Morning!

I recently saw someone on Facebook say:

“I’m in the mood of loving sweet friends and hating fake ones, especially Artists that were so fake that would do anything in order to succeed with their career without top talent. First ones that immediately come to my mind are: __________ and __________”

…and immedjiately I thought, “Our Parterre pugilists [read: BOXers] will love this game!” I’m eager to hear your thoughts on who Whosit is and what Whatsit might refer to.

While you ponder such nonsense, we have a ton of dish for you piggies… so you’ll need to think and chew at the same time.

Lisa Davidsen is pregnant mit twins Finally a “cancelling due to” we can both believe and smile about!	Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
RIP Paul Plishka The American bass, a fixture of the Metropolitan Opera between 1967 and 2018, was 83.	Winnie Klotz
The San Francisco Opera announces its 2025-26 season Wagner, Strauss, some newies, and some… asterisks—primarily from our readers, who are already sounding off in the void of our comment section.	Jessica Monroy for Drew Altizer Photography

Edmond Dédé

An 1887 French grand opera by a Black American composer Edmond Dédé received its world premiere with Opera Lafayette and OperaCréole.

In a PB feature, “What’s Old Is New Again,” Andrew Lokay writes that it raises questions about the potential of “restorative justice” in the operatic canon.

Jennifer Packard Photos, Courtesy of Opera Lafayette

The opera, Morgiane, ou Le Sultan d’Ispahan, received a flurry of coverage over the past weeks, from the New York Times to NPR. Our own Alex Baker was there when it arrived in DC and brings us his report.

Wanna write for us? Parterre Box welcomes pitches from all interested writers—even those not endowed quite as pictured. You just need to send us your stats and your potential plays, as it were or whatever.

P.S. Now I realize that the only home plates I may know about are those ridiculous Fornasetti operatic playbill soap dishes… and athletic cups, well… I’ve tossed a Wedgewood black basalt or two during a lovers’ quarrel…

…but yes, I’m aware that baseball gloves don’t look like that. Blame artificial intelligence. Some of us were merely born with the innate kind but are simply too overwhelmed to grapple with graphite just now!

Do you have questions, tips, suggestions, gripes, or story ideas?
Email us if you must: [email protected]

Ciao for now!
Nick Scholl
Publisher, parterre box