“’They’re young… they’re in love… and they kill people’ goes the tagline for the 1968 film Bonnie and Clyde, but the slogan could apply almost as well to the outlaw pair at the center of the Metropolitan Opera’s white-hot revival of Massenet’s Manon.”
On this day in 1963 the musical Tovarich opened at the Broadway Theater.
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).
Zeljko Lucic has withdrawn from his spring Met engagements due to illness.
Just discovered: a Swedish documentary about Birgit Nilsson.
On this day in 1901 a showing of seventy-one Vincent van Gogh paintings in Paris, 11 years after his death, created a sensation.
Once again, your alte Jungfer is pleased to offer a performance by a polarizing diva: it seems that parterriani either love her or loathe her.
On this day in 1792 King Gustav III of Sweden was shot by Count Anckarström at a masked ball at the Opera.
That much-anticipated and much-feared “exposé” about Peter Gelb and the Met? Almost completely rehash.
Never mind the décolletage, cher public, but rather discuss off-topic and general interest topics. For starters, take a look at today’s birthday greetings, after the jump.
No two ways about it, cher public, you fell in love with the “They’re only in it for the ‘dp'” competition, and two of you came around the last turn neck and neck.
On this day in 1936 the first all-sound film version of Show Boat opened at Radio City Music Hall.
“Famed mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli has canceled her California tour, including performances March 31 and April 2 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall.”
“On The Academy Awards [Lady Gaga] was a travesty. It was ridiculous, as it would be from any singer who treats that music in semi-operatic style.”
On this day 1781 William Herschel discovered Uranus.
“Michael Volle is not into bling,” begins an article in ACT-O, the glossy magazine of the Grand Théâtre de Genève.
A confession: I have a real love/ hate relationship with Mozart’s Die Zauberflote.
Happy 87th birthday playwright Edward Albee.
La Cieca hears that the Théâtre du Châtelet will continue its series of Stephen Sondheim productions with Passion, set to star Natalie Dessay (as Fosca, bien sûr!)
Donkey dick and other Asian Fusion vaudeville acts arouse “The BAM Effect” at Handel’s Semele.
On this day in 1867 Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Don Carlos premiered in Paris.
Our Own JJ‘s take on the Massenet will not appear until next week, but for now you are invited to make do with Zachary Woolfe‘s rave in the New York Times.
On this day in 1959 Tennessee Williams‘ Sweet Bird of Youth premiered at the Martin Beck Theatre.
The Manchurian Candidate is indeed operatic: outsized characters, a doomed love story and a narrative fraught with suspense.
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