New Camerata Opera is presenting its first staged and indoor program in some time, at “The Muse,” a lofty cabaret space up against a cemetery in Bushwick, and their singers sound like they’ve been champing at the bit for eighteen months and are bursting to vocalize!
Call me Mary Quite Contrary if you want, but as we finally see live performances coming back, I’m reflecting with gratitude and even some nostalgia on the way COVID quarantine forged a path for entrepreneurial performance companies to recalibrate and deliver their work through streaming platforms.
On this day in 2007 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor directed by Mary Zimmerman and starring Natalie Dessay.
Trove Thursday joins with those who prayed for opera to reopen worldwide for two broadcasts—more than fifty years apart–of Janacek’s stunning Glagolitic Mass, one conducted by Robert Shaw featuring Martina Arroyo, the other with Asmik Grigorian (pictured) led by rising American Karina Canellakis.
On this day in 1974 the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a performance perhaps most notable for who was not present: Montserrat Caballé canceled her own opening night.
The program was set around themes of loss, of unfulfilled wishes, the endurance of loss, triumphant or depressed.
On this day in 1986, the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Wagner’s Die Walküre.
On this day in 1968 mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Carmen.
Let’s all cast our minds back to March of 2020. Or, better, let’s not.
Happy 66th birthday to actor, singer and babe Rex Smith.
Happy birthday to soprano Anna Netrebko, who turns 50 today.
Born on this day in 1925 Broadway diva Dorothy Loudon.
Anticipating Chicago’s prima donna-debut weekend and with apologies to Dorothy Bishop (not pictured), Trove Thursday mounts its own “Dozen Divas Show.”
Left this world on this day 44 years ago in Paris.
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.
After the break the ladies stepped up their game so much that it elevated the night into legendary status: definitely one for the books!
Born on this day in 1933 actress Zoe Caldwell.
Born on this day in 1904 actress Gladys George.
Simone Young conducts a new production by Andreas Homoki from the Opernhaus Zürich.
Born on this day in 1938 mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos.
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.
Born on this day in 1890 designer Elsa Schiaparelli.
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