“A lie who always speaks the truth”
Born on this day in 1889 writer, filmmaker and designer Jean Cocteau.
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Murder’s never perfect
On this day in 1944 the film noir Double Indemnity directed by Billy Wilder was released in Baltimore, Maryland
An improbable farce
On this day in 1941 Noel Coward‘s play Blithe Spirit premiered in London.
The good girl
Born on this day in 1916 actress Olivia de Havilland.
Accidentally like a martyr
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.
Traubel in mind
On this day in 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical Pipe Dream closed at Shubert Theater, NYC, after 245 performances.
Star of eve
Born on this day in 1901 baritone and film star Nelson Eddy.
Sax education
On this day in 1846 Adolphe Sax received a patent for what would become his greatest invention.
Looking for Trouble
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).
High flying bird
Born on this day in 1932 soprano Anna Moffo.
Blond ambition
This showcase concert gave notice that countertenor Hugh Cutting is among the most promising artists of his generation.
Glorious excess
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.
How often I think of the past!
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.
Rainbow connection
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.
Il Turco in Italia
Alex Esposito and Lisette Oropesa star at the Teatro Real de Madrid.
Theme park
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.
Carmen
For your Friday evening chatting pleasure, a video from the Opéra Comique, Paris.
Born in ultry-sultry Martinique
Born on this day in 1763 Joséphine de Beauharnais.
El último sueño de Frida y Diego
“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.”
“Blame it on the summer knight”
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.
Is something funny?
On this day in 2006 The Devil Wears Prada premiered in Los Angeles.
Wrong side of the tracks
Renowned musical artist Jonas Kaufmann has returned to his first true love, recording dated kitsch.
A divided duty
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.
Return of the Merolini
On June 16, San Francisco Opera concluded their excellent Centennial Season with a heartfelt 100th Anniversary Concert, featuring a starry cast, three conductors (including current and former Music Directors) and the SF Opera Orchestra and Chorus.