Darling lily
On this day in 1825 Gioacchino Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims, ossia L’albergo del giglio d’oro premiered at the Théâtre Italien, Paris.
Recent Stories
Founders come first, then profiteers
“In Houston and San Francisco, David Gockley [not pictured] commissioned operas destined for stages worldwide.”
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!
Saturday afternoon chat
La Cieca is sure she is unanimous in stating that this afternoon’s online opera broadcasts offer something for everyone in the parterre continuum.
Eva im Paradies
Happy 73rd birthday soprano Eva Marton!
Home brew
An extraordinarily rich variety of opera happens locally, under the umbrella of New York Opera Fest.
Natural sounds
On this day in 1967 Barbra Streisand‘s A Happening in Central Park, uh, happened in New York.
Stone cold killer
This may be Karita Mattila’s greatest role.
Misses Lovett
Deborah Voigt has canceled her role debut as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd at Florida Grand Opera.
Plate spinning
Genia Kühmeier, Christian Gerhaher and Phyllis Bryn-Julson performing works by Richard Strauss, Mahler and Berg.
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).
Le Jeune-homme et la Liberté
On this day in 1961 premier danseur Rudolf Nurevey defected from the (then) Soviet Union to the west via Paris.
Four faints in five acts
That little place just two hours from the city is on the list of things I shall never understand, like the plot of Parsifal.
The freeze ray needs work
Happy 43rd birthday actor Neil Patrick Harris.
Song o’ my heart
Born on this day in 1884 tenor John McCormack.
One ringy-dingy
Opera Upper West recently tweeted an unfortunate picture of me.
Montag mit Marguerite
Berlioz apparently couldn’t decide if his was an oratorio or an opera, so he labeled it a “légende dramatique.” Since its 1846 Paris premiere, it remains on both opera stages and in concert halls, with its first Met staging in 1906.
Black and white
On this day in 1855 Verdi’s Les vêpres siciliennes premiered in Paris.
Restart spreading the news
Happy Birthday, happy birthday, New York, New York!
Miss Show Business
On this day in 1922 singer, actress and vaudevillian Judy Garland was born.
Sierra grande
I realized I hadn’t yet posted anything featuring one of the “Queens of the Bootlegs,” so I now correcting that with Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West starring the great Magda Olivero as Minnie.
Canard de la semaine
Born on this day in 1934 film personality Donald Duck..
Ezio said than done
Ezio was an inspired choice for Boston’s feisty Odyssey Opera to open its “When In Rome” festival.
No contest
Richard Wagner viewed dance as an essential element of art, though he used it sparingly in his operas.
