Sexagenarian Sexagenarian

Happy 60th birthday Madonna.

Broadcast: Netrebko/Eyvazov concert Broadcast: Netrebko/Eyvazov concert

Live from the Teatro Colon, a concert of Italian opera favorites performed by Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov and Jader Bignamini.

“You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself” “You grow up the day you have the first real laugh at yourself”

Born on this day in 1879 “The First Lady of the American Theatre,” Ethel Barrymore.

All the feels All the feels

“And as I thought about it, I couldn’t help wondering: when did Alex Ross become Carrie Bradshaw?”

Broadcast: Vanessa Broadcast: Vanessa

Live from the Glyndebourne Festival starting at 1:30 this afternoon: a telecast of that campest of all camp operas, Vanessa.

All ihr Singlefrauen All ihr Singlefrauen

“Los in den Club, wir haben uns gerade getrennt. Ich zieh jetzt mein eigenes kleines Ding durch.”

Angels of music Angels of music

Happy 58th birthdays to soprano Cecilia Gasdia and actress/singer Sarah Brightman.

Mortality play Mortality play

Of all Handel’s oratorios, Semele begs most to be staged.

O happy pair! O happy pair!

Congratulations to baritone Jarrett Ott and artistic administrator Adam Franklin, wedded Saturday by none other than Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Over my head Over my head

Happy 70th birthday soprano Kathleen Battle.

Half shelled Half shelled

“Fleming does not have the acting skills to convince as a hearty clam-shack proprietress…”

Project runway Project runway

Happy 83rd birthday Opernregisseur Harry Kupfer.

Broadcast: Demon

A chilling opera for a scorching afternoon: Rubinstein’s Demon starring Egils Silins as The Demon and Asmik Grigorian as Tamara.

“No husband is ever too scared to look” “No husband is ever too scared to look”

Born on this day in 1891 actress and performer Helen Broderick.

Destiny Destiny

Awe-inspiring Anna Netrebko unveils yet another new Verdi aria.

Something lies beyond the Scene Something lies beyond the Scene

I was overjoyed by the coincidence that Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival would be presenting Façade.

“Höre mit Sinn, was ich dir klatsche!” “Höre mit Sinn, was ich dir klatsche!”

Renowned mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly may have been dropped from the Met’s Ring production, but today she has announced she has invented an entirely new role for herself in the work.

Mostly NYFOS Mostly NYFOS

The theme was “Lyrics by Shakespeare.”

Accentuate the positive Accentuate the positive

I love the comments that really seem to think they balanced the positive with the negative.

Merry birthday Merry birthday

Happy 66th birthday soprano Ashley Putnam.

Altgewohntes Geräusch Altgewohntes Geräusch

Michaela Schuster will sing Waltraute in all performances of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, replacing Sarah Connolly.

Dazed and confused Dazed and confused

Last weekend marked the opening night for West Edge Opera: Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

Call me madman Call me madman

This past weekend was a busy one for operas in San Francisco (and Bay Area).

I put a spell on you I put a spell on you

Armide with a superbly grand Francophone heroine in Karina Gauvin and conducted by the always excellent Ivor Bolton.