Tweet

@profpryor

@profpryor

@profpryor

@profpryor

More from @david_m_wagner

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

30 Sep

This evening I was at the Solemn High TLM for Michaelmas at Old St. Mary’s, DC. It began with the Minor Rite of Exorcism, which was good bc minor exorcise is about all I can manage.

Plus it’s great snubs to any demon it works on, like, ha ha we didn’t even need a major exorcism for *you*!

@tmcgregorchina

See? Sinophile @tmcgregorchina knows that St. Mary’s DC is in Chinatown! They do a great job w their TLM schedule (9am Sun, 8am Fri) and their Chinese schedule (11:30am Sun). I wonder if there’s a Traditional Chinese Mass - instead of bells, a wacking great GONG….

Read 4 tweets

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

28 Sep

Sirius (Met Channel, 355) is livecasting the season’s first performance of BORIS GODUNOV.

@MetOpera

2/ This year @MetOpera is doing the so-called “original version,” meaning w/o Act III, the “Polish Act.” This is defensible as post-pandemic economizing: no shelling out for a lead mezzo to sing Marina, nor for a baritone for Rangoni the Jesuit; in fact, you can get by w a new or

3/ 2nd-rate tenor for Grigori/False Dimitri, bc w/o the Polish Act he’s in only 3 scenes and is not the lead character in any of them. Besides containing some of Mussorgsky’s best music, the Polish Act situates Boris’s psychodrama within a larger European context and

Read 17 tweets

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

28 Sep

1/ #Sirius now playing an AÏDA from 1940 with Welitsch, Vinay, Harshaw, Merrill, Hines, Alvary, Franke, & Votipka. I especially enjoy the older performances bc they’re more likely to feature singers I knew personally (Bob Merrill) or by rep/recordings (Merrill & everyone else).

@MetOpera

2/ Also, reminder that Margaret Harshaw sang dramatic mezzo roles b4 moving into Wagner soprano heroines; that Paul Franke came to @MetOpera very early; & that Thelma Votipka - “Tippy” - cd sing just about any small role a/w/a supply high Cs for the diva at necessity.

3/Wonderfully majestic take by Emil Cooper at the podium.

Read 5 tweets

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

16 Jul

https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415792545678954499

1/ This production by the late Anthony Minghella didn't sound like the sort of thing I'd like, but it is. Previous prodns just rearranged the sliding doors. This one largely dispenses w them and lets us concentrate on the (sad) story. Especially, the puppet playing Butterfly's

https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415792545678954499

2/ and Pinkerton's child, with onstage puppeteers made inconspicuous by dark costumes - 👍. A kid old enough to react appropriately is too old to play this child. The puppet, though immobile of face, turns and reacts very expressively. (This effect was imitated goshawfully by

3/ William Kentridge in his fail prodn of WOZZECK.) In Act I Butterfly and her friends and relations emerge over the edge and proceed down the slightly raked stage. Excellent. No huge stars in the cast but that's ok. Partial exception: baritone Paolo Szot as US Consul Sharpless.

Read 4 tweets

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

14 Jul

https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415430987119570949

1/ Shirley Verrett began, and sang most of her career, as a mezzo, yet her performance here is quite good. I never tire of recalling how much-hyped critic Joseph Kerman dismissed TOSCA as a "shabby little shocker" and saying "Neener neener." It's a fan favorite, never out of the

https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415430987119570949

2/ Met's rep for more than a season at a time. It's a triumph of "opulism" (opera + populism) over elites and effetes. Looch serves up the faggioli as Cavaradossi, and Cornell MacNeil offers a Scarpia that's a mighty good down payment on the ones he offered later, in Zeff's

3/ production, at an even higher level. Scarpia is the villain we all love to hate, but know what? I've talked to a few baritones and bass-baritones who have played him and asked: "'Tosca, mi fai dementicare Iddio" ['Tosca, you make me forget God'] - sincere, or ironic?" With no

Read 5 tweets

David M. Wagner

@david_m_wagner

13 Jul

@MetOpera

1/ Just got news that @MetOpera is pullingt? the plug on the free nightly video webcasts after 7/25. It has to happen, but it cd have happened closer to the opening of the regular live season in late September. So, what will I do with these tweets after that?

2/ After all, I've made some new friends, stayed closer to some old friends, and earned some great new follows as a result of opera tweets. Well, Met Opera Channel on SiriusXM is *not* ending. Downside: audio only, so comments on productions won't be as relevant; part of a weekly

3/ rotation, so, temporal focus is lacking. Upside: an assortment to choose from at any given time; also, if you already subscribe to SiriusXM (at about $18/month), you have access to the Met Channel, at channel 335. With SiriusXM you get about three channels for each of

Read 5 tweets

Share this page!

David M. Wagner

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

More from @david_m_wagner

David M. Wagner

David M. Wagner

David M. Wagner

David M. Wagner

David M. Wagner

David M. Wagner

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Like this author's thread?