Velvet underwhelmed Velvet underwhelmed

“Camp” is exactly the lens through which The Velvet Touch is best examined, including an utterly bewildering cross-pollinating of genres.

Die Entführung aus dem Serail Die Entführung aus dem Serail

With Christian Nickel, Lisette Oropesa, Emanuela von Frankenberg, Regula Mühlemann, Stella Roberts, Goran Juric, Andreas Grötzinger, Daniel Behle, Christian Natter, Michael Laurenz, Ludwig Blochberger.

Big Big

Born on this day in 1935 tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Parsifal Parsifal

Starring Katarina Dalayman, Jonas Kaufmann, Peter Mattei, Evgeny Nikitin and René Pape, conducted by Daniele Gatti. From March 2, 2013.

Bear necessities Bear necessities

On this day in 1958 Don Ameche and Elaine Stritch opened on Broadway in the musical Goldilocks.

Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung

Starring Hildegard Behrens, Christa Ludwig, Siegfried Jerusalem, and Matti Salminen, conducted by James Levine. From May 5, 1990.

Behind the mask Behind the mask

Born on this day in 1813 composer Giuseppe Verdi. Born on this day in 1924 soprano Leyla Gencer.

Siegfried Siegfried

Starring Hildegard Behrens, Siegfried Jerusalem and James Morris, conducted by James Levine; From April 26, 1990.

Die Walküre Die Walküre

Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris and Kurt Moll, conducted by James Levine. From April 8, 1989.

Old-Fashioned Oratorio Old-Fashioned Oratorio

For the fourth annual edition of “Handel for my birthday” Trove Thursday serves up three heaping portions of “old-fashioned oratorio.”

Sunny side Sunny side

On this day in 1979, the musical revue Sugar Babies opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, to run 1,208 performances.

Das Rheingold Das Rheingold

Starring Christa Ludwig, Siegfried Jerusalem, James Morris and Ekkehard Wlaschiha, conducted by James Levine. From April 23, 1990.

Say it with feet, gladly Say it with feet, gladly

Born on this day in 1917 actress and dancer June Allyson.

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser

Starring Eva-Maria Westbroek, Michelle DeYoung, Johan Botha, Peter Mattei, and Günther Groissböck, conducted by James Levine. From October 31, 2015.

Make this a night for love Make this a night for love

On this day in 1963 Barbra Streisand guest starred on The Judy Garland Show.

Tristan und Isolde Tristan und Isolde

Starring Nina Stemme, Ekaterina Gubanova, Stuart Skelton, Evgeny Nikitin and René Pape, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. From October 8, 2016.

Where the boys are Where the boys are

I often think of Boys in the Band as the gay play equivalent of Kern and Hammerstein’s Show Boat—it’s hugely important in theater history, but the politics have become extremely problematic.

A ‘Barbiere’ of quality A ‘Barbiere’ of quality

What a joy when a comic opera gets you cackling through the whole night, discovering new nuances and perspectives from an oft-seen work and delighted with wonderful singing!

Standing woman Standing woman

It struck me that Jamie Barton’s voice is not dissimilar to a Henry Moore sculpture: grand and monumental but never brash or ostentatious; eccentric and offbeat but always graceful and tastefully molded.

How do I look? How do I look?

On this day in 1961 the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s opened at Radio City Music Hall.

Don Carlos Don Carlos

The full five-act “Paris” version, in French, featuring Michele Pertusi, Jonas Kaufmann, Igor Golovatenko, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Malin Byström and Eve-Maud Hubeaux. Conducted by Bertrand de Billy at the Vienna State Opera.

Mai Tosca alla scena… Mai Tosca alla scena…

On this day in 1968 the Metropolitan Opera presented Tosca, the first new production of this work since 1917.

Le nozze di Figaro Le nozze di Figaro

Starring Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Susanne Mentzer, Dwayne Croft and Bryn Terfel, conducted by James Levine. From November 11, 1998.

A reasonable amount of trouble A reasonable amount of trouble

On this day in 1941, The Maltese Falcon premiered in New York City.