A journey to a star
Born on this day film choreographer Busby Berkeley.
Recent Stories
“A raw slice of life”
Born on this day in 1923 actress Gloria Grahame.
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).
La traviata
Lisette Oropesa stars in Verdi’s tragic masterpiece at the Royal Opera House, with Liparit Avetisyan and Christian Gerhaher.
Now is the night one blue dew
Born on this day in 1909 author James Agee.
Stephen Sondheim 1930-2021
The master of Broadway musical theater died suddenly earlier today at his home in Connecticut.
Simply the best
Happy 82nd birthday to The Queen of Rock and Roll.
Random acts
Trove Thursday adds two short works—Goyescas and L’enfant et les sortilèges—to Christian’s expansive recent survey of Bernard Haitink’s opera legacy.
Wishbone
“Liberace invites us to his Thanksgiving holiday celebration, playing and singing songs of the season, as well as classical numbers such as Falla’s ‘Ritual Fire Dance’ which a Hopi Indian dances to.”
In my very own private hell
No, we don’t really need another “Orpheus” opera. Or, rather, we don’t need this one.
The river of dreams
The opera utilizes the idea of “magical realism,” telling a realistic story combined with elements of magic and fantasy.
The second time around
While the formulaic nature of some of Rossini’s other operas can undermine his ability to balance bravura singing and playing with legitimate drama, a concert Maometto II proves, with what it offers as much as what it lacks, that the formula still works.
Oh my goddess!
Born on this day in 1848 prima donna assoluta (and pedagogue supreme) Lilli Lehmann.
Eurydice
Matthew Aucoin and librettist Sarah Ruhl’s reimagination of the ancient Orpheus myth, told from Eurydice’s point of view. Erin Morley stars in the title role, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin on the podium.
An idea so bold and crazy
I proposed to Edita that we turn my 20-page paper into a book, a musical biography.
Let’s twist again
In San Francisco Opera’s new Così fan tutte, the elements that most visibly read as “American” were a penchant for slapstick humor, overcooked blocking, and an abundance of cartoonish period costumes that hobbled the opera’s first act.
Grand designs
Born on this day in 1892 illustrator and designer Erté.
Theodora
A concert performance featuring Lisette Oropesa, Joyce DiDonato and Michael Spyres, with Il Pomo d’Oro Choir and Orchestra conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev.
Love, your magic spell is everywhere!
Teatro Grattacielo presented two visions of love’s magic on November 13 and 14—one via Spain and Argentina (in collaboration with Opera Hispánica) and the other via Alsace by way of Italy.
“I love food, and I love parts”
Born on this day in 1924 actress Geraldine Page.
“I’d rather dance than eat”
Born on this day in 1912 dancer Eleanor Powell.
“It’s just that she loves too much”
Born on this day in 1920 actress Gene Tierney.
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess
The classic American opera features many artists from the triumphant 2019–20 production’s Grammy Award-winning cast. Eric Owens and Angel Blue star as the title couple, with conductor David Robertson on the podium.
A life-changing LP
I never fathomed I’d be writing words as these this soon.