Standing in the shadow of love Standing in the shadow of love

Pop culture diva Kim Kardashian seized the opportunity of Sunday night’s Met gala to perform a scene from a lesser-known Richard Strauss opera, Der Schatten ohne Frau.

Letting their hair down Letting their hair down

After the break the ladies stepped up their game so much that it elevated the night into legendary status: definitely one for the books!

“I never set out to be a diva” “I never set out to be a diva”

Born on this day in 1933 actress Zoe Caldwell.

Valiant is the word for Gladys Valiant is the word for Gladys

Born on this day in 1904 actress Gladys George.

Salome Salome

Simone Young conducts a new production by Andreas Homoki from the Opernhaus Zürich.

String of pearls String of pearls

Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.

Requiem Requiem

In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Met presents Verdi’s Requiem, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the extraordinary Met Orchestra and Chorus.

Hey there Hey there

Happy 54th birthday Harry Connick Jr..

In difficult times fashion is always outrageous In difficult times fashion is always outrageous

Born on this day in 1890 designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

Tauride zone Tauride zone

This week Trove Thursday presents Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride in three stirring broadcasts starring Rita Gorr, Gré Brouwenstijn and Sena Jurinac

I was always Sylvia I was always Sylvia

Born on this day in 1924 actress Sylvia Miles.

This nearly was mime This nearly was mime

Born on this day in 1910 actor and director Jean-Louis Barrault.

Great and happy, but not quite live Great and happy, but not quite live

This was a great and happy event, but it wasn’t so much a musical one.

I ain’t the sentimental kind I ain’t the sentimental kind

On this day in 1949 Mae West headlined a revival of her most famous play, Diamond Lil, which she first played more than 20 years earlier.

Miss me blonde Miss me blonde

Happy 61st birthday soprano Karita Mattila.

Old school Old school

Born on this day in 1910 singer, actress and arts advocate Kitty Carlisle Hart.

Disney princess Disney princess

Born on this day in 1919 dancer Marge Champion.

By Porpora demand By Porpora demand

Important European revivals this season would like to return Nicola Porpora to the remarkable prominence he held during the first half of the 18th century. Trove Thursday argues his case with a “pirate” recording of Polifemo featuring Franco Fagioli in a star performance along with Xavier Sabata (pictured), Laura Aikin, Mary-Ellen Nesi and Christian Senn.

Rainy day Rainy day

Happy 93rd birthday actor and dreamboat George Maharis.

That’s why I pulled the trigger That’s why I pulled the trigger

Watching Gloria Grahame—lips moist and parted, eyes staring off into some faraway middle distance—is absolutely arresting. She looks like the quintessential Noir femme fatale that was, in fact, probably her principal calling card.

The slave who would be empress The slave who would be empress

On this day in 1056 Byzantine Empress Theodora died childless, thus ending the Macedonian dynasty.

Love for sail Love for sail

Last weekend, On Site Opera presented What Lies Beneath, a program of maritime-themed operatic excerpts staged aboard the 19th century schooner Wavertree (now a part of the South Street Seaport Museum).

Forget your sympathy Forget your sympathy

Born on this day in 1906 actress Joan Blondell.

Tenors al fresco Tenors al fresco

Lawrence Brownlee and Michael Spyres are two singers at the top of their game, as this concert showed, virtually peerless in music as punishing as it is pretty.