Rigoletto at the Met ó Three Reviews

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: Verdi considered Victor Hugoís play Le Roi síamuse ìone of the greatest creations of the modern theatreî, and jumped at the opportunity to adapt it for Venice in 1851.

Sherrill Milnes – An All Star Gala

The former TV-producer in me tells me the following conversation took place between producer and director (in German as this is a GDR (East-Germany) product).

Rising star may yet call the tune for Scottish Opera

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/52450.html

Divas and dabblers ó The lesson of the crisis in English opera is that we have to overhaul how the arts are governed

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1666756,00.html

Follower of the main story

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/4b947b7a-6c46-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.html

Stravinsky in San Francisco ó Two Reviews

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY: The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas present two semi-staged theatrical performances: a double-bill featuring Stravinsky’s rarely heard operas The Nightingale and Oedipus Rex.

A Song Cycle With Bells On

http://www.nysun.com/article/24365

An Intrepid Tenor Faces Un-Schubertian Obstacles

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/arts/music/13chri.html

Sir John’s passion

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1665244,00.html

GAY: The Beggarís Opera

Benjamin Brittenís identity as a decidedly ìnationalî composer is formed in part by his well-known engagement of pre-existent English music, old English texts, and subjects rich in the English legacy, as a glance at works like the Purcellian The Young Personís Guide to the Orchestra, the Chester mystery play, Noyes Fludde, or the Elizabethan opera, Gloriana, all confirm.