The mogul with the curls
On this day in 1916, actress Mary Pickford signed a contract with Adolph Zukor of Famous Players Films Company guaranteeing her $1,000,000.
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“My life is an open pamphlet”
Born on this day in 1927 dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse.
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).
Out of the depths
“Trove Thursday” provides a live broadcast of Mozart’s rarely performed cantata Davide Penitente by Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie.
“I want to feel my life while I’m in it”
Happy 68th birthday actress Meryl Streep.
Guilt, edged
If Darius Milhaud took a risk in adapting La Mère Coupable as an opera, it wasn’t the quirky, atonal style he used for his score.
We’re here, we’re queer (well, some of us)
What the hell is Three Way doing on a list of 7 American Operas That Put LGBTQ Issues Center Stage?
“Publicity can be terrible”
Born on this day 1921 voluptuous actress Jane Russell.
Webcast: Tosca
A telecast from the Norske Opera of Puccini’s Tosca, directed by Calixto Bieito.
Baby, you can can-can too
Born on this day in 1819 composer Jacques Offenbach.
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!
From Hell
In March 1973, OONY’s second season featured Francesca da Rimini starring Raina Kabaivanska, Plácido Domingo and Matteo Manuguerra.
For a few dolors more
LoftOpera’s accurately but unpromisingly named Pergolesi & Vivaldi stumbled rather than soared.
À bout de souffle
Born on this day in 1919 actor Louis Jourdan.
Scostatevi, profani!
Not only is Anna Netrebko great, I am beginning to think there was never anyone greater.
The Iron Butterfly
Born on this day in 1903 actress and singer Jeanette MacDonald.
The word is not enough
So, um, I guess we can agree that words are more important than music?
Cloud yells at old man
Following the jump, the latest kvetch from joyless Norman Lebrecht.
Broadcast: The Magic Flute
he listening and the commenting on this Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcast begin at 1:00 pm today.
“Myths are a waste of time”
On this day in 1967 Barbra Streisand‘s concert “A Happening in Central Park” happened in Central Park.
Triple header
I reckon marketing a sex-themed opera in Brooklyn should be like selling bacon-flavored froyo in Vermont.
Mai Tosca alla scena
Sonya Yoncheva will make her role debut in the Met’s new production of Puccini’s Tosca next season replacing Kristine Opolais.
Composer’s intentions
A live broadcast of the prologue to Ariadne auf Naxos featuring Julia Varady, a favorite sopranos in a role she sang only rarely.
“You can disagree without being disagreeable”
On this day in 1994 Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as a US Supreme Court Justice.
