“Sex and I have a lot in common” “Sex and I have a lot in common”

On this day in 1949 the legendary Mae West revived her 1928 play Diamond Lil at the Coronet Theatre, playing (ça va sans dire) the title role.

The boys from Syracuse The boys from Syracuse

Trove Thursday begins February with two striking versions of Rossini’s Tancredi.

The hard way The hard way

Born on this day in 1918 actress, director and producer Ida Lupino.

Dialogues des Carmélites Dialogues des Carmélites

Starring Maria Ewing, Jessye Norman, Betsy Norden, Régine Crespin, and Florence Quivar, conducted by Manuel Rosenthal. Production by John Dexter. From April 4, 1987.

Idomeneo Idomeneo

From the Vienna State Opera, Christoph Eschenbach conducts Michael Schade, Margarita Gritskova, Maria Bengtsson and Chen Reiss.

Wild things leave skins behind them Wild things leave skins behind them

We shared a feeling that writing about The Fugitive Kind was a date with destiny.

Half indoors and half out of doors Half indoors and half out of doors

Born on this day in 1887 poet and expatriate Gertrude Stein.

La forza del destino La forza del destino

Starring Leontyne Price, Isola Jones, Giuseppe Giacomini, Leo Nucci, and Bonaldo Giaiotti, conducted by James Levine. Production by John Dexter. From March 24, 1984.

Jenufa Jenufa

Lise Davidsen‘s role debut in Janacek’s opera with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Patrick Lange.

Celestial voice Celestial voice

Happy 84th birthday soprano Martina Arroyo.

Porgy and Bess Porgy and Bess

Starring Angel Blue, Golda Schultz, Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, Frederick Ballentine, Eric Owens, Alfred Walker, and Donovan Singletary, conducted by David Robertson. Production by James Robinson. From February 1, 2020.

High notes and high drama High notes and high drama

That Beczala/Radvanovsky online recital, viewed and reviewed, really caught the eye of the cher public in the month of January.

Der Rosenkavalier Der Rosenkavalier

Update: The previously announced Nozze performance has been canceled. In its place the VSO will stream Der Rosenkavalier.

On the side of the angels On the side of the angels

Born on this day in 1922 soprano Renata Tebaldi.

La traviata La traviata

The 2014 SFO presentation of John Copley’s production stars Nicole Cabell as the courtesan Violetta Valéry and Stephen Costello as Alfredo Germont. The cast also includes Vladimir Stoyanov as Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont.

Perspective Perspective

Born on this day in 1902 actress Tallulah Bankhead.

Rigoletto Rigoletto

Starring Diana Damrau, Oksana Volkova, Piotr Beczala, Željko Lucic, and Štefan Kocán, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From February 16, 2013.

Il palazzo incantato Il palazzo incantato

A filmed performance of “the last Roman opera,” the lavish first opera by Luigi Rossi.

Metro-Goldwyn wants me to star Metro-Goldwyn wants me to star

On this day in 1936 Billie Burke presented Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 with (among others) Fanny Brice, Bob Hope, Josephine Baker, Eve Arden, Judy Canova, Harriet Hoctor, Gertrude Niesen and The Nicholas Brothers. (Did I mention that the choreographer was George Balanchine and the sets and costumes were designed by Vincente Minnelli?)

Der Fliegende Holländer Der Fliegende Holländer

Starring Anja Kampe, Mihoko Fujimura, Sergey Skorokhodov, David Portillo, Evgeny Nikitin, and Franz-Josef Selig, conducted by Valery Gergiev. From March 10, 2020.

Falstaff Falstaff

Starring Lisette Oropesa, Angela Meade, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Paolo Fanale, Ambrogio Maestri, and Franco Vassallo, conducted by James Levine. From December 14, 2013.

Undead of the night Undead of the night

For those pining for Puccini with the Met out of commission. Trove Thursday steps up with the composer’s brief first opera Le Villi with Krassimira Stoyanova, José Cura and Franz Grundheber, led by Simone Young.

L’amour, l’amour! L’amour, l’amour!

Born on this day in 1882 actress Mary Boland.

Faust Faust

Starring Marina Poplavskaya, Jonas Kaufmann, and René Pape, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. From December 10, 2011.