As time goes on, I realize just what you mean to me
There is a slight chill in the air during the final minutes of La Traviata.
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Voci di guerra
September 2017 was a time everyone wanted to read about Druids in parterre box. Our most popular posts for the month.
Win a Free Ticket to Opening Night at the Met!
Quinn Kelsey and Lise Davidsen star in the Met's new Macbeth. We're giving away one ticket, so screw your courage to the sticking place and enter now!
“The unfed mind devours itself”
Born on this day in 1925 author Gore Vidal.
Broadcast: La bohème
The debut of soprano Angel Blue is but one highlight of tonight’s live broadcast from the Met.
Outside this house
The 55th New York Film Festival presented the world premiere of Susan Froemke’s marvelous new documentary The Opera House in a special one-time-only screening at the Metropolitan Opera.
Peazy weazy
Born on this day in 1890 comedian and author Groucho Marx.
“You never start out being a star”
Happy 82nd birthday Julie Andrews.
Brotherly love
When I moved back to Philadelphia a few years ago, I reached out to Albert Innaurato.
Broadcast: Vanessa
A live recording of the Barber/Menotti weepie from the 2016 Wexford Festival
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).
And making the grade is our duty, you see
On this day in 1954 Sandy Wilson‘s musical The Boy Friend opened at the Royale Theater, to run 483 performances.
“I am not carefree.”
Born on this day in 1942 singer and actress Madeline Kahn.
Dark matter
In Schikaneder’s patriarchal cosmology, darkness is the province of emotional women—not just the erratic fury of the Queen of the Night, but the pathetic supplications of Pamina as well.
My metaphor was drawn from genocides
Peter Gelb offering voluntary buyouts to a couple of dozen employees is precisely the same thing as Nazis murdering hundreds of people.
Debuts and farewells
Arabella with Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting a prime-time 1980s Munich cast.
“He was sort of the Brando of music”
Rest in peace, dear Albert.
You were dead, you know
Lyric Opera of Chicago opened its 2017-18 season on Saturday evening with a new production of Gluck’s Orphee et Eurydice in the 1774 Paris version.
Show time
Born on this day in 1901 television host Ed Sullivan.
Albert Innaurato 1947-2017
We have just heard the sad news that playwright and critic Albert Innaurato has died.
Drunk history
Last night was my fourth or fifth wade into the slough of Bartlett Sher’s production of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Met since its premiere in 2009.
Golden rule
Happy 60th birthday opera director Peter Sellars.
Better call Gaul
Bellini’s Norma Monday evening didn’t at all improve on the production it was replacing.
Mad skills
On this day in 1835 Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor premiered in Naples.
