Music in the air Music in the air

Happy 69th birthday soprano Kathleen Battle

Stranger off a train Stranger off a train

Born on this day in 1888 actress Marion Lorne.

Mimecraft Mimecraft

Our Own JJ (not pictured) muses on the difficulty of staging Mozart’s greatest opera in his latest piece for the New York Times.

“Madame is the greatest diva of them all” “Madame is the greatest diva of them all”

And after this CD (due in October) she’ll make another, and another!

“Whatever it is, I’m against it” “Whatever it is, I’m against it”

“I was shocked and did not understand anything anymore. I was 13 at this time.”

Fun laughs good times Fun laughs good times

The legendary performance of “Hey Big Spender” by Marilyn Horne, Carol Burnett and Eileen Farrell has shown up on YouTube.

Women are like snowflakes Women are like snowflakes

Happy 92nd birthday actress Arlene Dahl.

Broadcast: Aïda Broadcast: Aïda

Listening and discussion of the new Salzburg Festival Aïda, featuring Anna Netrebko in her role debut as the titular princess in captivity.

The good earth The good earth

“Trove Thursday” presents Janet Baker in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde from 1970 partnered by Jess Thomas and conducted by Josef Krips.

“Being a motion picture actress is the pitch of ecstasy” “Being a motion picture actress is the pitch of ecstasy”

>Born on this day in 1902 actress Norma Shearer.

Papa can you hear me? Papa can you hear me?

Happy 58th birthday soprano Maria Guleghina.

Who (if anyone) wore it better? Who (if anyone) wore it better?

Shirley Verrett in 1973 or Anna Netrebko on Sunday?

Opolais your woman now Opolais your woman now

‘Bess, you is my woman now,’ featuring both Ms. Opolais and Sir Bryn.

A Frabjous Day: The Siege of Calais A Frabjous Day: The Siege of Calais

The turntable set looks much the same from any angle: gutted concrete tenements and perilous alleys, instantly recognizable as a scene of urban guerrilla mayhem.

Post-graduate Post-graduate

Happy 80th birthday actor Dustin Hoffman.

The green hills of home The green hills of home

The principal cast members for the week’s Aida are all Wagnerians: Birgit Nilsson, Sándor Kónya, Rita Gorr and Cornell MacNeil.

A midnight girl in a nine o’clock town A midnight girl in a nine o’clock town

Samantha Hankey, so impressive as Diana and Giove-in-Diana in Juilliard’s recent run of Cavalli’s La Calisto, was the perfect Cenerentola.

Exotica Exotica

Born on this day in 1876 dancer and spy Margaretha Geertruida ‘Margreet’ Zelle MacLeod aka Mata Hari.

Light the candles Light the candles

Born on this day in 1911 actress Lucille Ball. 

What faith can do What faith can do

Happy 60th birthday actress Faith Prince.

Her and the man in the moon Her and the man in the moon

Born on this day in 1904 singer and actress Helen Kane.

Three sisters who are not sisters Three sisters who are not sisters

Due to bandwidth limits “Trove Thursday” must post some more modest offerings in months with five Thursdays.

Beauty comes from the inside out Beauty comes from the inside out

Born on this day in 1908 actress Dolores del Rio

“And the usherette was all out of raspberry ripple lollies!” “And the usherette was all out of raspberry ripple lollies!”

Long-time followers of Norman Lebrecht will not be surprised in the least to hear this.