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.

Shine on you crazy diamond

Happy 59th birthday soprano Maria Guleghina

“His execution was very considerable, and he was rather too fond of displaying it” “His execution was very considerable, and he was rather too fond of displaying it”

Born on this day in 1755 castrato and composer Luigi Marchesi.

Rosa’s turn Rosa’s turn

To heck with Bayreuth and Salzburg, Glimmerglass and Santa Fe as Rosa Feola sang Mozart at Lincoln Center Friday night and I wouldn’t have been anywhere else!

I know that this very minute has history in it I know that this very minute has history in it

Born on this day in 1911 actress and bass-baritone Lucille Ball.

“A man who listens only to records is like one who eats only canned meat” “A man who listens only to records is like one who eats only canned meat”

Born on this day in 1890 conductor Erich Kleiber.

Blondes have more fun Blondes have more fun

Happy 58th birthday soprano Deborah Voigt

The savvy and the non-savvy The savvy and the non-savvy

Sounds like a better Friday night than “what the composer intended.”