess Thomas and conducted by Josef Krips.
>Born on this day in 1902 actress Norma Shearer.
Happy 58th birthday soprano Maria Guleghina.
Shirley Verrett in 1973 or Anna Netrebko on Sunday?
‘Bess, you is my woman now,’ featuring both Ms. Opolais and Sir Bryn.
The turntable set looks much the same from any angle: gutted concrete tenements and perilous alleys, instantly recognizable as a scene of urban guerrilla mayhem.
Happy 80th birthday actor Dustin Hoffman.
The principal cast members for the week’s Aida are all Wagnerians: Birgit Nilsson, Sándor Kónya, Rita Gorr and Cornell MacNeil.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
