Quite simply, the singers are not around today who are steeped in the tradition of verismo, or for that matter the later part of the 19th century.
Though the day is almost over, it should not go without marking that today is the 50th anniversary of the debuts at the Met of Leontyne Price and Franco Corelli, one of the red-letter nights of the Rudolf Bing regime.
Tell us: Filth or dementia?
Hasten thee to feed another quarter of conversation for The Talk of the Town!