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With unrest and looting nearby as France learned collectively that minority lives should matter, Marseille-adjacent Aix-en-Provence could be forgiven for the heavy-handedness of launching its 75th anniversary summer Festival with a new French translation of the ultimate carnival of social tension, The Threepenny Opera.
Born on this day in 1889 writer, filmmaker and designer Jean Cocteau.
On this day in 1944 the film noir Double Indemnity directed by Billy Wilder was released in Baltimore, Maryland
On this day in 1941 Noel Coward‘s play Blithe Spirit premiered in London.
Born on this day in 1916 actress Olivia de Havilland.
Chris’s Cache previews Donizetti’s Poliuto, with a broadcast starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Gregory Kunde and Gabriele Viviani, along with Les Martyrs, the opera’s French grand opera revision, with Leyla Gencer, Mario di Felici and Renato Bruson.
On this day in 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Pipe Dream closed at Shubert Theater, NYC, after 245 performances.
Born on this day in 1901 baritone and film star Nelson Eddy.
Tell us: What’s your favorite Verdi performance?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Nailin’ the coughin’
Nailin’ the coughin’
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Rosa Feola, still scheduled for a run of performances as Violetta in New York this spring, is the subject of this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Landing the plane
Landing the plane
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
With Nixon, Klinghoffer, and Andris Nelsons on the mind, Parterre Box offers a recording of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s recent John Adams outing.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Le galant tireur
Le galant tireur
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
American tenor Charles Castronovo performs a bit of Weber’s Der Freischütz ahead of the opportunity to hear Berlioz‘s take on the score at Carnegie Hall next week.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
My 600 performance life
My 600 performance life
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Parterre Box acknowledges Riccardo Muti‘s 600th performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by highlighting two of his favorite singers — under a different conductor.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Life imitates art
Life imitates art
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
With Gustavo Dudamel in the spotlight at Parterre Box this week, Grand Tier Grab Bag foreshadows one of the New York Philharmonic’s upcoming operatic engagements.
Grand Tier Grab Bag
Drink me
Drink me
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
Parterre Box answers the question, “how can a singer do both Tristan and Nemorino within a few month of each other?” with a clip of a recent role debut from Michael Spyres.
On this day in 1846 Adolphe Sax received a patent for what would become his greatest invention.
The ailing and grief-stricken Pinkerton was shown to give his son a diary about his time in Nagasaki, and as Trouble read it, he (and the audience) was taken back in time as the story came to life, similar to the use of Pensieve in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4).
Born on this day in 1932 soprano Anna Moffo.
This showcase concert gave notice that countertenor Hugh Cutting is among the most promising artists of his generation.
Despite the ever-increasing media coverage of San Francisco’s “doom loop,” June 2023 will be forever remembered as the time where San Francisco was the opera capital of the United States.
On this day, The Ziegfeld Follies of 1924 opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre with a cast including Billie Burke, W. C. Fields, Will Rogers, Vivienne Segal, Ethel Shutta and Louise Brooks.
Happy Pride! On this day in 1978 the rainbow flag representing gay pride was presented for the first time during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade.
Alex Esposito and Lisette Oropesa star at the Teatro Real de Madrid.
Talk of the Town
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
A favorite art song performance from Rowna Sutin
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
With youthful abandon, Ms. Feola interprets an old chestnut.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
A favorite art song performance from Andrew Lokay
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton’s rendition of Jake Heggie‘s “Winged Victory: We’re Through,” vividly captures the song’s humor and energy.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
A favorite art song performance from Jamie Barton
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
This prompt of “favorite art song performance” seems just about as broad — and almost silly — a question as asking a painter what their favorite color is.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
A favorite art song performance from Leyla Gender-Bender
While I like both Erna Berger and Maria Stader’s versions, Erna Berger brings more drama to the rendition.
While I like both Erna Berger and Maria Stader’s versions, Erna Berger brings more drama to the rendition.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
A favorite art song performance from Erika Baikoff
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
What I love most about Sergei Rachmaninoff‘s “Lilacs” is how beautifully it captures the quiet intimacy at the heart of art song.
The Talk of the Town
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
A favorite art song performance from Last Castrato
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
Rosa Ponselle is the singer who had it all.
On this day in 1967 the Metropolitan Opera presented its first “Met in the Parks” performance in Crocheron Park, Bayside, Queens. La bohème featured Anna Moffo, Sandor Konya, Laurel Hurley and Frank Guarrera.
For your Friday evening chatting pleasure, a video from the Opéra Comique, Paris.
Born on this day in 1763 Joséphine de Beauharnais.
“Gabriela Lena Frank‘s score for Frida y Diego was nothing short of extraordinary, at times recalling Béla Bartók (in her treatment for climaxes) or Giacomo Puccini (in her handling of choruses), but the musical idioms were certainly her own. I particularly mesmerized by many instrumental solos peppered throughout the score (most particularly the bassoon and violin solos), and Frank used such device to define the characters, almost in a way of leitmotif.”
On June 20, a rather breezy, pleasant cool summer evening, the soprano Gabriella Reyes, tenor René Barbera and baritone Will Liverman took over the Summerstage space with a wide-ranging, ambitious recital program with Dimitri Dover tickling the ivories.
On this day in 2006 The Devil Wears Prada premiered in Los Angeles.
Renowned musical artist Jonas Kaufmann has returned to his first true love, recording dated kitsch.
Today’s Chris’s Cache features live recordings of Otello most noteworthy for their Desdemonas: (in chronological order) Teresa Stratas, Julia Varady, Eva Marton and Karita Mattila.