The key of dreams The key of dreams

My sister Julie celebrates an important birthday later this month which reminded me—as I also recalled I visiting her while she was living in Prague—that I should unearth Bohuslav Martin?’s Julietta with Lucia Popp and Dénes Gulyás for this week’s Trove Thursday.

Where’s craft? Where’s craft?

Born on this day in 1902 actress Margaret Hamilton.

Out of the repast Out of the repast

The entire dinner was spent discussing conductors.

A kiss on the hand A kiss on the hand

On this day in 1949 the Jule Styne musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes opened on Broadway.

Macbeth Macbeth

Riccardo Chailly conducts a new production of Verdi’s tragedy featuring Luca Salsi, Anna Netrebko, Ildar Abdrazakov and Francesco Meli.

Child, you’re out of your mind! Child, you’re out of your mind!

Born on this day in 1893 actress Fay Bainter.

Lavender lady Lavender lady

Born on this day in 1900 actress Agnes Moorehead.

Analyzing what you haven’t got as well as what you have Analyzing what you haven’t got as well as what you have

Born on this day in 1898 soprano Grace Moore.

Don Giovanni Don Giovanni

Featured in a new Barrie Kosky production: Kyle Ketelsen, Ain Anger, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Kate Lindsey, Philippe Sly, Patricia Nolz and Peter Kellner.

Eurydice Eurydice

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Erin Morley (Eurydice), Joshua Hopkins (Orpheus), Jakub Józef Orlinski (Orpheus’s Double), Nathan Berg (Father) and Barry Banks (Hades).

A certain theatrical precision A certain theatrical precision

Sondra Radvanovsky was a force of nature as Tosca on Thursday night at the Met.

Set a date Set a date

Born on this day in 1921 film songstress Deanna Durbin.

Here in little Dallas Here in little Dallas

On this day in 1993 the first issue of parterre box was  published.

Tosca Tosca

Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads Sondra Radvanovsky (Tosca), Brian Jagde (Cavaradossi), George Gagnidze (Scarpia) and  Patrick Carfizzi (Sacristan).

How deep is your love How deep is your love

As one can see from the chronology published earlier this year, the American Opera Society, in addition to reviving a number of now familiar operas, introduced many singers who became important local figures; however, there were shooting-star exceptions like today’s Trove Thursday offering of d’Albert’s Tiefland featuring Angeles Gulin and Ion Buzea.

Questo popoloso deserto che appellano Parigi Questo popoloso deserto che appellano Parigi

Born on this day in 1923.

Coasting on Bohemia Coasting on Bohemia

The Met’s antiquated production of La bohéme proved as popular with our readers as  it did with audiences last  month!

She was a gadabout, but she’s back again She was a gadabout, but she’s back again

On this day in 1968, for the first time in history, it was Turkey Lurkey Time.

Suspended in time Suspended in time

You know in some of those old Jeanette MacDonald movies where she plays a prima donna and receives applause in a public setting? That’s just what happened when the three of us walked into that restaurant, one patron calling out “Brava!”

City of angels City of angels

In spite of the fact that Rossini and his librettist Jacopo Ferretti removed all the magical elements from the story, therefore making it far easier to produce, there was more than enough enchantment in the singing, and intermittently in the production to enjoy.

The princess and the pirate The princess and the pirate

Born on this day in 1920 actress Virginia Mayo.

A crash course in adult relationships A crash course in adult relationships

The mixture of romance and realism in Sondheim songs, the revelation that while love could be grand and passionate it could also be mundane or inconvenient or mistimed or just plain embarrassing, was such a relief.

Anyone can puzzle Anyone can puzzle

Steve adored puzzles, solving them and creating them, so it makes you wonder that this one continued to fester—was that so few of his songs attained the rank of “standard.”

Learning how to laugh Learning how to laugh

When I think of Stephen Sondheim, so many of my memories are not simply about shows of his I loved and learned from—they are experiences that literally shaped my life.