Boris Godunov
René Pape, the world’s reigning Boris, reprises his overwhelming portrayal of the tortured tsar in the original 1869 version of the opera.
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Trouble in River City
Jerry Zaks’ high-gloss production, which trades heavily on a bland Americana at odds with the sharp satire of Meredith Willson’s libretto and timeless score, operates on all cylinders but fires on hardly any.
I’ll take the fall
The days are getting shorter, but you can keep the prattle going this fall’s Talk of the Town! You will, you can, you must join in the discussion about: Great mezzo soprano performances (October),
Gained in translation (November), Teleport me back to… (December).
Poetess
Born on this day in 1926 mezzo-soprano Rita Gorr.
American gongster
Tantalizing tenor Michael Fabiano adds a new role to his repertoire barely five weeks from today.
A place in the shade
Next Wednesday is the composer’s 337th birthday, so Trove Thursday previews this spring’s most enticing Handel performance with two very different live versions of his delightful Serse,.
Moving on
The Kennedy Center’s Opera House was a white-hot crucible of theatre kid energy on Friday evening for a luxurious 50 Years of Broadway at the Kennedy Center gala.
“Hello, possums!”
Happy 88th birthday to comedian Barry (“Dame Edna”) Humphries.
Happy Go Lovely
Born on this day in 1921 dancer Vera-Ellen.
Music doesn’t argue, discuss, or quarrel
Born on this day in 1905 composer Harold Arlen.
Die Tote Stadt
A Willy Decker production, live from the Vienna State Opera.
Cries and whispers
Embedded in the discursive scenes that make up the 100-minute play Shhhh is the notion that the line between pleasure and pain—of the corporeal and psychological varieties—is ever-shifting and often problematically conceived.
Verdi Requiem
Performance from September 11, 2021. Yannick Nézet-Séguin; Ailyn Pérez, Michelle DeYoung, Matthew Polenzani, Eric Owens.
I have designed flower women
On this day in 1947 Christian Dior unveiled the “New Look.”
It’s Time for Tina
Happy 88th birthday to actress and singer Tina Louise.
Treasured island
Trove Thursday offers a 1994 “pirate” of Ariadne auf Naxos featuring Gabriela Benacková and Natalie Dessay, along with another Viennese diva pairing: Benacková and Sena Jurinac in the second act of Janacek’s Jenufa.
Long live the Queen!
Happy 95th birthday soprano Leontyne Price.
“I say money, money, money, and I say hot dog!”
Born on this day in 1909 actress, singer, and dancer Carmen Miranda.
As if we never said goodbye
“As for next year, Gheorghiu makes an as-yet-unannounced return for the first time in seven years to the Met in New York.”
Vastly vivid
Lyric Opera of Chicago scored a smashing success on Sunday with its “Verdi Voices” concert, featuring soprano Tamara Wilson, tenor Russell Thomas, and Lyric Music Director Enrique Mazzola conducting Members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in what might be termed a program of Verdi’s Greatest Hits.
Woman’s work is never done
Born on this day in 1922 actress Audrey Meadows.
Manon Lescaut
Francesco Ivan Ciampa conducts Asmik Grigorian, Boris Pinkhasovich, Brian Jagde and Josh Lovell.