Questo e Quello
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.
Samantha Hankey, so impressive as Diana and Giove-in-Diana in Juilliard’s recent run of Cavalli’s La Calisto, was the perfect Cenerentola.
Born on this day in 1876 dancer and spy Margaretha Geertruida ‘Margreet’ Zelle MacLeod aka Mata Hari.
Born on this day in 1911 actress Lucille Ball.
Happy 60th birthday actress Faith Prince.
Born on this day in 1904 singer and actress Helen Kane.
Due to bandwidth limits “Trove Thursday” must post some more modest offerings in months with five Thursdays.
Born on this day in 1908 actress Dolores del Rio
Long-time followers of Norman Lebrecht will not be surprised in the least to hear this.
Born on this day in 1936 designer Yves Saint-Laurent.
Let’s listen, cher public, to Siegfried, live from the Bayreuth Festival, starting at 10:00 AM.
La fille du regiment from Wiener Staatsoper with Julie Fuchs and John Tessier.
You’d think by now I’d know better than to make snap judgments about an opera or a singer—but apparently not.
On this day in 1954 TV host, composer and comedian Steve Allen married actress Jayne Meadows.
The Bayreuth Ring (and perhaps the parterre discussion?) continues at 10:00 AM.
Can a surfeit of pleasure become—in the end—unsatisfying?
Get your kicks on Siegfried-Wagner-Alee.
Born on this day in 1887 composer Sigmund Romberg.
A first glimpse of Anna Netrebko‘s styling for her role debut as Aïda at Salzburg.
On this day in 1882 Wagner’s Parsifal premiered in Bayreuth.
“Trove Thursday” offers Gemma di Vergy with the lovely, largely now forgotten Adriana Maliponte in the title role.
Has “opera-queen culture” really burned out?
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
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