“I don’t think I ever understood Hollywood”
Born on this day in 1923 actress Gloria Grahame.
Recent Stories
Lucia di Lammermoor
Starring Natalie Dessay, Joseph Calleja, Ludovic Tézier, and Kwangchul Youn, conducted by Patrick Summers. From March 19, 2011.
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).
The mélodie lingers on
Everything’s coming up mélodie! As the pandemic rages on and new lockdowns have thrown large-scale performances into disarray, record labels have been releasing new albums of French art song by the bucketload.
So get in it, begin it!
On this day in 1937 the International Ladies Garment Workers Union presented the union-themed musical revue, Pins and Needles.
Left to your own devices
La Cieca (pictured) wishes her cher public a sensible and safe “Cyber Monday” shopping experience!
Elektra
Starring Nina Stemme, Adrianne Pieczonka, Waltraud Meier, and Eric Owens, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. From April 30, 2016.
Mad and madder
With La Scala’s plan to open on December 7 with a new Lucia di Lammermoor thwarted, Trove Thursday sets its Wayback Machine to nearly 50 years ago to present two of the 20th century’s greatest madwomen—Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills—denounced by Plàcido Domingo and Alfredo Kraus respectively, with the former pair consoled by Kurt Moll‘s luxurious Raimundo.
Thanks anyway
Happy Thanksgiving to the US contingent of the cher public!
Hamlet
Starring Marlis Petersen, Jennifer Larmore, Simon Keenlyside, and James Morris, conducted by Louis Langrée. From March 27, 2010.
‘Tristan’ minus one
Imagine my surprise then when I discovered a new recording of Tristan und Isolde released by Navona Records, a small label based in New Hampshire that primarily focuses on recitals of chamber music, solo works, and smaller ensemble pieces.
Die Frau ohne Schatten
Conductor: Christian Thielemann; Director: Vincent Huguet; With: Stephen Gould, Camilla Nylund, Evelyn Herlitzius, Sebastian Holecek, Wolfgang Koch, Nina Stemme, Maria Nazarova.
“I am yesterday, and today, and tomorrow”
Born on this day in 1900 actress and politician Helen Gahagan Douglas.
Marnie
Starring Isabel Leonard, Iestyn Davies and Christopher Maltman, conducted by Roberto Spano. From November 10, 2018.
Sonya or later
“The Met Stars Live in Concert performance featuring soprano Sonya Yoncheva, which was rescheduled for this Saturday, November 28, has now been moved to Saturday, February 27, 2021, as Ms. Yoncheva is still ill (with a non-Covid illness).” Thus speaks the Met’s press department.
Singing is a form of admitting that I’m alive
Born on this day in 1927 tenor Alfredo Kraus.
Il Trovatore
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato.
Elektra
From the Vienna State Opera: Franz Welser-Möst leads Doris Soffel, Ricarda Merbeth, Camilla Nylund, Jörg Schneider, Derek Welton and Marcus Pelz.
There’s a speed limit in this state
While I would say that the great James M. Cain remains underappreciated as a novelist in literary circles, he’s generally done very well by Hollywood. The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce, and Double Indemnity have had multiple film adaptations, and at least one of each is a classic.
Prince of the music hall
Born on this day in 1892 artist and designer Erté (né Romain de Tirtoff).
Don Carlos
The full five-act “Paris” version, in French, features Michele Pertusi, Jonas Kaufmann, Igor Golovatenko, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Malin Byström and Eve-Maud Hubeaux. Conducted by Bertrand de Billy at the Vienna State Opera.
Rigoletto
Zeljko Lucic and Aleksandra Kurzak star in Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto, conducted by renowned maestro Nicola Luisotti.
“Well, who doesn’t play neurotic women?”
Born on this day in 1924 actress Geraldine Page.
Ariadne auf Naxos
Lise Davidsen and Erin Morley star in this 2017 performance from the Vienna State Opera.