What women want
While isolated opera-lovers intently navigate the deluge of streaming videos being made available, I’ve been listening rather than viewing.
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Hymns and chaos
It’s Easter season, and that can mean only one thing for opera: It’s Cavalleria Rusticana time. And I, for one, couldn’t be more excited.
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).
I due Foscari
Verdi’s Byronic tragedy, from the Teatro Regio di Parma.
What did I ever see in him?
On this day in 1960 the Charles Strouse–Lee Adams musical Bye Bye Birdie opened at the Martin Beck Theatre to run 607 performances.
Rusalka
Renée Fleming as the hapless nymph emerges from her stream for this streaming performance.
A Skype full of stars
The Metropolitan Opera announced plans today to live-stream what it is billing as an “At-Home Gala” on Saturday, April 25, at 1pm EDT, featuring performances by many of the company’s most prominent artists, live from their own quarantines around the world.
Cruel summer
It is interesting to consider how strongly Inge focuses on women (mostly single or widowed) and sex, particularly from his position as a (closeted) gay man.
Der Rosenkavalier
Carlos Kleiber conducts this 1994 performance from Vienna.
Happy Diva Day 2!
Born on this day in 1931 soprano Anita Cerquetti.
La Gioconda
Ponchielli’s flamboyant grand opera in a nightmarish staging by Olivier Py.
The Cunning Little Vixen
Janácek’s ode to nature, as presented by the Dutch National Opera.
Happy Diva Day!
Born on this day in 1898 soprano Lily Pons.
Don Pasquale
The Met’s Live in HD video of Donizetti’s comedy with an all-star cast: Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien and John Del Carlo.
Midwest side story
A theater-critic friend of my father once said that Laurence Olivier played American like it was a character choice.
Die Frau ohne Schatten
A 2013 performance from the Bayerische Staatsoper featuring Johan Botha, Adrianne Pieczonka, Deborah Polaski, Wolfgang Koch and Elena Pankratova.
Women upset everything
On this day in 1914, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion opened at His Majesty’s Theatre in London, starring Mrs. Patrick Campbell.
Roméo et Juliette
Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo star in an HD telecast from January 21, 2017.
Pagliacci
From the 2015 Salzburg Festival, Jonas Kaufmann stars as Canio.
Boy trouble
On this day in 1996 tenor Roberto Alagna made his Met debut as Rodolfo.
Parsifal
The Metropolitan Opera starts Good Friday early with a stream of their 2013 Live in HD video.
Violanta
Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s second opera, written when the composer was only 17.
“Così l’anima mia…”
While Harry Rose finishes his senior thesis on Gabriele d’Annunzio, Trove Thursday joins in his fascination with Dante’s damned adulteress with two settings (both from Amsterdam!) of Francesca da Rimini.
“Diamonds is my career”
On this day in 1928 Mae West played triple threat as playwright, director and star of Diamond Lil, which ran for 323 performances at the Royale Theatre.