La sonnambula
Happy 67th birthday author and blogress Arianna Huffington.
Recent Stories
Broadcast: Turandot
Lise Lindstrom and Roberto Alagna (not pictured) head the cast of the Royal Opera House’s Turandot.
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).
Tenors gone wild
Among several fine productions at Aix this summer, Dmitri Tcherniakov’s brilliantly conceived and executed Carmen proved a game changer.
Contre nous de la tyrannie l’étendard sanglant est levé
We at parterre box wish you a joyous and thoughtful Bastille Day.
Dramatic ARC
Wednesday brought Christopher Alden’s grimly dark and violent take on Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo at National Sawdust.
Czar search
The highlight of this year’s Bard Summerscape festival must be a rare staging of Dvorak’s Dimitrij.
Soprano/critic
Born on this day in 1921 soprano Marcella Pobbè.
The beautiful stage is empty
Two productions at the Aix-en-Provence festival shared one look.
Broadway baby
Happy 42nd birthday actor and singer-songwriter Cheyenne Jackson.
“Fluent coloratura and dramatic enchantment”
Born on this day in 1925 soprano Mattiwilda Dobbs.
Levine to return to triumphant debut opera
The gala New Year’s Eve Tosca at the Met next season is going to be conducted by that hot young talent James Levine.
Operas on the verge of a nervous breakdown
It’s a pity that Francis Poulenc took so long to getting around to compose his operas.
Imogenary beings
Will Crutchfield’s Bel Canto at Caramoor program of concert operas concluded with a bang on Saturday with Bellini’s first success, Il Pirata.
Someday I’ll step on their freckles
Congratulations to dramatic coloratura soprano Klára Kolonits.
Let’s Carl the whole thing Orff
Born on this day in 1895 composer Carl Orff.
Mike the knife
Broadcast: Tannhäuser
Wagner’s Tannhäuser in a controversial new production by Romeo Castellucci.
Midsummer gladness
Gone are the halcyon days of tradition and ritual.
Nobody indiscreet can find us
Born on this day very early indeed in the 20th century authoress Barbara Cartland.
July song
Happy 66th birthday actress Angelica Huston.
‘Mawrdew,’ he wrote
Published in 1975, James McCourt’s novel Mawrdew Czgowchwz is engaged with a longing for the divine.
The worker of the world has nothing to lose but his chains
Happy 70th birthday to long-time Village Person David Hodo.
Iris, hence away
Endlessly extricating her from existing contracts then negotiating new ones must make being Sonya Yoncheva’s manager the hardest job in the music business.